Screening the Fleet: A Conversation about 50 years of the Navy on Screen
How has the Royal Navy been portrayed on screen over the past half-century? What do these representations reveal about shifting attitudes toward warfare, service, national identity and purpose, and changing audience expectations?
In this free, in-person event, Professor Jonathan Rayner shares his groundbreaking research exploring the evolving image of the Navy in film and television over the last 50 years. Rayner traces how the naval world has been constructed, mythologised, challenged, and reimagined on screen. He will draw on his recent Open Access publication Screening the Fleet (White Rose University Press, 2025) to illustrate his perspective.
This wide-ranging talk will examine the cultural, political, and cinematic forces that have shaped these portrayals—and why they matter. Whether as a symbol of tradition, a site of tension, or a stage for action and adventure, Screening the Fleet offers a rich lens through which to consider Britain's relationship with its maritime history and military institutions.
Joining Professor Rayner for an in-conversation session will be Chris Terrill—British anthropologist, adventurer, broadcaster, author and filmmaker—whose own work documenting life in the armed forces brings a powerful real-world perspective to these questions. The event will conclude with an audience Q&A.
The event will take place in The Diamond building at the University of Sheffield, with the talks in Lecture Theatre 02. There will be drinks and nibbles served from 17:15, with the talk beginning at 17:30. Colleagues from White Rose University Press will also be available to discuss all aspects of Open Access publishing.
Booking is essential— we hope you will join us for an evening of conversation, insight, and reflection on the Navy's on-screen legacy.
