Miranda Pennell originally trained in contemporary dance and later studied visual anthropology at Goldsmiths, London.   Much of her work has explored aspects of performance through film and video, and has centred on a range of human subjects that has included teenage ice-skaters, amateur and professional dancers, fight directors, soldiers and Rock drummers.   Her most recent and current work uses archive photographs as a material for film. Pennell's film and video work has been shown in different contexts including independent cinema, gallery and broadcast. Her films and videos have received awards at international film festivals, and funding from Arts Council England, Film London's Artists Film and Video Awards, BBC and the Channel 4 British Documentary Foundation.   She has recently received a three year AHRC scholarship at the University of Westminster.