Omaehtoinen elokuva kulttuurituotantona ja osallistumisen muotona mediakulttuurissa

Abstract

This study examines the culture of amateur and independent filmmakers in Finland. It considers this culture as a form of cultural production and a mode of participation in media culture. The research deals with dimensions of non-professional media production within the film industry, referred to here as self-produced filmmaking, from the point of view of participation and the public sphere. The scope of this viewpoint extends from amateur production to semi-professional filmmaking. The study approaches the culture of Finnish amateur and independent filmmakers through theory-based content analysis, using different data sources (internet discussions, focused interviews, filmmakers’ publications, media texts) and paying attention to the filmmakers’ positions and the interaction between institutions and individuals within the public sphere. It also studies aspects of amateur filmmaker communities and their significance to the filmmakers’ sense of competence. The theoretical framework lies in cultural studies, and accordingly the study focuses on the power relationships present in media culture. Media culture is increasingly shaped through user participation and alternative media production. The public sphere is the battleground where mainstream and marginal media productions compete for attention and prestige. Self-produced media is affected by a multitude of forces that shape the possibilities of participation. The goal of the study is to form a coherent picture of a contemporary phenomenon, namely the independent or non-professional filmmaking scene, and to place it on the media landscape of global audio-visual production. To create self-produced media content means controlling the production process from scriptwriting to distribution, and choosing to interact with and participate in environments that support the filmmaker’s competence, autonomy and self-esteem.