Stine Agnete Sand | UiT The Arctic University of Norway (original) (raw)

Thesis Chapters by Stine Agnete Sand

This thesis is a study of how regional film and television companies in Norway manage to survive ... more This thesis is a study of how regional film and television companies in Norway manage to survive and achieve their goals in the context of a larger film and television business that is centralised, economically fragile, and subsidy dependent.
Interest in production studies has boomed in recent years, but little of this research addresses regional film and television companies. This thesis employs a production studies approach and incorporates theory on place and work on the creative industries. It contributes to the limited amount of research that accounts for both structural framework—in particular,
the impact of film policy and dependence on public funding on these companies—and agency in terms of the intrinsic value of regional film and television production in a local, national and global context. Using multiple perspectives, this thesis presents an in-depth exploration of the advantages and disadvantages of being a regional film and
television company.
The case study is its principal methodological approach, including interviews with film workers at four companies and employees at six regional film agencies, as well as policy documents, websites, newspapers and productions. The thesis focuses on four
well-established regional film and television companies that have produced critically acclaimed films. All are located outside Oslo, the hub of film production in Norway.
The four companies are Original Film in Tromsø, Northern Norway, Flimmer Film in Bergen, Western Norway, Mer Film in Tromsø/Bergen, Northern/Western Norway, and Filmbin in Lillehammer, central Eastern Norway. This thesis argues that one of the greatest challenges to these regional companies (and the government that supports them) is how to develop strong, sustainable regional
film milieus among a scattered populace like Norway’s. The regions suffer from low production volume and brain drain and the research shows that these companies rely on human resources to deal with this challenge. Policy development indicates that the
public funding of regional film is mostly based on regional and economic, but also cultural, arguments—regional film, that is, should contribute to regional development,
economic growth and diversity. I argue that the economic and rural political rationale for support of this business tends to undermine the cultivation of the cultural value of regional film, as well as its quality and professionalism. However, the companies have
managed to produce critically acclaimed films and the thesis reveals how the peripheral location can be a creative and economic advantage.

Papers by Stine Agnete Sand

Cultural Studies , 2023

How can we engage in Indigenous research that allows multiple perspectives and knowledge producti... more How can we engage in Indigenous research that allows multiple perspectives
and knowledge production that is open to epistemic diversity? Answering
calls for decolonization of the academy and the need for researchers to do
their homework, I use my position as an ‘inbetweener’ in a Sámi, Indigenous
context, experiences with peer reviewers as gatekeepers, and theoretical and
methodological discussions about Indigenous research, to reflect upon this
question. The review processes are seldomly discussed, although reviewers
have the power to decide whether research gets published or not. Questions
remain on how research should be carried out and who can speak, especially
in a Sámi-Norwegian context where Indigenous identity and being Sámi or
not by no means are easy questions, due to colonialism and
Norwegianization processes. There is confusion regarding how to do
research, and what positioning means. I argue that Indigenous methodology
raises a dilemma because it one the one hand offers criticism of previous
western, ‘dirty’ research, urging non-Indigenous researchers to involve and
‘do their homework’, while simultaneously emphasizing that research should
be done by and for Indigenous peoples, with their worldviews as a starting
point. Discussions on positionality show that the outsider/insider dichotomy
is problematic and that for some scholars, being Indigenous is a precondition
for doing valid and important research. Non-Indigenous researchers may be
associated with a colonial sin, or shame. Being morally inferior, I argue,
makes it difficult for the researcher both to involve, and to have critical
approaches. Doing homework should involve being able, and allowed, to
engage with Indigenous peoples and societies and go beyond the colonial
gaze coloured by the us/them, and victim/sinner dichotomies. Secondly, I
also call upon universities, that are now institutionalizing Indigenous
perspectives, to take responsibility and offer support to the individual
researchers in their struggle to ‘do things right’.

Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, 2022

This article explores how Sami Blood (2016), as an Indigenous film, addresses colonialism and its... more This article explores how Sami Blood (2016), as an Indigenous film, addresses colonialism and its consequences. Sami Blood documents historical injustice, shame and how colonialism is internalized by the colonized, and mechanisms of systemic and individual racism. Based on analyses of the film, reviews and perspectives on colonialism and cinema, it is argued that Sami Blood contributes to reconciliation processes in contemporary society because it addresses past events and colonial practices from a Sámi perspective. Sami Blood is the first feature film to use the Indigenous South Sámi language, and the first with a female director, Amanda Kernell.

Nordicom Review, 2021

Indigenous journalism can facilitate the inclusion of Indigenous voices in the public sphere, the... more Indigenous journalism can facilitate the inclusion of Indigenous voices in the public sphere, thereby contributing to social change. Contemporary Indigenous journalism is in part facilitated by the introduction and diffusion of paradigmatic media innovations, including the Internet, mobile technology, and social media. Based on a literature review, we investigate how media innovations are understood to facilitate Indigenous journalism and find that few empirical studies directly address this question. Analyses of Indigenous journalism, reaching beyond the potential for increased access to media and for amplification of Indigenous voice, are lacking. Furthermore, little research investigates how the appropriation of new technological affordances influence the production of Indigenous journalism. Our review also indicates that while Indigenous political participation can be facilitated by media innovation, these innovations can also serve to reinforce existing power relations. We submit that more critical analytical approaches are required to investigate how media innovations might facilitate the potential of Indigenous journalism for social change.

Journal of Scandinavian Cinema

This article discusses transnational television and what strategies public service broadcaster NR... more This article discusses transnational television and what strategies public service broadcaster NRK Drama has pursued to make the Norwegian crime series Monster: Brutally Far North travel. Monster was the first Norwegian-language television series bought by a major American cable network, Starz. Using the concept of production values, we argue that NRK has made a series that is able to ride the Nordic noir wave of success while also offering a new northern Norwegian version of the western. These two factors made Monster a good fit for the American market. The series is a result of strategic changes within NRK Drama and a commitment to the private and regional film business. Furthermore, NRK views drama productions as key for reaching audiences and has increased their budgets significantly. The analysis encompasses the industry context, media articles, the ‘North’ as location, the series itself and interviews with important stakeholders.

Journal of Scandinavian cinema, 2021

This article discusses transnational television and what strategies public service broadcaster NR... more This article discusses transnational television and what strategies public service broadcaster NRK Drama has pursued to make the Norwegian crime series Monster-Brutally Far North travel. Monster was the first Norwegian-language television series bought by a major American cable network, Starz. Using the concept of production values, we argue that NRK has made a series that is able to ride the Nordic noir wave of success while also offering a new northern Norwegian version of the Western. These two factors made Monster a good fit for the American market. The series is a result of strategic changes within NRK Drama and a commitment to the private and regional film business. Furthermore, NRK views drama productions as key for reaching audiences and has increased their budgets significantly. The analysis encompasses the industry context, media articles, the 'North' as location, the series itself and interviews with important stakeholders. Contributor details Stine Agnete Sand is an associate professor in the Department of Tourism and Northern Studies at the University of Tromsø, the Arctic University of Norway, researching regional film and television, journalism and indigenous media. She also works as an associate professor in the MA programme in Indigenous Journalism, Sámi University of Applied Sciences in Kautokeino.

This article addresses the regionalisation of screen culture in Norway and Denmark, focusing on h... more This article addresses the regionalisation of screen culture in Norway and Denmark, focusing on how regional screen entities in Tromsø and Aarhus are working to professionalise production and talent development at the peripheries of both countries. We outline their distinctive characteristics and circumstances as regional hubs and delineate the key actors that constitute the respective screen ecosystems. We analyse the interplay between regional film policy, production, and talent development in relation to regional development, geography, creativity, innovation, and the economy of culture. Based on an analysis of policies, strategy documents, and interviews conducted with practitioners in Aarhus and Tromsø over the period 2014–2019, we explore the diverse strategies that these regional production hubs employ to develop and—more challengingly—retain talents in the region, and argue that despite the increased attention given to ‘diversity’ in film policy, structural and cultural obst...

Nordicom Review

Journal of Scandinavian Cinema, 2020

This article addresses the regionalization of screen culture in Norway and Denmark, focusing on h... more This article addresses the regionalization of screen culture in Norway and Denmark, focusing on how regional screen entities in Tromsø and Aarhus are working to professionalize production and talent development at the peripheries of both countries. We outline their distinctive characteristics and circumstances as regional hubs and delineate the key actors that constitute the respective screen ecosystems. We focus on the interplay between regional film policy, production and talent development in relation to regional development, geography, creativity, innovation and the economy of culture. Based on an examination of policies, strategy documents and interviews conducted with practitioners in Aarhus and Tromsø over the period 2014‐19, we explore the diverse strategies these regional production hubs employ to develop and ‐ more challengingly ‐ retain talents in the region, arguing that despite the increased attention given to ‘diversity’ in film policy, structural and cultural obstacles hamper sustainable growth.

Nordic Journal of Media Studies, 2020

The creative industries have had a major impact on cultural policy, and it is often argued that t... more The creative industries have had a major impact on cultural policy, and it is often argued that these industries can be a vehicle for regional growth. Using regional film production in Norway as a case, I discuss the creative industries, the cluster concept and its impact on policy. I analyse two film policy documents from 2007 and 2015 in order to show how the issue of size and critical mass is an unsettled topic within the creative industries, and I question the relevance of film as an economic and regional development tool in a country with a small film industry, such as Norway. This article shows that the creative industries concept, adopted from international discourses, especially creative industries policies in the UK, has influenced Norwegian film policy, reducing the importance of cultural objectives and increased the focus on the business potential and economic aspects of culture.

The Nordic Journal of Cultural Policy, 2019

This article examines approaches to cultural diversity in a global- local axis. Can one talk abou... more This article examines approaches to cultural diversity in a global- local axis.
Can one talk about local cultural diversity in a film industry that is increasingly global? Cultural diversity is a goal in European film policy and an important rationale behind the support of European films. Geographical location is a key factor when discussing filmmaking because of the assumption that film and television production at different places represents diversity and therefore contributes to democracy and varied representations. Still, few studies examine whether filmmaking in the peripheries does, or can, contribute to diversity in film. Using Norway as a case, interviews with people in four companies located outside the capital were conducted to discuss diversity and the geographical dimension of filmmaking. The article argues that the companies contribute to diversity because of a commitment to shoot regionally, and because they use local film workers and talents. The companies act in a glocal context where they focus on the national and/or regional in order to get public funding, but projects that are too place- or cultural specific in content are usually not interesting to an international audience. They choose a hybridisation strategy, using local places to tell universal stories

Television and New Media, 2019

This article asks, “How can indigenous media fulfill its obligations toward the indigenous popula... more This article asks, “How can indigenous media fulfill its obligations toward the indigenous population while also connecting with the majority?” In the entertainment television series Muitte mu, produced by the indigenous public service broadcaster NRK Sápmi in Norway, famous Norwegian artists learn to joik, a Sámi form of music. Muitte mu triggered a discussion concerning cultural appropriation and commercialization, as well as the traditionalist versus pragmatic and interethnic views of indigenous cultural expressions. One of NRK Sápmi’s goals is to share content about the Sámi, and, in a market-oriented media environment, the series uses Sámi iconography and celebrities to fulfill this goal. However, this approach does not necessarily resonate with its main obligation, which is to provide programming for the Sámi people. What is at stake in these debates are the credibility, relevance, and legitimacy of NRK Sápmi, all of which depend upon the recognition of the Sámi themselves.

Public funding is crucial for the small Norwegian film industry. Based on an analysis of policy d... more Public funding is crucial for the small Norwegian film industry. Based on an
analysis of policy documents and interviews with regional film workers, this
article discusses the implementation of regional film policy in Norway, and the
tensions it has caused between center and periphery with respect to the allocation
of funding. The creative industries discourse and the cluster concept are
important for understanding this implementation; despite the new regional film
policies the capital Oslo remains the undisputed hub of film production, and
low production volume is still a challenge for the regions. Size, the article
explains, is not only central when discussing Oslo as compared to the regions,
but has also become a contentious issue within the regions. A key concern for
the government, the article suggests, is how to create strong film milieus all
over the country, which may entail the risk of spreading funding too thinly
across the regions, resulting in a fragmented industry.

In 2005, the Norwegian Parliament passed the Finnmark Act, with ownership of 96 % of Finnmark tra... more In 2005, the Norwegian Parliament
passed the Finnmark
Act, with ownership of 96 %
of Finnmark transferred
from the State to the inhabitants
of Finnmark. This article
discusses the dominant arguments
for and against the Act
in two local newspapers in
Finnmark. The debate was
intense. Would the Finnmark
Act lead to private ownership
based on ethnicity, or equal
ownership? Different understandings
of equity, justice
and ethnicity were used rhetorically
by those against the
law and also by those who
were positive. Fear of privatization
was a dominant argument
based on a democratic
view where no one should
have private ownership.

This article explores what two regional film production companies in Norway do to survive and suc... more This article explores what two regional film production companies in Norway do to survive and succeed with their goals. The production of feature films in Norway is largely an Oslo-based effort, but despite this reality, there are companies in the regions that produce feature films. The analysis draws on semi-structured interviews with eight employees in two companies. Mer Film has in relatively short time managed to attract talented directors and establish networks with international, critically acclaimed production companies. Filmbin was one of the first film companies in Norway who committed themselves to the production of films for children. The article shows that success must be related to context and that reputation, talent development and choice of genre, geographical location, networking and social capital, risk diversification, entrepreneurship, organizational culture and leadership, are essential factors for the companies.

Research on filmmaking outside urban centres tends to concentrate on regional development— resear... more Research on filmmaking outside urban centres tends to concentrate on regional development— researchers note that the cultural industries have a positive impact on tourism, place branding and the local economy (Hedling 2010). More generally, research tends to focus on how the cultural industries affect the places where they are located. However, few researchers have reversed this perspective by examining how location affects the companies themselves. In order to address this gap in understanding, I will revisit the relationship between place and filmmaking in Norway in this chapter. This relationship matters because the Norwegian government supports regional film based on the premise that film production in different places will generate more varied films. Therefore, in what follows I will look at the ways in which four regional production companies in Norway relate to their geographical location, and what being a 'regional company' means to their survival and viability. After briefly situating place in relation to the political context of filmmaking, I will elaborate upon the concept of place more broadly, and then describe my four case studies. I will then discuss the relationship between these regional film and television companies and their locations by assessing interviews, websites, and their latest productions. My analysis will demonstrate that place does matter to these companies, in terms of inspiration, the use of the local landscape in productions themselves, the use of local directors and film workers, and, to a degree, the telling of stories that are identified with the regions in question. I will also reveal some of the complexities involved in promoting one's local affiliation, because regional film production is sometimes regarded as less professional. Place and policy Place is an important concept within Norwegian film and cultural policy, not as an isolated phenomenon but as part of a commitment to regional development. Norway has a scattered population and tensions between the political centre and the peripheries are central to the political history of modern Norway (Pettersen et al. 1996: 259). In his analysis of centre and periphery in Norway, Stein Rokkan (1987) describes how cultural opposition to the values of the central state from markedly distinct peripheries has been strong in Norway. After the Second World War, the state assumed an active role in the modernisation of Norway, focusing, initially on northern Norway. It was a national priority to develop industry and achieve equal living conditions in every part of the country, thanks to a form of exogenous thinking that believed in the redistribution of wealth and opportunities from the centre to the periphery. According to Selstad (2003), more recently the government wants growth to happen from within the regions themselves. As a result, the cultural industries are newly attractive to policymakers because of the positive economic effects they are believed to have. Policymakers, as mentioned above, see the cultural industries as drivers of regional development (Philo and Kearns 1993). The Norwegian government therefore wants film production to take place in the regions rather than be concentrated in Oslo. It is a policy goal that regional film should attract private investors and thereby raise more money for the Norwegian film business, but it should also contribute to tourism, place promotion and work opportunities in the regions.

Books by Stine Agnete Sand

Selv om det i dag ofte snakkes om en gullalder i norsk film, preges spillefilmbransjen av sentral... more Selv om det i dag ofte snakkes om en gullalder i norsk film, preges spillefilmbransjen av sentralisering, små selskaper med lav lønnsomhet og produksjonsaktivitet, samt spillefilmer som ofte går med underskudd (Ryssevik et al., 2014). Samtidig er det slik at mesteparten av pengene fra Norsk filminstitutt (NFI) går til hovedstadsområdet. Til tross for dette finnes det filmselskaper i regionene som satser på produksjon av spillefilm. Basert på casestudier av selskapene Mer Film og Filmbin, intervjuer og et ressursbasert perspektiv diskuteres det hva to av disse selskapene gjør for å overleve og for å nå sine mål.

Cultural Studies , 2023

Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, 2022

Nordicom Review, 2021

Journal of Scandinavian Cinema

Journal of Scandinavian cinema, 2021

This article discusses transnational television and what strategies public service broadcaster NR... more This article discusses transnational television and what strategies public service broadcaster NRK Drama has pursued to make the Norwegian crime series Monster-Brutally Far North travel. Monster was the first Norwegian-language television series bought by a major American cable network, Starz. Using the concept of production values, we argue that NRK has made a series that is able to ride the Nordic noir wave of success while also offering a new northern Norwegian version of the Western. These two factors made Monster a good fit for the American market. The series is a result of strategic changes within NRK Drama and a commitment to the private and regional film business. Furthermore, NRK views drama productions as key for reaching audiences and has increased their budgets significantly. The analysis encompasses the industry context, media articles, the 'North' as location, the series itself and interviews with important stakeholders. Contributor details Stine Agnete Sand is an associate professor in the Department of Tourism and Northern Studies at the University of Tromsø, the Arctic University of Norway, researching regional film and television, journalism and indigenous media. She also works as an associate professor in the MA programme in Indigenous Journalism, Sámi University of Applied Sciences in Kautokeino.

Nordicom Review

Journal of Scandinavian Cinema, 2020

Nordic Journal of Media Studies, 2020

The Nordic Journal of Cultural Policy, 2019

Television and New Media, 2019