Screen Industries in East-Central Europe

This book explores the audiovisual and media industries in eastern and central Europe, including the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, from an alternative perspective. It focuses on the lived realities of producers and how they navigate globalization and digitalization, highlighting the constraints and challenges they face. The book offers a comparative analytical framework for studying small and/or peripheral media industries beyond east-central Europe.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 07 October 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book offers a unique insight into the audiovisual and media industries of eastern and central Europe, specifically focusing on the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. By exploring these industries from an alternative perspective, the book provides valuable insights into how the screen industries of small nations are positioned in the context of globalization and digitalization.

Author Petr Szczepanik suggests that globalization and digitalization are still incomplete processes in these 'digital peripheries,' closely intertwined with and mediated by deeply local circumstances and players. Instead of a top-down economic or political overview, this book places central focus on the lived realities of producers as key initiators, facilitators, and cultural intermediaries. Through in-depth interviews, the book delves into how the limited scale and peripheral positioning of the markets in which these producers operate shape their agency and how they navigate these constraints through their business strategies, creative thinking, and professional self-perceptions.

The book is organized into seven chapters, each dedicated to a close study of a specific production practice. These practices include independent producers operating within the constraints of their home markets, service producers working on large Western projects in Prague and Budapest, and short-form online video production, which holds the promise of dynamic growth in the era of mobile. While the cases presented may vary in terms of their specific characteristics, they all illustrate that while many industry practices and actors remain territorially and nationally bound, it is impossible to understand the full complexity of media markets and producer practices in the internet era without considering transcult.

In conclusion, this book provides a valuable contribution to the field of media studies by offering a fresh perspective on the audiovisual and media industries of eastern and central Europe. Through its in-depth exploration of producer practices and their interactions with the local and global contexts, it sheds light on the complex dynamics and challenges faced by these industries in the digital age. Whether you are an academic, industry professional, or simply interested in understanding the evolving media landscape, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the region's screen industries.

Weight: 421g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839022739