Audiovisual Arts and Media Studies

The curriculum has three vacancies in the study programme in 2026 (PhD student-junior researcher):

• Two study places with open topic
• One study place on the topic: “Integrated Teaching of Creative Subjects and Innovative Didactic Approaches in Contemporary Learning Frameworks”
  This Doctoral Candidate/Junior Researcher position focuses on exploring and developing innovative ways of integrating creative subjects (music, art, dance, audiovisual media) within the contemporary educational landscape. In an era where technological changes and the development of artificial intelligence demand new forms of creative self-expression, agency, and critical thinking, the focus of BFM is on the role of creative practice as a supporter of meaningful learning. The position offers opportunities to investigate how integrated arts education can support learners’ general competencies, social cohesion, and mental well-being, both in Estonia and in an international context. The candidate is free to propose interdisciplinary research directions that address the integration of creative subjects with other fields (e.g., STEM/STEAM) or involve methodologies such as gamification and digital technological solutions. The research may focus on the dialogue between creative practice and technology (including artificial intelligence), emphasizing the importance of experiential and embodied learning. Diverse approaches are encouraged, valuing the unpredictability of the creative process and direct experience. The outcomes of the work should contribute to educational innovation and be applicable across different levels of education or in curriculum development.
• One study place on the topic: "Audience data management and performance measurement in the cross-media landscape"
  This PhD project investigates how Public Interest Media organisations can ethically and effectively generate, use, and share audience data across platforms. While audience behaviour data has become central in contemporary media management, public media organisations face challenges transitioning from traditional broadcast metrics to complex cross-platform analytics. At the same time, they must avoid the extractive, opaque, and data-intensive practices typical of major tech platforms.
  The doctoral candidate will analyse how audience data is produced, integrated, and interpreted within public interest media, and develop innovative methodologies for performance measurement that balance editorial missions, communicative purposes, and user insight requirements. The research will ultimately produce strategic recommendations for revising Public Service Media approaches to audience measurement and for adapting production, distribution, and engagement strategies within the evolving, tech-driven media environment.

  In addition to the general admission requirements the following specific requirements apply:
  - Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply. However, researchers must not have lived or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host country (in this case: Estonia) for more than 12 months within the 36 months immediately preceding their recruitment date. Candidates must be willing to move to Estonia for the duration of the PhD research.
  - At the time of recruitment, candidates must not already hold a doctoral degree.
  - Candidates should hold a relevant Master’s degree in media studies, media management, communication, digital humanities, data analytics, or a closely related field.
  - Prior experience in media industry analysis, audience research, digital platform studies, or organisational research is considered an asset and familiarity with Public Service Media, platform governance, or media policy is beneficial.

Full-time studies

• PhD studies consist of a course component and a thesis component. Many of the courses are based on individual work and demand close co-operation with the supervisor.
• Some subject courses and all general courses will have contact meetings. Not all the general courses will be offered in English every year.
• PhD students must participate in the PhD seminars throughout their studies.
• The official full-time study period of PhD studies is four years.

Core course components

• Introduction to Audiovisual Culture and Media Research;
• Special Seminar on Audiovisual Arts;
• Special Seminar on Media Studies.

Study programme

Both the academic staff responsible for the curriculum and those participating in teaching have well established networks and work on novel research. Professors Indrek Ibrus, Ulrike Rohn, Katrin Tiidenberg and lecturers Teet Teinemaa, Alessandro Nani, Pia Tikka, Andres Kõnno all lead large international or nationally funded research and development projects. Doctoral students can also contribute to these projects. Continued active international engagement in launching innovative research projects will help to keep the doctoral programme on an innovative course. 

Indrek Ibrus is professor of media innovation in BFM. He holds a PhD from London School of Economics and Political Science and a MPhil from the University of Oslo. Some of the larger project he is currently leading are the Estonian Research Council's Cultural Data Chains of Public Value and the data analysis work package of the European Horizon project CresCine. He is a member of the Steering Committee of the Cultural Development Plan 2021-2030, the Research Council of the Ministry of Culture and a member of the Digital Cultural Heritage Council. Indrek Ibrus is also a member of the Tallinn University Council and co-editor of Baltic Screen Media Review (a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to audiovisual culture in the Baltic Sea Region).

Indrek Ibrus's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Katrin Tiidenberg is Professor of Participatory Culture. She is the author and editor of multiple books on social media, digital visual cultures and digital research methods, including, most recently “Hot Connections: Why Sexual Platforms Matter” (2026, co-authored with Jenny Sunden and Susanna Paasonen). She is currently leading the Participatory Wellbeing Research Group of the  Estonian Centre of Excellence of Wellbeing Sciences (ESTWELL) and working on research projects on health meaning making and online visual cultures. Her research interests span social media, digital (sub)cultures, networked visuality, internet governance and self-care. 

More info at: https://katrin-tiidenberg.com/

Katrin Tiidenberg's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Ulrike Rohn is a Professor of Media Management and Economics at BFM where she also co-leads the Centre of Excellence in Media Innovation and Digital Culture (MEDIT). Her research focuses on managerial decision-making, the audiovisual industry, market characteristics, web 3, and entrepreneurship. She has authored several books including the “De Gruyter Handbook of Media Economics” (2024), “Media Management Matters: Bridging Theory and Practice” (2020), and “Cultural Barriers to the Success of Foreign Media Content: Western Media in China, India, and Japan” (2010).

Additionally, she has led numerous national and international research and innovation projects such as the Horizon2020 ScreenME project on media entrepreneurship (2019-2023), and she is part of projects on entrepreneurship (C-Accelerate and ArtR), the film industry (Crescine) and the European Alliance for Film and Media Arts (FilmEU). She has held positions on various editorial boards and served as President of the European Media Management Association from 2016 to 2021. She hosts the ScreenME Podcast, focused on industry dynamics and entrepreneurship in the media. 

Ulrike Rohn's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Riho Västrik is a documentary filmmaker and producer who has taught at BFM since 2009. He is the curator of the Documentary Film MA study program and Professor of Documentary Film.

Riho Västrik's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Pia Tikka is Research Professor at the Baltic Film, Media, Arts and Communication School. She has joined MEDIT after winning Estonian Research Council’s Top Researcher Grant.

Dr. Tikka is a filmmaker and scholar whose research concerns psychophysiological and emotional basis of cinematic systems. Prior to her joining BFM, she was the Principal Investigator for the NeuroCine project at Aalto University in Finland. In 2010, she was a Fulbright scholar in the Institute for Multimedia Literacy at the University of Southern California and a researcher in residency in Neuroaesthetics at the Minerva Foundation, Berkeley. She was also a Visiting Research Fellow in the Institute of Creative Technologies at De Montfort University, UK (2009-2011), and a lecturer in Film Theory and Film Analysis at the Baltic School of Film and Media at Tallinn University (2006-2007).

As a filmmaker, Dr. Tikka has directed the feature films Daughters of Yemanjá (1996) and Sand Bride (1998). She has also been involved in various interactive media projects, such as the Academy of Finland-sponsored Enactive Cinema, winning such awards as the Möbius Prix Nordic prize for interactive storytelling in 2005 and exhibiting her work internationally.

Pia Tikka's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Dirk Hoyer is a German born filmmaker and scholar. He obtained his Master degree from the Sorbonne and his Doctor of Arts from Aalto University.

Dirk directed and wrote feature films and documentary films. In his research he focuses on Estonian cinema of the 90s, Dimitri Kirsanoff, the role of political imagination in contemporary culture and on storytelling.

Dirk Hoyer on IMDB

Dirk Hoyer's profile in the Estonian Research Information System
 

Teet Teinemaa is an Associate Professor in Film Studies at Tallinn University, Baltic Film, Media and Arts School, Estonia. He holds a PhD from the University of Warwick, UK, and completed his post-doctoral research in Tallinn University. Teinemaa currently serves as the Tallinn University lead for the European University Initiative, FilmEU, a network of eight film schools, funded by ERASMUS2027. He also leads from the Tallinn University side a HORIZON WIDERA research capacitation project.

Teinemaa’s research interests include nostalgia, ageing, finance in film, and “quality TV”. His articles have appeared in journals such as Film International, Journal of Ageing Studies, and Studies in Eastern European Cinema. He is a co-editor of Baltic Screen Media Review and the former head of an international MA programme Literature, Visual Culture, and Film Studies.

Teet Teinemaa's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Elen Lotman is the Associate Professor of Film Arts at Baltic Film, Media and Arts School (BFM) of Tallinn University. Elen  has served as co-President of the European Federation of Cinematographers (IMAGO) after serving as IMAGO Board Member and also Diversity and Inclusion Committee co-chair. She defended her PhD thesis titled “Experiential Heuristics in Fiction Film Cinematography” with laudatur in 2021.

Elen Lotman's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Applications to PhD studies are accepted from 18 May to 29 June 12 pm (EEST)*.

*Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) (UTC+03:00) during summer.

For general requirements, please read admission to PhD Studies here.

The doctoral candidate position consists of four years of full-time study. The studies at doctoral level include a documented research project and a course section.

The applicant must have:

• a Master’s degree or equivalent within education programmes on audiovisual artistic practices or media and communication studies;
• shown the purpose of and plan for the intended research;
• proof of English proficiency (B2 level).

The application and interview

The application should be written in English or in Estonian and be uploaded digitally into SAIS (for Estonians) or DreamApply (for foreigners). The application should consist of:

• a research plan signed by your potential supervisor(s) (no more than 5 pages) that contains the following: 

1. a justification for the importance of the research topic,
2. a description of the research project, its research questions, methodologies and research  strategies,
3. a schedule for completion of required studies (30 ECTS),
4. a plan for funding,
5. any reference material you would like to include can be uploaded or enclosed as links,
6. names of the potential supervisors, who have agreed to supervise your thesis;

• a CV (If the applicant has a portfolio or homepage (of previous works/projects) it should be linked to CV);
• a motivation letter for choosing Tallinn University as the site of doctoral research and motivation for selecting the doctoral programme;
• a copy of your previous degree certificate (Master's degree or equivalent) and a copy of a detailed transcript of studies included in the degree.

The interview with the candidate is based on the proposal for the doctoral thesis that is agreed with the prospective supervisor.

Selection 

The selection of applications to proceed in the process is based on the following criteria:

• the quality of the project and the feasibility of it being carried out within the given time frame (i.e. in a period corresponding to four years’ full-time study);
• the quality of the research plan with regard to the delimitations of the subject area, its relevance, originality, research questions, connection to and relevance for the related collective knowledge area and methodology development;
• in case of artistic projects the applicant’s suitability for artistic research work and capability of benefiting from research education;
• interview with the candidate.

Guidelines for writing a dissertation research plan

The following outline may be used as a guide. You should address each of the areas that are relevant for your research.

Title of the project and abstract

The title should capture what is essential of the research project in just a few words.
The abstract should specify what is your research question and how do you plan to approach it? How does your research topic contribute to the field? Are there any effects and impacts beyond academia? Why does it matter, what is its social, cultural, economic, environmental or other kind of importance?
The abstract should not be longer than one page.

The research topic

Introduce your main research question. What is your aim and hypothesis? What are the sub-questions?
Add background information about your topic and previous research about related subjects. You can also share your previous work in the area.

Methodology/Theoretical framework

Describe the methodology, explain why you chose it and how will you use it. 
If your research involves the collection and analysis of research assets (e.g. photos, audiovisual recordings, texts) or data, explain how you will collect, manage, and preserve them (e.g., interviews, ethics application, and questionnaires). Discuss the tools employed for their interpretation.
We do not expect you to master topics related e.g. to open access or to the legal and ethical issues related to data management (e.g. data protection, copyright issues) when you apply. It is enough that you have given the topic thought and recognised the preliminary data management questions that might arise related to your research data.
If you plan to carry out artistic work as part of your doctoral research then present a plan for the artistic component. Explain the scope of the work, the practicalities of its production, when and where you plan to have your exhibition, screening, etc., how many will there be and what is their role in your research.

Schedule and funding of the doctoral studies and dissertation

Present a schedule for the doctoral studies that includes the required studies (30 ECTS), time needed for writing dissertation and possibly for the production of the artistic element(s).
Full time studies take approximately 4 years, plan your schedule accordingly. Be realistic.
Suitable time frame is to present the plan by academic terms (Autumn and Spring).
It is not necessary to list all the studies in course level, often credits are enough. E.g. Autumn 2026, studies in the research field, 6 ECTS.

Funding: The way you plan to fund your studies affects their length. Present a detailed plan for funding. Especially in the case of productions (artistic components of your doctoral project), present your budget.

Results

Describe your expected results and their significance. You may also present possible practical applications of research results. Do you have a plan for publications and other dissemination of research results?

References

List of the most important research literature. Only sources used in the plan should be listed.

Intro

I find Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) to be a fascinating new way to tell stories combining audiovisual storytelling and virtual reality, where much stronger emotions can be triggered and situations perceived more real as the user is sharing the same space with characters in a virtual environment.

As the project seeks for knowledge in a rather new field, I believe that it could be beneficial academically and to practitioners. Understanding how users are immersed in Cinematic Virtual Reality stories and what cinematographic techniques can be used will allow CVR developers to work more efficiently and effectively.

Background

I have acquired both a bachelor's and a master's degree in the field of production and directing at the Tallinn University's Baltic Film and Media School. I started working in the television sphere few years before I started my undergraduate studies at TLU’s Baltic Film and Media School and I’m somewhat active in it till now.

I've directed and/or produced several TV shows, series, commercials and music videos, produced the Estonian National Selection for the Eurovision Song Contest entry – Eesti Laul – and worked as the Head of Social Media at Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR).

Why BFM?

Choosing Tallinn University as the place for doctoral research is quite logical for me as this is my – so to say – home university and it offers internationally recognized world class education in the field of audiovisual arts and media. More importantly, Audiovisual Arts and Media Studies curriculum, its high-level professors and lecturers with an international background, its facilities and technical capability offers the opportunity to conduct my research in technologically complex and artistically demanding topic. 

Ermo Säks's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

The project aims to analyse data practices employed by local media organisations in comparison to how global new media companies handle data for segmentation, targeting in relation to advertisements and data employment for content suggestions. A comparative perspective aims to uncover differences between local and global players highlighting the logic of both to assess what accounts as strong and weak points. In addition to exploring exact business model related data practices, an assessment of the wider playing field- privacy, competitiveness and consumer protection issues- is an important complementing aspect. After uncovering the underlying data handling practices by local media organisations and the environment they operate in, ways forward (policy suggestions) can be addressed in the framework of cross-innovation.

Background

I have a BA degree in Government & Politics from University of Tartu and an MSc degree in European Governance from University of Bristol. At the moment I’m finishing my MA degree in New Media & Digital Culture at University of Amsterdam. I have worked as a researcher at Unitas Foundation and Transparency International Estonia and as an adviser for digital and energy efficiency topics at the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.

Why BFM?

The doctoral programme for media studies at Tallinn University offers a dynamic opportunity to explore different facets of new media characteristics and developments. It allows a thorough and critical look at the current mediatised society. 

Hanna Jemmer's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

My research focuses on the relationship between memory and film, on the places where they intersect and how the narrative tools of one can define and/or affect the other. The idea for the research emerged from a film idea and they have been evolving together, I find this a wonderful opportunity to continue the process. I plan to experiment with formal aspects of documentary filmmaking and through these experiments investigate some aspects of narrativity, memory, representation, and film as a medium.

Background

Carlos E. Lesmes is a Colombian film director currently living and working in Estonia. Graduated as a Filmmaker from Universidad Nacional de Colombia in 2010, and from the MA in Baltic Film and Arts School in 2014, Carlos has been an active member of the Estonian film community, being part of different feature films and developing his own film projects. His debut feature documentary film A Loss of Something Ever Felt was released in 2021 and has recognized in several film festival inside and outside of Estonia.

Why BFM?

Since I graduated my MA, I have been involved with various BFM projects and, in a way, it is my first foster home in Estonia. When I understood that the research practice PhD would offer me the possibility to further my practice and also think about it, it was a simple choice. Having access to the network, the people and the facilities the BFM offers is a great opportunity to improve my practice and also get to know other artists. 

Carlos E. Lesmes's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

I am conducting artistic research on the phenomenon of narrative stance or Cinematic Point of View in audiovisual fiction. Point of view refers to whose reality the viewer most identifies with at any given time and is one of the biggest contributions the director makes to a film. How to control and direct point of view – the level of involvement the viewer has with the characters on screen – via film language is one of the main questions for a director. The form and content of my practice-based exploratory research is focusing around practical creation of POV in fiction film directing.

Background

Tanel Toom is an Oscar-nominated film director and screenwriter. He studied filmmaking at Tallinn University, graduating with a BA in 2005 after which continued his MA studies at the National Film and Television School, UK. His films have been screened around the world in numerous film festivals (including Venice Film Festival, Busan, Warsaw, San Sebastian, Black Nights Film Festival etc) and won several awards. His short film The Confession won the Student Academy Award and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film. His first feature film Truth and Justice premiered in 2019, breaking all the box office records in Estonia and quickly became the most watched film in the country and made it into the shortlist in Best International Film category at the 2020 Academy Awards. His second feature, English language international project Last Sentinel, starring Kate Bosworth and Lucien Laviscount, premiered in March 2023.

Why BFM?

BFM has artistic research in the field of film and a possibility to have a filmmaker as a supervisor. Those two opportunities are the reason why I joined the Audiovisual Arts and Media Studies programme.

Tanel Toom's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

The relationship between space of representation and represented space occupy a central position in this research that explores how narrative cinema meets public space, through the creation of site-specific films, questioning how this relocation / remediation of cinema confronts the relationship with the audience from the very conception and expands the possibilities of creation from new storytelling strategies that include the space, its inhabitants and its dynamics. In the same way, it questions the auratic aspect of a cinema anchored to a territory. The project uses nostalgia as a spatial operation to build deep links within the space and the human.

Background

Colombian director and cinematographer with international experience in feature films, shorts, television and documentaries. He has collaborated with projects in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, working with many production companies and different channels including ARTE and Radio Télévision Suisse. He holds a BA in film and Television from National University of Colombia, a Master in Cinematography (Cum Laude) from Erasmus Mundus joint master Viewfinder. He has collaborated for several years with indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in Colombia, an experience that has contributed significantly to broaden his understanding of cinema and has directed his artistic searches to new horizons.

Why BFM?

During my Master's studies at BFM I had the opportunity to collaborate in one of the research projects as a cinematographer, which allowed me to understand what the PhD programme was all about and to see artistic research up close. I simply loved it. This university has been for me the place where I have finally reconciled several of my interests and quests, it has also offered me the means for exploration, as well as an academic and artistic community to rely on. It is honestly a great privilege to belong to it and I must say that I have been warmly welcomed.

Diego Alejandro Barajas Riaño's in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

I focus on the concept of chance within film editing. Film editing is in film theory and education mostly considered as a form of construction - editors are constructing the narrative, the story, the rhythm, the emotion. In my filmmaking practice which includes both editing and directing experience, I have noticed that a counterforce to the construction is an ever-present element in my work. Inspired by Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes, I've over the years wondered and experimented on what could be Punctum in film both within my filmmaking practice as well as teaching practice. This research looks at the topic through history, practice and pedagogy.

Background

Liis Nimik (1979) is a documentary filmmaker, fiction editor and lecturer. She has edited 4 feature films and worked together with director Veiko Õunpuu on two features – Free Range (2013) and Roukli (2015). The recent documentary films she produced – Lembri Uudu (2017), The Weight of All the Beauty (2019) and A Loss of Something Ever Felt (2020) have all been international festival successes, having being shown and awarded in festivals like DocLeipzig, Sarajevo, HotDocs, Melbourne IFF, Jihlava, Bogota, Habana and Black Nights. Sundial is her debut feature documentary as a director and premieres in Visions du Reel and Hotdocs in 2023. Liis believes chance, curiosity and humor are the three most important components of life and keeps researching film through this perspective.

Why BFM?

I am an alumni from the Film Arts programme in BFM, where I graduated as an editor and I also got my MA in Documentary Directing from BFM. I’ve been teaching editing in BFM for more than 7 years now and within that process I’ve gathered a lot of interesting insight from which the academic world could benefit from. So when the Artistic Research branch was opened in BFM, I felt it was time to take a step forward and look into my tacit knowledge processes with scientific tools. 

Liis Nimik's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

The thesis originates from several current developments related to audiovisual media and television viewing. Over the past decade, most of the public broadcasters have introduced their own video-on-demand (VOD) platforms. While the viewership on these platforms is on the rise, traditional linear TV viewership is declining. Due to insufficient exploration of certain aspects regarding how content exposure (distribution and presentation) on VOD platforms translates into viewership, the overall shift in televisual media consumption poses challenges for public service media organizations in balancing their content offer in terms of diversity i.e. fulfilling their public objectives.
My PhD research focuses on the question of how and to what extent VOD platforms of public service media contribute to the creation of public value. The research aims to contextualize VOD services and their affordances within the ecosystem of public service media, conceptualize the public value of VOD services, and develop novel multidimensional methods to measure it.

Background

Raul Lobanov has a background in sociology, media analytics and development of digital media platforms. He has been working for all of the major media houses in Estonia analyzing digital media data and turning the knowledge into developments and innovations of digital media platforms. During the recent years, he has held various positions at Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR), focusing on development of VOD services and media analytics. His research interests include television, streaming services, video-on-demand platforms, multidimensional audience studies and media analytics.

Why BFM?

Having graduated from BFM's Contemporary Media MA programme, I was well-acquainted with the school, its academic staff, fundamental principles, quality of work, and the opportunities the school provides. I would foremost emphasize the supportive and international study environment, and several innovative research approaches developing at BFM. The PhD programme also offers wide-ranging opportunities that empower students to shape their own individual and independent study paths. Given that my PhD studies primarily focus on data and audiovisual media, my decision to pursue further education at BFM was supported by the existence of Estonian Research Council group grant "Public Value of Open Cultural Data" and the presence of the CUDAN (Cultural Data Analytics) Open Lab at Tallinn University.

Raul Lobanov's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

My practice-based artistic research focuses on the role of cinematographers in the embodied meaning-making of movies through camera movements. As a cinematographer myself, the broader aim is to integrate my practical experience into the theoretical frameworks of traditional film studies and conduct research in a transdisciplinary manner. Accordingly, this project aims for various outcomes such as practical experiments, journal publications, and a final artistic work.

Background

Mehmet Burak Yilmaz is a cinematographer with a BA in Filmmaking and an MA in Cinematography. He has over ten years of experience in the film industry, having shot numerous fictions, commercials, and documentaries in several countries such as Ireland, France, Hungary, Turkey, and Estonia. He is currently living in Estonia and actively working in the professional film industry.

Why BFM?

I had the opportunity to study at BFM during my master’s studies and was genuinely impressed by the school’s educational approach. Here, I found answers to some questions I had been asking for a long time as a cinematographer. Most importantly, this PhD program offers the possibility to conduct practice-based artistic research, allowing me to utilize my practical skills to make a meaningful contribution to my field. The quality and expertise of the academic staff, as well as the fellow students, both as filmmakers and researchers, were another important factor.

Mehmet Burak Yilmaz's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

The research focuses on verbal account scenes in horror and thriller audiovisual works. Conceptualized by Julian Hanich, verbal accounts are scenes in which characters retell an event or describe imagery concealed from the audience. The use and effectiveness of these scenes have always interested me, especially in visual-reliant genres such as horror. Through a Neurocinematic lens, I explore how these scenes affect the audience and whether their roots in literature and oral tradition can shed light into understanding this underused narrative strategy. 

Background

Larissa Barbosa Curi graduated from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 2013, and moved to Europe in 2017 to join Kino Eyes, a practice-based international master’s program across three European universities. After obtaining an M.A. from Tallinn University in 2019, her master’s short film premiered in PÖFF and her master’s feature script was selected to the POWR Baltic Stories that same year. She has collaborated with international filmmakers in a number of short and feature projects. 

Why BFM?

BFM’s recent efforts to promote and investigate Neurocinematic approaches to film studies, including the NeuroCine conference and a number of recent publications, were decisive in choosing the school as the ideal fit for my research. In addition to that, as a former BFM student and practicing screenwriter, I was excited to have the opportunity to explore research while still keeping in touch with filmmaking and practicing the craft. 

Larissa Barbosa Curi's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

Being a passionate art teacher of analog media, I wondered how to use the Internet to share my knowledge with students. After many trial-and-error lessons and courses, I got inspired to research the topic deeper.

Background

 I worked as a set designer and visual arts teacher for over five years. I got interested in using technologies for art education; the COVID-19 pandemic hit proved that this interest might be a meaningful discovery of the best ways to teach visual arts online.

Why BFM?

 Baltic Film, Media, and Arts School offers a unique blend of traditional research, artistic research, and artistic practice. My membership in an interdisciplinary research group at BFM was a transformative experience, providing me with substantial research support and the opportunity to attend key conferences that kickstarted my academic career. BFM's vibrant community, comprising artists, directors, choreographers, and other creative individuals, further enriched my research journey. 

Antonina Korepanova's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

My PhD is connected to the international project Mapping Media for Future Democracies which focuses on the relationships between media and democracy. In the project, I am researching people’s civic participation and its connections with their media use. To that I am adding the element of mediated contact: I am studying how people’s civic participation and their perceptions of it are affected by seeing in the media the civic participation of people who are ‘like us’ and people who are not. I am looking to learn what civic participation means to people, how media influence this perception, and what role social intergroup relations play in all this. 

Background

My first degree is in English Language and Culture; in 2022 I graduated cum laude from the Communication Management Master’s program. For my Master’s thesis I received the special prize from the Ministry of Social Affairs at the national contest for university students. Before starting my PhD, I worked in the non-profit sector in the field of human rights and equal treatment, where my last position had to do with communication. In 2021 I received the Tallinn University scholarship rechognising civic participation, and in 2023 I received the special award in human rights, equal treatment, and inclusion from the US embassy in Estonia. My interest in my current research topic was sparked by my work in civil society with marginalised communities. 

Why BFM?

I first came to BFM with a wish to be a better communication manager, but I realised rather quickly that I wanted to be an academic, not a practicioner. The final decicion in favour of BFM came when I got the chance to continue working with my supervisor in an international project, which not only reflected my interests but also opened for me new doors of the research world. This is one of the benefits of BFM: a new idea can develop here in many different directions because this place is home to a rich knowledge base in media and communication.  

Kristiina Raud's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

My research topic combines my personal interest in food and video games which were the key motivators for me to explore the relationship between video game food cultures and fandom practices on an academic level. In my research I examine the increasing popularity of foods in the video game medium and their deeper impact on players’ self-representation in the games as well as outside of them. My work encompasses studying participatory culture that takes place within gaming communities on the internet and social media as well as the increasing trend of video game foods appearing between the covers of themed cookbooks and online videos. Currently, my research has led me to uncover how foods from games transcend over to the players’ everyday lives and how they encourage them to experience and incorporate into a real life setting when celebrating public holidays and other important milestones.

Background

Raimond Merila is a doctoral student at the Baltic Film, Media, and Arts School in Tallinn, Estonia, under the audiovisual media studies programme. He was educated at Comenius University in Bratislava where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Central European Studies. Afterwards, he continued his master’s studies at Tallinn University under the programme Film, Literature, and Visual Studies through which he was able to develop a greater passion towards studying online fan communities and emerging trends and cultures.

Why BFM?

After completing my MA studies at Tallinn University, I quickly realized that I desired to expand the scope of my knowledge and expertise in the field of academic research with a deeper focus on online fandoms. Because my own interests are very interdisciplinary at heart, combining ideas from the fields of social, cultural, food, and media studies, BFM felt like a great place to continue my work as I would also not be restricted by options and choice when it came to the specific angles I hoped to explore in my work. Therefore, the decision for BFM came down to wanting to follow my passions and a desire to learn from the environment, experts, and facilities that it is composed of.

Raimond Merila's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro

In today's television landscape, audiences access content across various channels, platforms, and screens. The fragmented TV services, streaming environment and vast recommendation systems create a complex experience, often overwhelming viewers with endless choices. As viewing options expand, audiences are becoming adept at navigating pathways for selecting content. This study explores audience behaviour as they navigate TV services, platforms and channels, influenced by algorithms, social media, the internet, Electronic Program Guides (EPG), and interpersonal recommendations. My research aims to map these pathways to understand how people decide what to watch and where to watch it.

Background

Patience holds an MA degree in Screen Media and Innovation from Tallinn University and a BA in Dramatic arts from the University of the Witwatersrand. She is a junior research fellow at the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School (BFM) and a research assistant on the TRAVIS research project which explores everyday digital practices in relation to trust and visuality on social media. Upon completing her bachelor’s degree she spent over a decade, working in different fields of media including television production, television broadcast, and digital content marketing in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the USA.

Why BFM? 

In search of a master's degree to expand my knowledge and experience, I discovered a problem and project-based program at BFM called Screen Media and Innovation, which aligned perfectly with my goals. After enrolling at BFM, I quickly realized that its greatest asset is its exceptional faculty of thinkers. They challenged and broadened my perspective, transforming my approach to media in both practical and meaningful ways. BFM also provides me with valuable access. Despite its small size, the short power distance makes it easier to connect with key figures in my field, both locally and internationally. The faculty's strong reputation and extensive network further enhance these opportunities.

Patience Gombe's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro 

I have years of experience as a television director and one thing I really love is working with the archive - it is a goldmine that is full of our history. An archive however has not come about out of nowhere - whether something has been kept depends on decisions, economic and technological aspects and even chance. To be part of current discourse, things need to have been preserved. Why and what is in the audiovisual archives of Estonian Public Broadcasting and how this in turn influences how we remember and understand our history? These are the questions that my PhD project deals with.

Background

As a television director I have worked on a large number of shows in various genres and formats and learned to appreciate television as a powerful storyteller, experience creator and a medium that can bring people together. In addition, I have taught the basics of television to BFM students for several years and am now also a junior research fellow and a PhD student here.  I have a research master’s degree in media and communication from the University of Tartu.

Why BFM? 

I chose BFM because I highly appreciate the academic work that is done here and the people who are at the head of the BFM doctoral program.

Hanna Šein-Meier's profile in the Estonian Research Information System

Intro 

In my thesis, I analyze war-time audiovisual narratives in Ukrainian strategic communication starting from the full-scale invasion in 2022. I focus on multimodal storytelling techniques that the Ukrainian government officials use to wage information war against Russia on social media. At the current stage of my research, I study the Ukrainian grand narrative as a political spectacle played out on Twitter/X, as mediatized information warfare often becomes a competition of whose story is the most captivating, what political actor more authentic and relatable, which heroic mythology more touching and entertaining.

Background

I obtained an MA degree in Arabic Language and Literature at Kyiv National University in 2018. I then graduated from the Screen Media and Innovation MA program at BFM in 2023. Presently, I am a junior research fellow and a PhD student at BFM. 

Why BFM? 

After completing an anti-propaganda project for the Screen Media and Innovation program, I understood that it was possible for me to combine the subjects I was passionate about (history, literature, theater) with concrete solutions to relevant problems. Then I was looking for a challenge at a new level where I could propose a scientifically relevant framework that would have even more positive impact on the field. I returned to BFM, because I knew that here I would find the necessary instruments and guidance to explore various sides of the complex issue I chose to study.

Andrii Anisimov's profile in the Estonian Research Information System 

 Intro 

My research explores how AI technologies are reshaping intimacy, desire, and embodied experience in digital spaces, with a particular focus on digital sex work and platform cultures. I examine how AI-mediated encounters — from synthetic personas to chatbots — produce new configurations of affect, agency, and relational possibility. Drawing on feminist technoscience and posthumanist frameworks, I am interested in how competing AI imaginaries shape the future of intimate digital life. This work sits at the intersection of media studies, science and technology studies, and cultural theory, and combines qualitative research methods with artistic practice-based approaches.

Background

Anna holds an MA in Visual and Media Anthropology and an MS in Information Security. They spent over ten years in the tech industry building digital products as a product manager at companies including Proton, and Babbel. They are also an experimental filmmaker working with themes of queer pornography, body politics, and sexuality, whose films have screened at numerous international festivals. This combination of technical, ethnographic, and artistic experience informs their interdisciplinary approach to studying platform cultures and AI-mediated intimacy.

Why BFM? 

BFM's interdisciplinary environment, bridging audiovisual arts, media studies, and digital culture, is a natural fit for research that moves between critical theory, empirical work, and creative practice. Most importantly, working with Katrin Tiidenberg and Dirk Hoyer has been invaluable: their complementary expertise in participatory culture, digital sexuality, and artistic research provides exactly the kind of supervision my project needs.

Anna Ivanova's profile in the Estonian Research Information System 

Mart Sander 

BFM as a whole is focused on preparing students for work in a contemporary dynamically developing media system. Proof of this are the programmes for Crossmedia and those focused on developing video games and the the lately opened Contemporary Media programme next to the more traditional film and television programmes. All these programmes give input to the doctoral programme thus the programme focuses greatly on more contemporary media and audiovisual art forms, on questions on the renewal of media, the development of media markets and the reactions of media politics.

The programme is organically linked to Tallinn University’s Centre of Excellence in Media Innovation and Digital Culture (MEDIT) which focuses on the renewal processes of contemporary media and digital culture. Both MEDIT and the doctoral programme are an expression of the development of TU’s focus filed „digital and media culture“.

Kerli Aguraiuja

Study Counsellor and Specialist

For additional guidelines regarding admission procedure please contact the international admission specialist.