Tallinn University Centre of Excellence in Media Innovation and Digital Culture (MEDIT)

The Artistic Research and Practice-based Studies of Media and Audiovisual Arts Group is co-lead by  Associate Professor of Audiovisual Arts Dirk Hoyer and Lecturer of Audiovisual Storytelling Michael Keerdo-Dawson. 

The group focuses on exploring audiovisual practice through practice-based methods. It seeks to generate new insights by creating experimental media, conducting empirical studies, and developing innovative approaches to screenwriting, directing, cinematography, and editing. Their work redefines audiovisual artistic practice, pushing the boundaries of what it can accomplish.

Recent Key Publications

• Keerdo-Dawson, Michael (2026). One viable protagonist, one viable choice: Resisting contradictory character change while writing an interactive film. Journal of Screenwriting, 17 (1),  51−74. DOI: 10.1386/josc_00184_1.
• Canet Sola, Mar; Guljajeva, Varvara (2026). Why Open Small AI Models Matter for Interactive Art. Proceedings of the 2025 12th International Conference on Digital and Interactive Arts: Media Art Cultures, Communities & Territories: ARTECH 2025, Braga Portugal November 26 - 28, 2025.  ACM Proceedings , Art No 25. DOI: 10.1145/3773699.3789655.
• Keerdo-Dawson, Michael (2026). The entertaining or experimental ending: the temptations of drama and anti-drama during the editing of an interactive film. Media Practice and Education,  1−16. DOI: 10.1080/25741136.2025.2608936.
• Guljajeva, Varvara; Canet Sola, Mar (2026). A Needle in a Haystack. Proceedings of the 2025 12th International Conference on Digital and Interactive Arts: Media Art Cultures, Communities & Territories: ARTECH 2025, Braga Portugal November 26 - 28, 2025.  ACM, 99. DOI: 10.1145/3773699.3776641.
• Hoyer, Dirk; Frühmorgen, Tobias. (2025). The Penned Parrot in the Writers’ Room: Four Stage Story Generation in Collaborative Screenwriting with AI. International Journal on Stereo & Immersive Media, 9 (1),  32−47. DOI: 10.60543/ijsim.v9i1.9391.
• Lotman, Elen. (2025). Maintaining Creativity and Ensuring Research Teachng Creative Research in Film and Media Arts. A Personal Reflection. International Journal on Stereo & Immersive Media, 9 (1),  48−65. DOI: 10.60543/ijsim.v9i1.9374.
• Nimik, Liis (2025). Film editors as chance-seekers. Media Practice and Education. DOI: 10.1080/25741136.2025.2549600.
• Nimik, Liis (2025). Juha Suonpää’s documentary “Lynx Man”: From Filmmaker to Active Witness. Baltic Screen Media Review, 13 (1),  124−143. DOI: 10.2478/bsmr-2025-0007.
• Teinemaa, Teet (2025). Artistic Research Now: Status Quo Based on the Research and Innovation Initiatives of FilmEU_RIT and Beyond. International Journal on Stereo & Immersive Media, 9 (1),  4−11. DOI: 10.60543/ijsim.v9i1.10064.

The Arts Didactics Research Group is co-led by Lecturer of Musicology and Multimedia Gerhard Bruno Erich Lock and Lecturer of Music Marit Mõistlik-Tamm. The research group is dedicated to exploring the processes of creativity and how they can be enhanced through effective teaching and learning methods.

Specifically, the group focuses on three areas:
(1) substantive research on creativity and related concepts,
(2) analysis of theoretical foundations and approaches to didactics of creative subjects,
(3) research on the interrelationships between the fields of music, art, dance, film and multimedia, including the application of creativity research methods.

The main achievement of the group so far led by Junior Lecturer of Art Didactics, Jane Remm and Lecturer of Music, Marit Mõistlik-Tamm: The Model of Integrated Teaching and Learning of Creative Subjects (2019–2024) developed during the Centre for Innovation in Education of Tallinn University project “Developing the Competence Centre for Educational Innovation at Tallinn University”.

Within the applied research project “Integrated Teaching and Learning Model for Artistic Subjects – Applied Research” (TA/325; 01.03.2025–31.12.2025), funded by Tallinn University, Baltic Film, Media and Arts School, several learning units were created in collaboration with teachers and students. The study was carried out by the Arts Didactics research group at Tallinn University BFM. 

Recent Key Publications

• Lock, Gerhard Bruno Erich (2025). Methodological Contributions to a Cognitive Analysis of Perceived Structural Musical Tension in Contemporary Post-Tonal Orchestral Music. (Doktoritöö, Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia / Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre). Tallinn: Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia.
• Mõistlik-Tamm, M., Kiik-Salupere, V., Lock, G., Kapper-Tiisler, S., Selke, T., Remm, J., & Aren, K. (2024). A new integrated approach to teaching and learning creative subjects: an emerging model of didactics in the arts. Problems in Music Pedagogy, 23(1), 7−24. DOI: 10.59893/pmp.23(1).001
• Remm, J., Lock, G., Mõistlik-Tamm, M., Kiik-Salupere, V., Aren, K., Kapper-Tiisler, S. & Selke, T. (2024). Mis häält teevad jooned, kui nad tantsivad? Loovainete lõimitud õpetamisest ja õppimisest [What sound do lines make when they dance? On integrated teaching and learning of creative subjects]. K. Aava, K. Karu, K. Niglas & K. Vanari (Eds.), Õppejõud koostöiselt õpetamist uurimas ja arendamas [Teaching staff collaboratively researching and developing teaching] (133−155). Tallinn University Press. 
• Simson, Krista (2024). Semiotic analysis of the visual language of animation graphics. CFMAE: The Changing Face of Music and Art Education, 16.

The Audience Studies and Participatory Culture Research Group is led by Professor of Participatory Culture Katrin Tiidenberg and Associate Professor of Crossmedia Alessandro Nani.

It focuses on how people experience, interpret, engage with, relate to and make sense of the world, themselves and each other either with media or as it is represented in media. Predominantly the group conceptualizes these people as participants (e.g. in mediated, online, imaginary or material communities, networks and groups), users (e.g. of everyday digital communication technologies, media, social media) or audiences and fans (e.g. of various media content). Depending on research projects our unit of analysis can be individual people, specific groups or broader (e.g. national) audiences and the group brings together researchers from different disciplines. 

Externally Funded Projects

ESTWELL: Focused on participatory wellbeing. Funded by Estonian Center of Excellence of Wellbeing Sciences. Funded by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research. TLU principal investigator: Katrin Tiidenberg.

COALESCE (Coordinated Opportunities for Advanced Leadership and Engagement in Science Communication in Europe): A Horizon Europe initiative to enhance science communication in Europe. TLU principal investigator: Arko Olesk.

Recent Key Publications

• Sundén, Jenny; Paasonen, Susanna; Tiidenberg, Katrin  (2026). Hot Connections: Why Sexual Platforms Matter. MIT Press.
• Nani', Alessandro (2026). Trust in Media across Europe: Theoretical considerations on the empirical findings of a cross-national audience enquiry. In: Andrea Miconi, Giulia Ferri, Nico Carpentier, Beata Klimkiewicz, & Josef Seethaler (Ed.).  Platformed Democracy: Media, Trust, and Political Imagination in Europe  Routledge [forthcoming].
• Raaper, Rille; Hardey, Mariann; Tiidenberg, Katrin; Aad, Samar (2026). Negotiating authenticity: experiences of student influencers on social media. Journal of Youth Studies, 29 (1),  131−147. DOI: 10.1080/13676261.2024.2419085.
• Tiidenberg, K.; Kneas, D. (2026). Ethnography on/in social media: Fieldwork on platforms. In:  Practicing Digital Ethnography. (97−113).  Taylor and Francis. DOI: 10.4324/9781032672663-14.
• Raud, Kristiina; Nani', Alessandro (2026). Mediated democracy: The influence of mediation on citizens’ perceptions of democracy. ESSACHESS – Journal for Communication Studies, 19 (37) [forthcoming].
• Tiidenberg, K.; Kneas, D. (2026). Ethnography on/in social media: Fieldwork on platforms. In:  Practicing Digital Ethnography. (97−113).  Taylor and Francis. DOI: 10.4324/9781032672663-14.

The Cultural Data Analytics Research Group is lead by Professor of Cultural Data Analytics Maximilian Günther Schich.

The Cultural Heritage Research Group at BFM is co-led by Full Professor of Media Innovation Indrek Ibrus and Research Fellow in Media Data Analysis Andres Kõnno. It focuses on exploring how digital cultural datasets can be utilized to understand and preserve cultural heritage. 

Specifically, the group investigates three key areas: 

(1) the origins and functions of cultural datasets within historical and contemporary contexts,

(2) the development and evolution of cultural metadata, and 

(3) the challenges and opportunities involved in ensuring the interoperability of cultural data, particularly in the context of open data initiatives.

The Cultural Heritage Research Group is positioned at the intersection of several international research fields, including digital humanities, computational linguistics, and media innovation studies. By engaging in interdisciplinary research, the group contributes to the global discourse on cultural heritage preservation and the role of digital data in maintaining cultural identity.

Externally Funded Projects

• WIRE: Widening Innovation+Research Excellence in FilmEU. Funded from the Horizon Europe program by the European Research Executive Agency. Principal investigator: Teet Teinemaa.
• FilmEU Plus - European Universities Alliance for Film and Media Arts. Funded from Erasmus program by European Education and Culture Executive Agency. TLU principal investigator: Teet Teinemaa.
• The Public Value Chains of Cultural Open Data Solutions. Funded by Estonian Research Council. Principal Investigator: Indrek Ibrus.

Recent Key Publications

• Mets, M., Karjus, A., Ibrus, I., & Schich, M. (2024). "Automated stance detection in complex topics and small languages: The challenging case of immigration in polarizing news media." PLoS ONE, 19(4), e0302380.
• Ibrus, I. (2024). "Media Innovation Studies: An Expanding Field." In: Rohn, U.; Raats, T.; von Rimscha, B. (Eds.). De Gruyter Handbook of Media Economics. De Gruyter.
• Järvekülg, M., & Ibrus, I. (2024). "Toward a decentralized copyright infrastructure as a ‘public service’: the case of Digiciti and Estonia." International Journal of Cultural Policy.
• Kõnno, A., Allkivi-Metsoja, K., Kippar, J., Kamarik, T., Petrov, H., & Ibrus, I. (2024). "Projekti EKKD119 andmestik: ERR-i raadioarhiivi kultuurisaadete süntaktiline märgendus."

The Film, TV and Visual Culture Research Group is co-led by Associate Professor Teet Teinemaa and Associate Professor of Visual Participatory Communication Kerli Kirch Schneider. It is dedicated to the critical study of media content and representation through the theoretical framework of Cultural Studies. The group brings together scholars from diverse disciplinary backgrounds - including Film Studies, Audience Studies, Media and Communication Studies, and Advertising - who share a common interest in examining film, television, and broader visual culture.

Characterized by a strong interdisciplinary orientation, the group situates its work within international scholarly debates on media representation, cultural texts, and audience engagement. Its research foregrounds the relationships between media content, socio-cultural contexts, and interpretive practices, with particular attention to how meanings are constructed, circulated, and negotiated by audiences.

Currently, the group is pursuing several interconnected lines of inquiry. One major focus involves a longitudinal analysis of more than three decades of Estonian film and television culture, examining shifts in production contexts, textual strategies, audience reception, and broader cultural trends. Another key research area explores the intersection of gender and age in cinema, with special emphasis on representations of aging masculinities in Estonian film and their implications for national and cultural identity.

The group also explores constructions of femininities in Estonian popular music, especially as articulated in music videos and across social media platforms. This work addresses how visual and digital formats contribute to the shaping of gendered identities and cultural narratives. In addition, the researchers engage in a broader methodological reflection on the role and relevance of qualitative content analysis in contemporary screen media studies, considering its potential to illuminate patterns of meaning-making in an increasingly complex audiovisual landscape.

Collectively, these research questions reflect the group’s sustained commitment to understanding the social and cultural dimensions of visual media, as well as the dynamic ways in which audiences interpret, appropriate, and respond to mediated narratives.

Externally Funded Projects

• MULTI-VIEW. Paths of development in Estonian film and TV since the restoration of independence: context, stories, and audience. Funded by Estonian Research Council. Principal Investigator: Teet Teinemaa.
• What does absolute music tell us? Conductors possibilities for explaining the symphonic narrative to non-expert listener during the performance. Funded by the Estonian Ministry of Culture. BFM Principal Investigator: Kerli Kirch-Schneider.
• WIRE: Widening Innovation+Research Excellence in FilmEU. Funded from the Horizon Europe program by the European Research Executive Agency. Principal investigator: Teet Teinemaa.
• FilmEU Plus - European Universities Alliance for Film and Media Arts. Funded from Erasmus program by European Education and Culture Executive Agency. TLU principal investigator: Teet Teinemaa.

Recent Key Publications

• Kirch Schneider, Kerli; Tiidenberg, Katrin (2025). Negotiating Solidarity and Competition: Estonian Pop Music Femininities. Feminist Media Studies,  1−17. DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2025.2450400.
• Keerdo-Dawson, Michael (2025). Resisting epistemic injustice: the unknown knowns of the protagonist of Cristi Puiu’s Aurora (2010). Studies in European Cinema,  1−14. DOI: 10.1080/17411548.2025.2568311.
• Ligi, T.; Teinemaa, T. (2024). Performative Cinematic Acts of Form in the Baltic New Wave Documentary: The Old Man and the Land, Ruhnu, and Bridges of Time. Studies in Eastern European Cinema, 15 (3),  344−358. DOI: 10.1080/2040350X.2023.2217031.
• Kirch Schneider, Kerli; Tiidenberg, Katrin (2024). Force of Nature, Forced by Nature? Esthonus Silvanus Inspired Femininities in Pop Music. Res Musica, 16,  11−24. DOI: 10.58162/MP2N-TN80.

The Media Industries Research Group is co-led by Professor of Media Management and Economics Ulrike Rohn and Full Professor of Media Innovation Indrek Ibrus. It studies the evolving relationships, transactions, and power dynamics between media institutions, their audiences, and the broader market. 

With a special interest in media industries in small countries, the group examines value creation, inequalities, entrepreneurship, and the role of media innovation in the digital era. The research explores how media institutions produce and distribute content, operate within markets, and serve society. It investigates decision-making in established and emerging ventures, the dynamics of entrepreneurship, the influence of policymaking, and internal organizational interactions. Key areas include the impact of technological advancements, shifting consumption patterns, and the generation and distribution of value, offering a comprehensive understanding of the changing media landscape and its societal implications.

Externally Funded Projects

• The Public Value Chains of Cultural Open Data Solutions. Funded by Estonian Research Council. Principal Investigator: Indrek Ibrus.
• WIRE: Widening Innovation+Research Excellence in FilmEU. Funded from the Horizon Europe program by the European Research Executive Agency. Principal investigator: Teet Teinemaa.
• FilmEU Plus - European Universities Alliance for Film and Media Arts. Funded from Erasmus program by European Education and Culture Executive Agency. TLU principal investigator: Teet Teinemaa.

Recent Key Publications

• Järvekülg, M., Ibrus, I., & Rohn, U. (2024). Shifting from Web2 to Web3: The adaptive creator experiences on blockchain-based video-sharing and streaming platforms. Convergence, 30(3), 1290-1306. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565231214184
• Ibrus, Indrek. "Media innovation studies: An expanding field". De Gruyter Handbook of Media Economics, edited by Ulrike Rohn, M. Bjørn Rimscha and Tim Raats, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2024, pp. 43-58. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110793444-004
• Ibrus, I. & Rohn, U. (2023). The web of value. Internet Policy Review, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.14763/2023.1.1679
• Ibrus, I., Karjus, A., Zemaityte, V., Rohn, U., & Schich, M. (2023). Quantifying public value creation by public service media using big programming data. International Journal of Communication, 17, 6741-6763.
• Rohn, Ulrike and Jemmer, Hanna. "User data analytics in media organizations". De Gruyter Handbook of Media Economics, edited by Ulrike Rohn, M. Bjørn Rimscha and Tim Raats, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2024, pp. 477-494. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110793444-033
• Rohn, Ulrike, von Rimscha, M. Bjørn and Raats, Tim. De Gruyter Handbook of Media Economics, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110793444
• Rohn, U., & Evens, T. (2020). Media management matters: Bridging Theory and Practice. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429265396
• Zemaityte V, Karjus A, Rohn U, Schich M, Ibrus I (2024) Quantifying the global film festival circuit: Networks, diversity, and public value creation. PLoS ONE 19(3): e0297404. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297404

The Neurocinematics and Cognitive Studies Research Group is lead by Associate Professor Pia Tikka. 

Experiences cued by audiovisual narratives in spectators have been widely studied in audience studies, psychology, and cognitive neurosciences. However, less is known about how the creators of cinema themselves experience the narratives. To access the creative process of professional filmmakers, we apply a multiperspectival approach that addresses three mutually time-locked representations of their experience: (1) subjective first-person reports, (2) neurophysiological observations, and (3) annotations of contents. Due to the fact that a great part of the creative process is hidden in the involved minds they are difficult to capture retrospectively. However, by innovatively combining micro- phenomenological interviews made during the act of filmmaking with established methods of cognitive sciences and film studies we envision new insights to the cinematic minds behind the screen.

Externally funded project

• Cinematic minds behind-the-scenes: A neurophenomenological window to filmmaker's enactive cuing of expectations. Funded by Estonian Research Council. Principal investigator: Pia Tikka.

Recent Key Publications

• Yilmaz, Mehmet Burak; Tikka, Pia (2026). Body in Motion: Cinematographer simulating Viewer simulating Protagonist. Art & Perception. DOI: 10.1163/22134913-bja10082.
• Kaipainen, Mauri; Tikka, Pia (2025). Towards Triangulating Epistemology of Narrative Experience. Gramma: Journal of Theory and Criticism, 30, 119−155. DOI: 10.26262/gramma.v30i0.10746.
• Yilmaz, M.B., Rietdijk, W., Primett, W., Mukhina, K., Lotman, E., and Tikka, P. (2025). Handheld in enaction: First-person perspective of professional cinematographers. Projections: the Journal for Movies & Mind [forthcoming].
• Tikka, P.; Lotman, E.; Coëgnarts, M. (Eds) (2025). CINEMATIC MINDS BEHIND THE SCREENS. Special Issue for International Journal of Film and Media Arts, 10 (2). DOI: 10.24140/ijfma.v10i2.10857.
• Primett, William; Mukhina, Ksenia; Burak Yilmaz, Mehmet; Rietdijk, Willeke; Tikka, Pia (2025). Kinaesthetic empathy through the lens of the cinematographer: physiological and phenomenological alignments in the act of creation. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 19. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1613485.