Public defence in Film and Television, MA Elisabeth Morney

A new study delves into the creative process of innovating audiovisual formats 

The dissertation provides an in-depth exploration of the creation of new television formats, highlighting the key elements of the creative process that are crucial in the constantly changing media landscape. The research addresses fundamental questions of creativity and innovation in the development of television formats and presents new insights for professionals in the television industry. The primary goal of the study is to determine what the creative process involves when innovating new television formats. The research answers three key questions: What elements are part of the creative process? What constitutes cross-genre quality in television programs? And what are the conditions for creativity in teamwork? 

The dissertation consists of three peer-reviewed articles. The first article is a case study of the Finnish-Swedish television format Strömsö, identifying 14 elements of the creative process, such as ideation, brainstorming, pilot testing, and inspiration from unexpected sources. The second article examines the outcome of the creative process and evaluates the quality of television programs through an international comparison. The third article explores the development of the Norwegian Slow-TV format, focusing on the conditions that foster creativity in teamwork. 

This research introduces a new theory of television format innovation and contributes to the field of creativity studies. This multifaceted study employs several qualitative methodologies and offers also valuable insights for professionals in the audiovisual industry.

Keywords: television, format, audiovisual, creativity, innovation, quality, practice-led, nonlinear, tv.

Title of thesis: Beyond the craft: Three perspectives on the creative process in the innovation of television formats

Doctoral student: Elisabeth Morney
Opponent: Associate Professor Eva Novrup Redvall, University of Copenhagen
Custos: Professor Susanna Helke, Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Department of Film

Thesis available for public display 10 days prior to the defence at: https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/doc_public/eonly/riiputus/

Contact information:

Doctoral theses in the School of Arts, Design and Architecture: https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/54

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