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#23: From zero to hero: Building Estonia’s audiovisual ecosystem. A talk with Martin Aadamsoo ( Magnum AS, Estonia)
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In this episode of the ScreenME Podcast, host Ulrike Rohn is joined by Martin Aadamsoo, one of the key figures behind Estonia’s transformation from a collapsed post-Soviet film landscape to a thriving, internationally recognized audiovisual ecosystem.
Martin shares his firsthand experience building crucial institutions—including the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School (BFM) and Estonia’s first regional film fund—and reflects on how a startup-like mindset helped Estonia achieve rapid growth in film education, infrastructure, and production. He also dives into lessons for other countries, the impact of AI and digital disruption, and how small markets can sometimes adapt more swiftly than large ones.
This episode is for anyone interested in media entrepreneurs, policymakers, educators, and anyone interested in ecosystem thinking, cultural policy, or digital media innovation.
Quotes:
"We knew it couldn’t be done—but we did it anyway.”
“You can’t build bits and pieces of a system without interconnecting them. It has to work as one organism.”
“Complacency is the real threat. Once the ecosystem is built, the challenge is to keep the ambition alive.”
“Estonia’s speed is its standout feature. In 20 years, we built what others took decades to develop.”
About Martin Aadamsoo:
Martin Aadamsoo has been involved in the development of Estonia's audiovisual and content industries for over 20 years. As head of the national film institute, he initiated and led the establishment of the Baltic Film and Media School, the flagship audiovisual education center in the Baltic Sea region. Martin established Estonia's first regional film fund, founded the country's film promotion agency, and founded and managed a digital media incubator in Tallinn and Narva. On the side, he designed and built Estonia's first and highly successful bike share system in his former hometown of Tartu.
Keywords:
Audiovisual ecosystems, Estonia film industry, Creative infrastructure, Media policy, Screen media education, Cultural entrepreneurship, Startup mindset, Institutional building, Film funding, Digital media incubation, AI in media, Baltic Film, Media and Arts School (BFM), Public policy and culture, Small state innovation
Host: Ulrike Rohn
Sound engineer: Tanel Kadalipp (episode 1-14), Sangam Panta (episode 15 -
https://bfmentrepreneurhub.tlu.ee/screenme-podcast/
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