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Bianka Vas, University of Szeged, HungaryAbstract
In the era of the streaming boom, the traditional cinema experience is undergoing a profound transformation. While attention spans are perceived to be diminishing, the success of long-form television (e.g., Stranger Things) suggests a complex shift in consumption rather than a simple decline in engagement. This research explores film selection motivations in “late-adopter” markets, where the tension between dominant global productions and local content creates a distinctive market environment. While Hollywood maintains dominance, they occasionally elicit consumer resentment, whereas in other regions, audiences express a bias against locally produced content. Understanding the underlying motivations in this environment is a pertinent issue for both practitioners and film studies. The objective of this study is to delineate the mental maps of consumers, identifying the factors influencing film selection and their interrelationships. Given its exploratory focus, the work adopts a qualitative methodology, utilizing in-depth interviews integrated with cognitive mapping. The analysis seeks to synthesize variables into a comprehensive mental map, illustrating the trade-offs consumers make between accessibility and content attributes (platform, genre, cast, or origin). Preliminary observations suggest that decision-making is significantly mediated by the viewer’s situational affective state, which functions as a primary filter before technical factors, such as production year, are even considered. Consequently, this research constructs a conceptual framework that serves as a foundation for future model development and quantitative validation.
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Conference: ECAH2026Stream: Arts - Media Arts Practices: Television
This paper is part of the ECAH2026 Conference Proceedings (View)
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