Brief methodology description
Goals and object of study
This study is limited to non-profit entities that exhibit cinema in Portugal.
This study excluded entities previously known to exhibit cinema commercially, as well as public entities - the Portuguese Cinematheque (Cinemateca Portuguesa), the city councils and parish councils - on account of their more structured, institutionalized and formal organization, distinct from that which characterizes cultural associations - with a more informal, less structured and, of course, more invisible logic of functioning.
Given the lack of information on this "sector" in relation to its identification and statistical data, as well as in the field of scientific research, a methodological strategy was launched in order to address the following goals:
This study excluded entities previously known to exhibit cinema commercially, as well as public entities - the Portuguese Cinematheque (Cinemateca Portuguesa), the city councils and parish councils - on account of their more structured, institutionalized and formal organization, distinct from that which characterizes cultural associations - with a more informal, less structured and, of course, more invisible logic of functioning.
Given the lack of information on this "sector" in relation to its identification and statistical data, as well as in the field of scientific research, a methodological strategy was launched in order to address the following goals:
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GOAL #1
Identify the cultural agents of cinema exhibition in Portugal, outside the commercial circuits.
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GOAL #2
Find out their characteristics, conditions and logics of functioning regarding technical, human, and financial resources, etc.
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The data presented were based on two strategies for collecting information regarding the construction of a database:
- a listing of non-profit entities, mainly through web research and document analysis, leading to the identification of the entities that make up this"sector#;
- administration of a questionnaire survey enabling its characterization.
Listing of entities
The listing of these entities was based essentially on searches through the Google search engine, conducted during 2014, via various keywords, for each of the 308 municipalities of Portugal.
More than 550 cinema entities or occurrences registered in an Excel database have been identified. The only common denominator between them was the fact that they had carried out, within a limited period of time, any number of film screenings, their link to this same activity and, consequently, their inclusion for a characterization of the "sector", being for this reason rather debatable and unclear.
More than 550 cinema entities or occurrences registered in an Excel database have been identified. The only common denominator between them was the fact that they had carried out, within a limited period of time, any number of film screenings, their link to this same activity and, consequently, their inclusion for a characterization of the "sector", being for this reason rather debatable and unclear.
Characterization of entities
The second step was based on the characterization of each of the registered entities, from a grid consisting of a set of dimensions and variables that guided the entire process of information extraction and analysis and enabled a "first look" at these agents.
The process was complex and time consuming, since this was an exploratory study, with no previous information regarding the nature of the various entities. So, it was necessary to systematically refine and adjust the classification criteria.
The process was complex and time consuming, since this was an exploratory study, with no previous information regarding the nature of the various entities. So, it was necessary to systematically refine and adjust the classification criteria.
Selection of entities for inquiry (Sample)
Based on the characterization of entities, we delimitated an intentional sample, composed of about 250 units.
For this process we identified two different groups:
For this process we identified two different groups:
- entities promoting a continuous year-long cinema exhibition;
- and those holding film-related events such as festivals and
The questionnaire survey
The questionnaire included the central dimensions for an extensive characterization of the entities (see Survey Dimensions and Survey Guideline).
It covered a 3-year period - 2012 to 2014 - which was considered important in order to assess the greater or lesser consistency of the activities carried out in the context of non-commercial cinema exhibition (which is often volatile and precarious).
The questionnaire administration was done online, through the Limesurvey platform, available at the University of Porto.
It was applied between December 16, 2015 and May 31, 2016. The high temporal amplitude was justified by the need to obtain a satisfactory response rate, which required developing strategies for greater collaboration from the entities.
These strategies were carried out by a team of four interviewers, recruited from internships hosted by ICA (see Team) who also collaborated in the validation of questionnaires.
75 questionnaires were validated.
It covered a 3-year period - 2012 to 2014 - which was considered important in order to assess the greater or lesser consistency of the activities carried out in the context of non-commercial cinema exhibition (which is often volatile and precarious).
The questionnaire administration was done online, through the Limesurvey platform, available at the University of Porto.
It was applied between December 16, 2015 and May 31, 2016. The high temporal amplitude was justified by the need to obtain a satisfactory response rate, which required developing strategies for greater collaboration from the entities.
These strategies were carried out by a team of four interviewers, recruited from internships hosted by ICA (see Team) who also collaborated in the validation of questionnaires.
75 questionnaires were validated.
