“What we do is not art, it is definitely storytelling”: An interview with producer Thomas Hellum on NRK’s Minutt for minutt television series

Resumen

“Slow TV” has emerged as the label for a series of long-duration programmes showcasing Norway’s landscape and traditions, conceived in 2009 as an experiment for NRK, the national public service broadcaster. In this interview, producer Thomas Hellum explains the concept, principles and working methods behind Minutt for minutt. Ultimately, he insists, the extreme duration of many of the programmes is a function of the principles and culture of public service broadcasting in Norway. The slowness of Slow TV has little in common with the slowness of Slow Cinema. Minutt for minutt is not about art, says Hellum; it is about storytelling.