Week 1 Reading Responses - Deren and Camper

Often times when I hear the word "amateur filmmaker", I automatically assume that is someone who is not as experienced, does not have high quality equipment, and cannot execute technical maneuvers as well as a professional. This word has a negative connotation attached to it. Maya Deren challenges this misconception in her article Amateur vs. Professional. Her initial argument deals with the true meaning of the word "amateur", which translates to "lover" in Latin. The basis for her argument is the amateur filmmaker makes films out of love for what they do rather than for money and fame. I appreciate her take on amateurs, because as an amateur filmmaker in college, it can be daunting to hear about how cut throat the business can be. I never saw being an amateur filmmaker as a good thing, but Deren reveals how much freedom amateurs truly have with their creative ideas. Deren writes "Instead of trying to invent a plot that moves, use the movement or win or water, children, people, elevators, balls etc. as a poet might celebrate these.", and I love this thought because many professionals do not have that wiggle room to explore and create freely. They work under time constraints and authority, and if they do not deliver, they are fired. Film should be about creative expression and cannot be put into a box. As a filmmaker, Deren opened my eyes to see the beauty of being an amateur.

With all of the artistic freedom being an amateur filmmaker has to offer, that means they are able to explore film in ways others cannot. The most explorative of all genres is definitely experimental. But what exactly is experimental film? Fred Camper wrote an article, What is Experimental Film?, where he listed 6 criteria that most avant-garde/experimental films possess. I learned about these criteria in my 205 class, however it was a nice refresher for me. One quality I like about experimental is the fact that the filmmaker takes on multiple roles with his or her film - this gives the filmmaker an incredible amount of freedom without having to worry about communication problems and he or she can truly make the film based on what he or she wants, not what others want. I have always been a fan of Stan Brakhage, the way he manipulates film by scratching or painting on the strips and uses color to create a new aesthetic is intriguing. Experimental has that ability to call attention to the fact that it's a film. The viewer is given the opportunity to interpret however he or she wants, which is what I think all film should be like to an extent. It is so easy for viewers to passively watch films. With experimental, it is nearly impossible to watch something so visually striking and not be engaged. I believe that is why I am so intrigued by experimental film.