Amateur vs. Professional Response

     I love the statement that Maya Deren makes about the Latin origin of the word “amateur.” I personally agree that films should be made out of love and passion rather than for money or lack thereof. This is why I prefer making experimental films over other types because of the freedom and wide range of allowed creativity. Maya really hits the nail on the head with her article; professional filmmaking drains artistic freedom and physical freedom. Worrying about dumbing things down for an audience or having to shoehorn in some type of product placement goes against what I think is the most important aspect of filmmaking: exploring the art form to its fullest ability.

What is Experimental Film? Response

       Fred Camper brings up six key elements of experimental film in his writing. Not all are necessary for a film to be considered avant-garde, but they are all common qualities found in them. For example, the vast majority of experimental films will not have a clear message, but obviously some experimental films have a clear political meaning or purpose, while retaining other qualities such as utilizing reflexivity or offering a non-linear sequence of events. Camper also says that experimental films have a much smaller budget than other types of film, estimating in the hundreds to thousands of dollars. Nowadays with video however, a filmmaker can create an experimental production for next to nothing. I believe we’re in a new era of filmmaking and we will start to see new elements of experimental film. When Camper said that avant-garde films should call attention to the medium, I thought of how video can do this in a new way with glitch art or datamoshing, as seen in the picture below.

Anonymously submitted glitch art - http://i.imgur.com/BjAnP2o.jpg

Artist Manifesto

I identify as a filmmaker first and a film enthusiast second. When I am not making movies, I am watching them.

I am passionate about what I do and I will never put in less effort than I possibly can on a project. It's easy to say: "Well I guess that's good enough," but I just can't do that.

My work is an expression of myself. Never will I forfeit my creativity for fear of failure.

I want my work to be enjoyed, but more than that I want it to be critiqued. I am always improving and critique plays a big part in that.