Deren and "Amateurs"

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Maya Deren’s article shocked me. She provided a whole new light on the idea of an amateur. The word amateur has bad connotation connected to it and to be called such is usually insulting. Deren seems to view the idea of an amateur in a whole different way. She believes being an amateur is one of the best things that can happen to a filmmaker, for it allows more freedom than a “mainstream” film. She describes the idea of this film making freedom as “never [being] forced to sacrifice visual drama and beauty to a stream of words…” which puts the idea of amateur into a different perspective. Amateur filmmakers do not have to conform to a typical Hollywood-esque style and can make any creative decision without any consequence. 
I truly liked this article a lot. It is reassuring to know that I shouldn’t feel bad about being an amateur filmmaker.

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