‘Hare Majesteit de Smalfilm’ De making of de vroege amateurfilm(er)

Abstract

This article reconstructs the world of the Dutch amateur film around 1930; a dynamic period during which the amateur film gradually developed from being just one branch of photography (cinematography) to becoming an independent film discipline. On the basis of a series of articles about amateur film, published in the photography magazine Focus , we shed light on the changing creative processes and discourses of early amateur films and by extension the ‘making of’ early amateur filmmakers themselves. The series, which was written by a beginning amateur filmmaker on the threshold of the ‘Nederlandse Smalfilmliga’ [Dutch Super 8 league] (1931) and the amateur film magazine Het Veerwerk (1932), offers an interesting insider view of the world of amateur films as it is taking shape. Taking the themes that are covered in the series – ranging from simple films of children and holidays to editing – and the associated user dynamics, the article throws light on the amateur filmmakers’ quest for a distinct production culture and way of creating films.