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BSA206 Dogme 95

In 1995, after a night of drinking, Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterburg, two Danish directors wrote down a manifesto in 25 minutes, calling for a new purity in film making. They felt that technology hampered genuine creation. They thought that you could fight Hollywood's' globalization by going back to basics.
The two soon enlisted two other directors, Kristian Levring and Søren Kragh-Jacobsen, and the group became the Dogme 95 collective.
They set down a set of rules because they thought that the emerging technology allowed for too many people to create cinema. These rules were called "The vow of chastity".

The rules were:

  • All shooting must be done on location without the use of props or sets. If a prop in necessary for a shot they must find a location with that prop already in it. 
  • Sound mustn't be produced, with music not used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot.
  • The camera must be handheld. Shooting must take place where the film takes place rather than the film taking place where the camera is standing. 
  • The film must be in colour. Special lighting is unacceptable. 
  • Filters and optical work are forbidden. 
  • No superficial action allowed in the film such as murder and weapons.
  • The film must be set in the here and now. 
  • Genre movies aren't acceptable. 
  • The film format has to be Academy 35mm.
  • The director mustn't be credited. 
Dogme ended in 2005 because it's founders decided that the rules were creating formulaic movies.

I think that Dogme 95 is a very interesting concept. Though I really like movies where every little detail is carefully thought through, including use of props and camera angles that are set, I also think that handheld cameras and the lack of using props or special effects gives the film a more realistic, grittier feel.
I think it was an important manifesto in order to prove that the film can be made without the large budget and pristine conditions of Hollywood, and be just as effective, or even more so because it gives the film's power to the actors and the story, helping the viewer to feel more involved than they would watching most mass produced Hollywood films.
At the same time, the heavy enforcement of the rules are limiting slightly. I think that if I were to make a movie I would rather it be influenced by Dogme 95, rather than a Dogme film because I think that rules eventually lead to a conformity which kills creativity. In a way, Hollywood also has a set of rules that they adhere to in their films and too much adherence to these 'rules' means that films can become formulaic. I think that Dogme 95 is a great idea to break though preconceived ideas of what a film must be, as well as a great way to have to think more creatively when within limits, but I also think that rules are made to be broken and should be a guideline only.
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