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

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 the series
‘Her Majesty, Super 8’, a series of articles about ‘Super 8’ 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 amateur 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.