Below is a post based on my book notes (with page number references) after reading the essays in the collection “Essential Deren: Collected Writings on Film.” I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy.
Deren’s films were a source of inspiration for me when I was making KING COAL. From editing techniques to the use of choreography, I was often referencing her film “At Land.” Below are some of the practical insights I drew from Deren’s films and theories, which can serve as guidance for filmmakers who wish to explore cinema as an art form.
BIO:
Maya Deren was an influential filmmaker, choreographer, and theorist who played a pivotal role in shaping American avant-garde cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. Born in Ukraine in 1917, Deren moved to the United States as a child and grew up to become one of the most innovative filmmakers of her time. Her work combined surrealism, psychology, mythology, and experimental techniques, and she is often regarded as the mother of American experimental film.
Her films, such as Meshes of the Afternoon (1943), At Land (1944), and Ritual in Transfigured Time (1946), challenged conventional narrative filmmaking by employing dreamlike imagery, nonlinear storytelling, and innovative use of camera techniques. Deren’s films did not rely on traditional plot structures but instead sought to explore inner realities, emotions, and abstract concepts through movement, visual metaphors, and surreal sequences.
FILMS:
Meshes of the Afternoon (1943): This short film is one of her most famous works and is known for its dreamlike atmosphere, symbolic imagery, and exploration of the subconscious mind. In this film, Deren plays a woman who experiences a series of repetitive, surreal events. The film’s non-linear narrative and use of multiple versions of the same character make it a touchstone for understanding how cinema can function as a tool for exploring subjective experience rather than just recording objective reality.
At Land (1944): Deren further pushed the boundaries of film with At Land, where she explored the fluidity of time and space. In the film, a woman (played by Deren) is washed up on a beach and moves through various locations in a seamless, surreal journey. The film uses techniques like continuous movement from one setting to another to create a sense of dreamlike transitions. It’s a great example of how Deren manipulated time and space, turning cinema into an almost mythological voyage.
Ritual in Transfigured Time (1946): This film takes Deren’s interest in movement to a new level by focusing on the ritualistic nature of human actions. It blends choreography, visual poetry, and psychological tension, transforming everyday gestures into a dance-like sequence that elevates the mundane into something symbolic and timeless.
Embrace Film’s Unique Nature
“Cinema can compose rhythms, juxtapose images, and encompass the abstractions of language.”
Deren argued that cinema should not simply imitate other art forms but embrace its distinct capabilities as a medium that combines visual art, movement, and rhythm (p. 113). In her films, she experimented with narrative structures, avoiding conventional storytelling in favor of exploring inner worlds and subjective experiences.
Takeaway: Think of film as an art form that combines movement, time, and space in ways that no other medium can.
Balance Control and Spontaneity
Deren introduced the concept of the “controlled accident,” where filmmakers maintain a balance between orchestrated elements and natural, spontaneous occurrences (p. 118-119). She allowed natural forces like wind and light to influence her films, blending them with intentional artistic choices.
Takeaway: Embrace the unpredictability of the world around you. Let natural elements—such as weather or the movements of non-professional actors—enhance the realism and texture of your film. In At Land, Deren uses the sea and the movement of the tide as part of the narrative, making nature a character in its own right.
Manipulate Time and Space
One of Deren’s most notable contributions to film is her exploration of time and space manipulation. In At Land (p. 121-126), she seamlessly transitions between locations, creating a fluid movement that blurs the lines between different settings. This allowed her to create surreal, dreamlike sequences that expanded the viewer's sense of reality.
Takeaway: Use editing and camera techniques to create fluidity between disparate places and times. This can evoke a dreamlike or mythological quality in your work. For instance, like we did in King Coal, you might explore the passage of time by juxtaposing historical footage with present-day images, creating continuity between the past and present.
Explore the Language of Movement
Deren viewed movement as central to the language of cinema, transforming ordinary gestures into poetic expressions (p. 125). “In Ritual in Transfigured Time,” everyday actions become part of a larger, ritualistic choreography, elevating them beyond their functional purpose.
Takeaway: Focus on the inherent beauty and rhythm of movement within your film. By highlighting movement, even in mundane actions, you can turn them into a visual metaphor.
INSERT VIDEO OF CELIA AND I TALKING ABOUT CHOREOGRAPHY
Create New Realities with Editing
For Deren, editing was not merely a way to assemble shots but a means of creating entirely new realities (p. 137-139). In Meshes of the Afternoon, she uses repetition and looping to convey the experience of being trapped in a dream, making editing a tool for constructing the narrative rather than just organizing it.
Takeaway: Use editing to shape and transform the viewer’s perception of time, space, and narrative. Through techniques like repetition, jump cuts, or visual metaphors, you can create new layers of meaning that wouldn’t exist without the filmic medium.
Harness the Magic of Cinema
Deren believed that cinema’s magic lay in its ability to make the fantastical seem real (p. 202). She often created new worlds or realities in her films by manipulating simple cinematic elements. This magical quality is present in works like Meshes of the Afternoon, where dream logic governs the film’s structure.
Takeaway: Use simple yet imaginative techniques to transform the mundane into the magical. Experiment with visual effects or editing techniques that create a sense of wonder or surrealism. In a project like King Coal, you might enhance the emotional power of a scene through surreal, symbolic visuals that depict the landscape as more than just a setting—it becomes a character, filled with meaning.
Plan Your Film with a Visual Eye
Deren planned her films visually (see below for an example of her film A Study In Choreography For Camera), ensuring that each shot could communicate her ideas without relying on abstract or unfilmable concepts (p. 153). She emphasized the importance of thinking visually, avoiding the trap of trying to represent abstract ideas like “never” or “forever” through purely narrative means.
storyboards from “A Study in Choreography for Camera”
Takeaway: Focus on how you can visually express the central ideas of your film. Instead of relying on dialogue or narration to communicate abstract concepts, find ways to show them visually. For example, rather than explaining the decline of the coal industry, King Coal might use visual metaphors like crumbling buildings or overgrown landscapes to evoke loss and transition.
Understand the Power of Duration
Deren’s films often use extended or slowed-down shots to create tension and draw attention to moments that would otherwise go unnoticed (p. 141). In “At Land,” her use of slow motion emphasizes the protagonist's journey in a way that heightens the viewer’s emotional investment.
Takeaway: Play with the pacing of your shots to create moments of tension or reflection. Extend certain scenes to allow the audience to fully absorb their significance.
Film as a Poetic Experience
Deren compared filmmaking to poetry, where the logic is not narrative but emotional and rhythmic (p. 211). She argued that films should not be bound by conventional narrative structures but should follow their own internal rhythm and logic, much like a musical composition.
Takeaway: Approach filmmaking as a poetic medium. Rather than being confined to traditional storytelling techniques, let your film evolve organically, with a focus on mood, atmosphere, and emotion. You might create sequences that focus on the sensory experience of the landscape or the rhythmic patterns of work, allowing the viewer to engage with the film as they would with a poem or piece of music.
Maya Deren’s films remind us that cinema can transcend mere narrative, focusing instead on the power of movement, time, and visual poetry.