Filmmakandets

Filmmakandets is a term used in film studies and independent cinema to describe a collaborative, process-oriented approach to filmmaking that treats the production process itself as a central artistic element. The concept emphasizes transparency about labor, decision-making, and constraints, and seeks to democratize authorship by including a broader range of voices in creative and logistical choices.

Origin and etymology: The term emerged in discussions among European documentary and experimental film groups in the mid to late 2010s. It is often treated as a portmanteau drawing on "filmmaking" and the sense of a collective or plural by using a suffix that signals group work. The concept has been discussed in seminars, zines, and online platforms dedicated to experimental cinema and media labor studies.

Principles and scope: Filmmakandets foregrounds labor, time, and resource constraints as artistic parameters. It favors flattened hierarchies on set, collaborative editing, and on-screen or on-documentation methods that reveal production work. Projects often employ open pre-production processes, public documentation, and inclusive participation from non-traditional contributors.

Techniques and practices: On-set transparency (sharing schedules, budgets), participatory shooting practices (allowing crew and sometimes audiences to influence scenes), reflexive narration that acknowledges production realities, and alternative distribution models such as self-publishing or crowd-supported releases.

Reception and criticism: The approach has been praised for ethical considerations and for challenging auteurist norms, but critics argue it can compromise narrative clarity, project management, and efficiency. It remains a niche practice within experimental and activist filmmaking communities.

Notable examples: Notable examples include several low-budget experimental films and documentary projects produced by collectives in Northern Europe and North America that publish production diaries and budget breakdowns alongside finished works.

See also: collaborative filmmaking, participatory media, film labor, on-set documentation, reflexive cinema.