Rolf Mandolesi, multiple award winning amateur movie maker, from Italy gives his view on the long-standing debate:

To be or not to be an amateur ...

Ever since amateur (small gauge, non-commercial - or whatever you call it) film-making began gallons of ink have been used to draw the line between it and professional cinema. Surely there is room for a modest contribution aimed at shedding some light on this delicate issue?

Non-Professional or Non-Commercial?

From Rolf's film Apples.

First just a word about the activity in question. The expression "amateur" in the sense of "loving film" would probably be the most appropriate term but for the fact that it has pejorative connotations and is often equated with dilettantism. If I had to choose between "non-professional" and "non-commercial", I would prefer the latter - despite the negative connotations of "non".

So let's try to provide a basic definition: "non-commercial film making" means that you are not supposed to make any money with the films produced, be they made in Super-8mm, 35mm, VHS, Betacam SP or whatever. It should not mean, however, that no money is invested in the enterprise and it does not matter whether this money is the author's or some sponsor's. Everyone has the right to spend their money as they wish: some might invest in a "non-commercial" film, others might prefer to buy a new Mercedes.

The point is that moviemakers should be aware of the limits. If only inexperienced actors are available for her/his fiction film the director must have the courage to abandon that approach and look for alternatives. But even if you can count on professional actors, lighting engineers and camera operators (who are prepared to work without a fee) the work is still not a professional film - even if the screening does finish with an endless list of contributors.

From Rolf's film Tabula Rasa.

It is actually impossible to draw the line between non-commercial and professional film making - since it is so thin. Neither can we trace the line separating documentary from fiction or fantastic or animation films. This is probably why categories were done away with by UNICA as early as 1968. That was, in my opinion, a major step forward.

Whatever the format used and however the films get made ...

Should we now risk taking one or more steps back and set up new frontiers? Should we have separate standards for the producer who can afford to spend £4,000 every other year to buy new, sophisticated video equipment and for the producer working with simple Super8mm kit? And what would the rising generation say about such distinctions? The young movie-makers, who - most of the time - view our activities as a testing ground before plunging into the professional world, could not carry out their projects without sponsorship.

Film making is no more and no less than film making, whatever the format used and however the films get made. The quality of a film is not determined by the amount of money invested in it but by the ideas, film language, editing - and not least - by the style.

We should actually rejoice at a UNICA competition when we have the privilege of watching a genuine masterpiece; instead of finding fault with everything, applying discriminatory standards and finally discarding the whole thing!

From Rolf's film Way Of Life.

Many amateur film makers have not yet realised how lucky they are compared to professionals: they enjoy complete freedom. Too often they spend so much energy in trying to emulate professionals by imitating their themes and techniques. That is futile and contrary to the UNESCO definition of film making. (UNICA has been a member of UNESCO since 1958.) Perhaps this is where we should look for the reasons some people are so disappointed and vent their anger when juries of people with similar notions return their verdicts.

Our activity long ceased to be considered a mere hobby. It is a commitment we make to ourselves to communicate something in our own way, to defend our own views.

The equation of "non-professional" and "without expertise" does not apply at all. A competent amateur works with as strong a sense of commitment as possible: in other words she or he works in a professional manner. Should we, perhaps, understand the word "amateur" as a synonym for "dilettante" or even "untrained"? I would accept the idea that for such amateurs the standards attained by UNICA are just one step too high. This does not mean in any way that I dislike dilettantes: my motto being "live and let live." Nevertheless I would suggest that the latter compete with people who have the same attitude.

In conclusion, I may say that there are in UNICA circles some film makers - mentioning no names - who have sufficient stature to become professionals but who choose to remain amateurs for the sake of creative freedom. Their productions, regardless of the format in which they are made, have definitely attained professional dimension.

- Rolf Mandolesi

Biography

Rolf Mandolesi was born in Milan on 29th October 1933 to an Italian father and German mother. He has lived in Merano since 1957, where he worked as a dental technician until April 1992. He has always been a passionate cinema enthusiast and joined the Cineclub of Merano in 1961. That became a member of FEDIC (the Italian Federation of cineclubs). In 1983 it became the Super8 & Video Club of Merano of which he is still president.

In 36 years of Super 8mm activity he has made some thirty of short documentary subjects. He participates in competitions and reviews in 29 countries and has won more than 900 acknowledgements of his skill. In 1989 he went to Nel (BZ), for the Eurofilmfestival and was named Ambassador of European film. In the same year he was elected Vice president of FEDIC. In 1994 he was elected to the Council of UNICA.

Mandolesi's films have been broadcast on local and national television, on Canadian television and Antenna 2 of Paris, and even on Bayerischen television.

Copies of his works figure in the film libraries of FEDIC, IAC and UNICA.

Page updated on 21 March 2008

Authors' views are not necessarily those of The Institute of Amateur Cinematographers

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