Maya Deren Cinematic Medium

Maya “Deren was also a dancer, choreographer, poet, writer and photographer” ("Maya Deren"). Most of her poetry is told throughout her experimental films. Her experimental films display cinematic medium. Cinematic medium is explained, “As a storytelling medium, cinema borrows from the novel; yet the way it associates images with emotions resembles poetry. Each of these comparisons can and has been extended considerably and productively” (Corrigan, Timothy 461). She shows her poetry through each scene and each movie. At Land, the missing chess piece is a missing part of herself (At Land).She tells her poetry without words. Cinematic medium could also be, “emphasizing sound and vision above the other senses, to an assembly of spectators” (Corrigan, Timothy 461). In the short film Meshes of the Afternoon, sound is amplified in some certain cases, which bring the viewer in. As she took the steps up each step was like a drum beat (Meshes of the Afternoon). All of these short films are considered Maya Deren’s authorship. The “auteur theory, holds that a film bears the creativity imprint of one individual, usually the director, whether or not it is considered a great work of art” (Corrigan, Timothy 464). These two short stories were written and directed by mostly her and Alexander Hammid. It is her thoughts and poetry we are seeing.

The short film, At Land is a poem within the movie. “The way it associates images with emotions resembles poetry” (Corrigan, Timothy 461). She is looking for her missing piece. As she searches, she leaves parts of her behind. This shows cinematic medium because is shows poetry. Maya Deren is going in between different realities looking for a chess piece. All the while, she loses pieces of herself. There are many symbolic things throughout this poetic movie. In addition, she is born from the ocean and then transcends to a higher class. When she is first in that lower class, she is not noticed at all. However, as she makes her way to a higher class she begins to be noticed. She throws away her old stuff for the new. (At Land).

In Meshes of the Afternoon, at some points in the movie sound is amplified to catch the viewer’s attention. “The rhythm of the sound, movement and editing conspire to produce the effect of a trance film. Meshes of the Afternoon's dream-like mise-en-scène, illogical narrative trajectory, fluid movement and ambient soundtrack invite a type of contemplative, perhaps even transcendental, involvement for the spectator” "Maya Deren". While there might be no noise when the record plays, but, there is a drum beat when she takes a step up the stairs to amplify the emotion that Maya Deren is feeling. “They respond to characters and their fates, respond to the rush of characters and sounds” (Corrigan, Timothy 461). The first step the movie takes to draw the audience in is the beginning music; it foreshadows how the movie is going to unfold. Then you hear the key following to the ground with more drumbeats. That tells the audience that the key is an important object. There are many more objects like this in the movie. In addition, when the movie proceeds the music becomes drearier. The music amplifies certain aspects of the movie. (Meshes of the Afternoon)


Maya Deren and produced both of these films. “Films grouped by author reveals something about the personal style and preoccupations of that filmmaker” (Corrigan, Timothy 464). These are her actual ideas in the short films. This means she used authorship. An auteur is “the individual credited with the creative vision defining the film; implies the director whose unique style is apparent across his or her body or work”(Corrigan, Timothy 544). She even acts in her own short films that way she can better explains the poems. Without Maya Deren, the public would have never seen anything like this. Since she was a poet and a dancer, she was able to put her words into actions. Also to get the viewers attention by using different ways of filming and sounds.


Maya Deren shows lots of cinematic medium in her experimental films. She used her films as poetry, so other people could interpret what she meant. She also used different aspects of the film to get peoples attention. She did not just tell them what she meant. Maya Deren also showed authorship by directing and acting in her own movies so she could get her views across.

Works Cited

At Land. Dir. Maya Deren. Perf. Maya Deren, Alexander Hammid, John Cage, Parker Tyler. 1944. DVD.
Corrigan, Timothy, and Patricia White. Film Experience. 2nd ed. Bedford/st Martins, 2008. Print.
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"Google Image Result for http://www.onopen.com/upload/meshes_of_the_afternoon_.jpg." Google Images. Web. 01 Mar. 2010. .
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"Maya Deren." Issue 51, 2009 - Senses of Cinema. Web. 01 Mar. 2010. .
Meshes of the Afternoon. Dir. Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid. Perf. Maya Deren, Alexander Hammid. Mystic Fire Video, 1943. DVD.