Dogme95

Dogme95 was introduced to the world in Paris, in the March of 1995. The ideas behind the Dogme95 rules is to ensure great freedom of movement during shooting. While nearly all filmmaking instruments have been stripped away, the two most essential instruments to a director still remain, the story and the actors. Dogme95 allows the director to focus on these two instruments in the extreme.

All Dogme95 filming must be shot on hand held cameras, on location, without the use of specially acquired props. Any props needed must be found to be at an existing location and the filming is to take place at that location. Sound is not to be added to the film after shooting. Any music or sounds must occur when the filming is taking place. Without the adding of sound, light, make up and props, it gives more time to focus on the acting instead of taking breaks for make up, hair and changing of costumes. The overall product is to seem naked and raw, and the focus not on the special effects or props, but on the acting and the story. These unusual production circumstances, gives both restriction and freedom to the director, who is forced into using all of his creativity to thrill the viewer.

The guidelines set out by dogme95 are known as The Vow of Chastity.

Does Dogville Qualify?

The film Dogville, does not entirely fit in with the guidelines of Dogme95. There is still use of props, comstumes, lighting, and the film is shoot not on location but in a studio. These points along with the fact that the movie is set in the past would deem the movie not to be a true Dogme95. The way in which Dogville mirrors the Dogme95 guidelines is that it's use of props, lighting etc is kept to the bare minimum. It is a very bare set with very little use of colour in both the props and costumes. These factors allow you to focus more on the characters and story rather then the special effects, location or props as in your average film.

Dogville was written and directed by Lars von Trier. Along with Thomas Vinterberg, von Trier came up with the Dogme95 set of rules in Copenhagen in 1995. Their idea was to bring something very new and very different to filmmaking, to rely on creativity rather then technology. Although von Trier doesn't follow the guidelines of Dogme95 in Dogville, he has created something unique. Watching Dogville is almost like watching a play. This film is definitely different and definitely one of a kind.