Workshops
Unfolding BETWEEN THE FOLDS
In cooperation with OrigamiUSA and The Mathematical Association of America Community Cinema presented 42 free screening events for BETWEEN THE FOLDS a documentary by Vanessa Gould that delves deeply into the magical intersection of mathematics, science, and art that is paperfolding which is also known as origami. The film drew record-breaking crowds across the country.
Rodger Despres, a local Michigan paper folder, displays a 45-foot long paper model train that took him 1,500 hours to construct.
Our first free event for BETWEEN THE FOLDS took place at the fabulous Urban Institute for Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids, Michigan where Community Cinema is in its 3rd smash season. Emily Maurin, Community Cinema Producing Partner with WGVU, told us, “We were extremely lucky to have two amazing paper folders with us––Richard Alexander, one of the film’s participants, and Rodger Despres, a local paper folder who has constructed a 45-foot long paper model train. They each offered a different perspective on paper folding. Richard spoke about his artwork as well as his experiences making his own paper. Rodger discussed how he has used paper to engineer working train cars and tracks. He was very excited since Richard was the first paper folder he had met! They talked about how paper folding is almost a secret society that is just now emerging as a mainstream art.”
In the video below, director Vanessa Gould gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like making the film, how she worked with artists and a discusses a variety of issues related to independent filmmaking.
“Crease Is the Word!” Jim Ridley wrote in Nashville Scene about BETWEEN THE FOLDS at the Nashville Public Library. “Vanessa Gould’s documentary has received rapturous notices for concentrating on the intersection of art and science that the ancient paper-folding art represents.”
Mary Delach Leonard wrote in the St. Louis Beacon about our event at the Missouri History Museum. “Watching a former sculptor in France fold a flat sheet of paper into a three-dimensional human caricature … is worth far more than 1,000 words — which makes “Between the Folds” one of those unexpected documentaries you have to see to appreciate.” Read more>>
In St. Louis, approximately 340 people showed up for the viewing of the film at the Missouri History Museum. Sydney Meyer of Community Cinema Producing Partner KETC said, “I was amazed watching the diversity of people fill the auditorium and overflow onto the steps and the sides of the theater. People of all ages laughed and clapped at various parts of the film, signaling they understood what the artists were trying to communicate to them. After the film, the fun continued as more than 120 folks stayed to try their hand at paper-folding with artist Sugi Taylor. There was a lot of laughter and concentration as people attempted to make a paper box and bird.” As I walked around the tables, I heard comments like “I thought the simple figures would be easier. Now I admire the film artists even more!” or “I loved the film and I am amazed I can make this figure out of almost nothing… one simple square of paper.”
Director Vanessa Gould spent 3 days at 3 Community Cinema events in The Los Angeles area, and we were so lucky that she took time to write about it. › Continue reading
CHAOS in Chicago
This past Saturday – over the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend – Community Cinema Chicago competed with shopping-mania, blockbuster movie openings, and a nationwide travel stampede to present BETWEEN THE FOLDS, a documentary about the quiet, peaceful beauty of paperfolding and origami …to a surprisingly packed house. Our National Community Cinema Coordinator Naomi Walker tells us all about it. Included are short videos of the free folding workshop at the event.
I had my doubts but was reassured that the Chicago Cultural Center is always popular on Thanksgiving weekend for people stuck in town and looking for things to do. My doubts quickly evaporated! I think this was probably the most popular event I have had yet. I have never had so many people come up to me afterward to give a personal “thank you.” The theater was packed to capacity.
I had seen a wonderful short film about the Chicago Area Origami Society (CHAOS) online, made by a city organization called Chicago Works for public access, and I knew that they would be a wonderful match for this preview community event.
The Cultural Center set up workshopping space in a large open room on the first floor. We thought we might lose some of the audience in the move from the theatre to the 1st floor space. But, it appeared as if the entire audience couldn’t wait to start folding!
The workshop was led by Jean Mishima from the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society. She brought two assistants and we had prepared seating for 25 people. We added more chairs and tables while the film was playing and increased our workshop to accommodate 50 people. We ended up with over 100 eager attendees streaming into to the workshop.
Despite the overcrowding (think of it as cozy), the event was an amazing success. I had anticipated the possibility of running out of paper by designing a square event program and having the program paper cut to size. By the end of the workshop, there were several BETWEEN THE FOLDS programs folded into art!
Two different attendees told me that the film was a life-changer. A journey of a thousand miles can start with just one fold.
BETWEEN THE FOLDS Gets America Folding Paper
In cooperation with OrigamiUSA and The Mathematical Association of America Community Cinema presented 42 free screening events for BETWEEN THE FOLDS a documentary by Vanessa Gould that delves deeply into the magical intersection of mathematics, science, and art that is paperfolding which is also known as origami. The film drew huge crowds across the country.
Rodger Despres, a local Michigan paper folder, displays a 45-foot long paper model train that took him 1,500 hours to construct.
Our first free event for BETWEEN THE FOLDS took place at the fabulous Urban Institute for Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids, Michigan where Community Cinema is in its 3rd smash season. Emily Maurin, Community Cinema Producing Partner with WGVU, told us, “We were extremely lucky to have two amazing paper folders with us––Richard Alexander, one of the film’s participants, and Rodger Despres, a local paper folder who has constructed a 45-foot long paper model train. They each offered a different perspective on paper folding. Richard spoke about his artwork as well as his experiences making his own paper. Rodger discussed how he has used paper to engineer working train cars and tracks. He was very excited since Richard was the first paper folder he had met! They talked about how paper folding is almost a secret society that is just now emerging as a mainstream art.”
In the video below, director Vanessa Gould gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like making the film, how she worked with artists and a discusses a variety of issues related to independent filmmaking.
“Crease Is the Word!” Jim Ridley writes in Nashville Scene about the upcoming free event for BETWEEN THE FOLDS at the Nashville Public Library THIS Sunday. “Vanessa Gould’s documentary has received rapturous notices for concentrating on the intersection of art and science that the ancient paper-folding art represents.”
Mary Delach Leonard writes in the St. Louis Beacon about our event at the Missouri History Museum. “Watching a former sculptor in France fold a flat sheet of paper into a three-dimensional human caricature … is worth far more than 1,000 words — which makes “Between the Folds” one of those unexpected documentaries you have to see to appreciate.” Read more>>
In St. Louis, approximately 340 people showed up for the viewing of the film at the Missouri History Museum. Sydney Meyer of Community Cinema Producing Partner KETC said, “I was amazed watching the diversity of people fill the auditorium and overflow onto the steps and the sides of the theater. People of all ages laughed and clapped at various parts of the film, signaling they understood what the artists were trying to communicate to them. After the film, the fun continued as more than 120 folks stayed to try their hand at paper-folding with artist Sugi Taylor. There was a lot of laughter and concentration as people attempted to make a paper box and bird.” As I walked around the tables, I heard comments like “I thought the simple figures would be easier. Now I admire the film artists even more!” or “I loved the film and I am amazed I can make this figure out of almost nothing… one simple square of paper.”
Director Vanessa Gould spent 3 days at 3 Community Cinema events in The Los Angeles area, and we were so lucky that she took time to write about it. › Continue reading
Paper Folders Join BETWEEN THE FOLDS Screening in Grand Rapids
Producing Partners are local community organizations that co-present Community Cinema screenings across the country. Last night, Producing Partner WGVU Television & Radio in Grand Rapids, MI, screened the Independent Lens film BETWEEN THE FOLDS. The film looks at fine artists and theoretical scientists who have abandoned careers and scoffed at hard-earned graduate degrees to forge unconventional lives as modern-day paper-folders. Emily Maurin of WGVU gives her take on the event below:
Rodger Despres, a local paper folder, displays a 45-foot long paper model train that took him 1,500 hours to construct.
Following the screening, audience members tested their skills by making paper folded dogs.
What a great night! We were extremely lucky to have two amazing paper folders with us––Richard Alexander, one of the film’s participants, and Rodger Despres, a local paper folder who has constructed a 45-foot long paper model train. They each offered a different perspective on paper folding. Richard spoke about his artwork through Origamido, as well as his experiences making his own paper, which is beautiful on its own!
Rodger discussed how he has used paper to engineer working train cars and tracks. He was very excited since Richard was the first paper folder he had met! They talked about how paper folding is almost a secret society that is just now emerging as a mainstream art.
Richard impressed the audience with his butterfly ball, constructed of 12 pieces of folded paper. When he tossed the ball in the air and struck it, the ball became 12 fluttering butterflies. He then taught me how to put it back together using “storygami,” a way to work through the steps, but I haven’t had the guts to smash it up yet.
At the Community Cinema Retreat with Sally Rosenthal of BETWEEN THE FOLDS
Sally Rosenthal, executive producer of BETWEEN THE FOLDS.
Community Cinema Regional Outreach Coordinators and Producing Partners practice their origami folding skills after learning about the film BETWEEN THE FOLDS.
Community Cinema is the largest civic engagement program in broadcast television, featured in over 50 cities nationwide. Screenings are followed by lively panel discussions that bring together citizens, organizations and public television stations to encourage dialogue and action around important and timely social issues. None of it, however, could be possible without the support of ITVS’s Regional Outreach Coordinators (ROC) and Producing Partners, who organize screenings in their local communities.
Last week, ITVS invited ROC’s and Producing Parters to discuss the upcoming Community Cinema season and meet with filmmakers and ITVS staff. Sally Rosenthal, executive producer of BETWEEN THE FOLDS, shares her thoughts on the experience.
The Community Cinema retreat was another reminder how fortunate we are to be part of the ITVS family. We are even more excited about the year ahead when BETWEEN THE FOLDS, which looks at the ingenuity of some of the world’s best paper folders, airs on Independent Lens and screens across the country as part of Community Cinema.
I was struck by the welcoming atmosphere, and pleased to meet other filmmakers like Jim Granato and film subject Pat Spurgeon of D TOUR; for me, that’s been a rewarding part of being involved with this project.
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