Yvette Green
DREAM ALLIANCE FILM PROJECT
Lights....Camera....Action!!! Unlikely words heard in a wheelchair community, except of course if you happen to live at Inglis House, and, if you're a member of the Dream Alliance, a company who's creator Chris Ambolino is dedicated to empowering individuals with the tools of video and filmmaking who would otherwise not have access to them. Chris, and his assistant Amanda Whittenberger have helped us produce 6 projects already. We've just completed a documentary about a resident artist called: Mental Shape: The Art of Robin Fredenthal.
The way we always start a project is to have a brainstorming session about what we want to make movies of, then we work on scripting them. I like this process the best because the possibilities are endless as to what we can create. We've done all kinds of things, like the "Inglis Shopping Network" where we sold jewelry to accessorize wheelchairs, a commercial touting a beer called "Stu's Brew" that increases your brain power, just to name a few.
This time around we decided to do a documentary on Robin and his art. At that time, I did not know Robin was this renowned artist. He was just this pleasant person I sat next to in choir and trudged through songs with, that is until I went to Rutgers with then Head of Volunteers Peggy Haley to receive an award for Inglis House. As we were talking to different people, this couple came up and introduced themselves as Bill and Betty Baumann. They inquired after Robin, and after having a good laugh when I told them Robin and I sang on the choir together, they said to let him know that I had met them. Upon returning to Inglis and at the next rehearsal, I told Robin about it. He was pleasantly surprised, and we both agreed what a small world it is.
Film director Chris Ambolino as production members Denise March, Stuart Sanderson and Kristen Lech await their turns.
The experience of gathering personal and professional information about Robin during our film project has increased my learning about filmmaking more than any of the projects we have done, and I'm sure it's because the subject and I get along so famously. I was immediately taken in by his art, from the birth of an idea to its beautiful finish.
For over forty years, Robin, a bona fide, certified architect has taken geometric shapes and made them into thought provoking, beautifully sculpted works of art. He takes a simple object like a cube, then stretches it all kinds of ways and ends up with a display of over three thousand pieces of conversation you will never get tired of looking, talking and marveling at. To see, or rather explore what a triangle, rectangle or square becomes when it's stretched, cut in half, have their insides cut out is what Robin's art is all about. But don't take my word for it, his art is displayed all over Philadelphia, Pa and other places as well. During the making of Mental Shape, we went out to some of the different locations where Robin's art is displayed. It was kind of cold, so we were trying as quickly as possible to shoot and run. Everything was going well until we reached 8th and Spruce, where Robin's sculpture Blockhead stands. As we were taking a couple of wide shots, we were approached and immediately told to vacate the property or jobs will be lost. Explanations as to why we were there got pooh-poohed, we were instructed to turn our wheelchairs around and beat it. We got some good shots as we were leaving, though. We laughed about it afterward, wondering what would have happened if we had refused to leave, being that that the majority of our film crew were in wheelchairs.
Film crew member Ilene Myers prepares to Inteview Robinson Fredenthal.
Putting together the interviews with all of Robin's friends and family, the editing process and camera work took a lot of time and effort, but when I saw the finished project, all I could do is smile and think, "hey, I was an integral part of that!"
The premiere of our finished work Mental Shape: The art of Robinson Fredenthal was shown at Inglis House on Friday, August 31st, and I was told everyone had a grand old time. I couldn't attend due to health issues, but all the same, I wish I could've been there, for I was told Robin had on a smile that lit up the room! His family and friends were there and everyone who participated got the chance to share their parts in Robin's night.
I didn't get the chance to catch up with Robin later on in the week to congratulate him and joke with him about not only being a world renowned sculptor but an up and coming rock star, and that I was very proud of him and his accomplishments because on September 2, 2009 only two days after the premiere he passed away. I have to say it hit me like a ton of bricks. I can't believe I won't see Robin anymore. In the days to come when accolades and praises about Robin and his extra ordinary talent will be made in newspapers and televisions everywhere, I will consider myself blessed for having known such a wonderful, humorous, brilliant man.