Hello there,
well, here we go, I'll discuss a bit the creation of the big one from the series, the Origami version of Ron's letter.
here are a couple reference that we have from the movie:
This version is a special case in the sense that it was 3D rendered in the movie.
To reproduce it, we had to interpret the 3D object into a real life origami as close as possible to the movie version and with the most expressive pose possible.
All the materials and details are based on the references of the closed version of the letters as if the object was real, it would obviously be made from the same materials.
The creation of the origami pattern demanded dozens of hand drawn and cut prototypes to get the cleanest folds and reach the most expressive and faithful shape to what is seen on screen. Julie is fully in charge of this project and I've seen her draw and cut countless pieces of paper then start all over again, again and again to manage to get as close as possible to the 3D object we see on screen.
Here is a few of the most final prototypes she made. I say a few because she really made a lot more, including a large bunch of partial prototypes to refine the different parts of the object:
Once the prototype was validated, we could draw the final template and have it laser cut in stainless steel. This template is a lot more complex than the others in the sense that it also includes all the folding lines that are traced with a special tool at the same time as the envelope contour is cut. Julie actually had the laser cutter guy on the phone several times to make sure of the best way to go about it, the thickness of the laser line, the best way to make the template rigid with all the cuts it had and so on.
At this point, we can start cutting the red paper. The template is more than 50cm long so we are using large 70cm by 100cm paper sheets. (It's the same paper that we used for the closed version, but we tracked down this specific size to be able to cut the large origami from it) The paper was a special order and it was actually safely delivered (the second time) on a wooden pallet:
Here is an example when we cut and trace the folding lines with the template. Each line is first traced with the template, then continued with a ruler. and we have to be quite concentrated when doing it to avoid missing any of the lines before removing the template.
The teeth of the Howler, made with the inside letter, were also defined carefully based on the movie scenes. We reproduced their shape as faithfully as possible and made a steel template to cut and trace each side:
Here are all the parts prepared and ready to be carefully folded by Julie:
After everything is prepared, she has to go over each folding line and fold it carefully in the right direction. This apparently requires quite a bit of concentration and any of my question to her at this point are greated by a nice and loving "shut up"
here she is, refining the folds and applying VHB tape at the bottom:
(yeah, even the tape is now cut with a template if you want to know.
)
At this point, she then has to fold and glue the origami in the final shape. Glue the ribbon tongue through a carefully positioned slit in the letter, bend an aluminium strip to the right profile and glue it to the letter. Then assemble the letter and Origami envelope together and make sure the pose is perfect.
All those last steps must be too stressful as I don't have any pictures of them to show, I was probably not allowed around with my camera at this time. sorry!
I'll post the studio pics in the next post