Stuck on Hubble
The Hubble Roadshow
The Hubble Roadshow, presented under the stars in an outdoor amphitheater in Connecticut, featuring experimental music, reflections from an engineer who built Hubble, and stargazing following the movie.
The very first Hubble Roadshow event at Stellafane, the legendary telescope makers' convention atop Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont.
The documentary Saving Hubble is the result of a decade-long examination of, reflection on, and sometimes obsession with the Hubble Space Telescope and its role within science and culture. Central to the plot of the film is an exploration of Hubble's struggle to survive amidst a proposed cancellation of the mission in 2004. The events surrounding this decision - and the massive public outcry responsible for Hubble's redemption - offer a fresh perspective on American resolve in a troubled time. Saving Hubble is about everyday people and their longing to see and understand the physical universe and revel in its mystery and wonder.
In late 2011, upon completing the film, director David Gaynes set an unusual course for the distribution of Saving Hubble. Under a banner titled "The Hubble Roadshow," a series of screenings were presented in non-traditional venues featuring distinctive companion programming including talkbacks with notable scientists, stargazing with amateur astronomers and live music by local artists. To date, Hubble Roadshow events have taken place across the country and as far away as Beijing, China. Admission is usually free or by suggested donation. By limiting opportunities to see the film to single live events, the intention was to create unique conversations around the awe-inspiring nature of Hubble as well as the uplifting and unifying themes that are so central to Hubble's story. Roadshow events were intended to create space for for questions we don't ask nearly enough as a culture: "Who are we?" and "Where are we going?"
A few thousand people have participated in Hubble Roadshow events since 2012. Many looked through a telescope for the first time in their lives. At Roadshow events, people have opportunities to connect with professional scientists and thought leaders in an intimate setting. The goal of scaling the Roadshow to the level of a national tour - a traveling science and arts festival in the spirit of old 'Chautauquas' - is, for now, an unrealized dream.
To read more about these social/political/spiritual goals of the movie and the Roadshow, you can read more about the endeavor HERE.
About the Director
Saving Hubble (2012) is the second documentary feature by David Gaynes. He has since directed Next Year Jerusalem (2014), which focuses on eight frail nursing home residents who make one last pilgrimage. Jerusalem premiered to sold out audiences at the Sarasota Film Festival and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and is distributed by First Run Features, premiering theatrically in New York and Los Angeles. David's debut feature, Keeper of the Kohn (2005), documents the trials of an aging, autistic waterboy-turned-spiritual leader of a college lacrosse team. Keeper was seen in film festivals and on television and is available on Hulu as well as home video. David works actively as a documentary cinematographer having photographed the award-winning feature documentaries All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Rembert, Men of the Cloth, and Release: the Jack Ryan Story. More information is available at dgfilmworks.com.