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Community

Communitas is the degree of togetherness, solidarity, and spirit in a community.

One of the best and simplest ways we can develop communitas is by eating together. People who frequently share meals with others live happier and more meaningful lives.

Bryn Gweled is a collectively owned 240-acre wooded oasis near Philadelphia. It’s home to about 75 families who live in privately owned houses. Once a month, members gather to cooperatively conduct the community’s business. They work, share a meal, and nurture friendships that for many have lasted decades.

Wherever you live, we hope you’ll encourage communitas in your community.

  • Jonathan Sprout
    Director
    Grammy Nomination
  • Rodney Whittenberg
    Director
    co-producer of Caregivers, Emmy Award winner
  • Jonathan Sprout
    Writer
    Grammy Nomination
  • Jonathan Sprout
    Producer
  • Jonathan Sprout
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Music Video, Short
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 13 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jonathan Sprout, Rodney Whittenberg

JONATHAN SPROUT
Since his first professional appearance in 1972, Jonathan Sprout has recorded 12 albums, performed more than 6,500 concerts (including 5,500 children’s concerts), and taught more than 800 songwriting workshops throughout the United States. His songs have appeared on several internationally released compilation albums.

Jonathan’s seventh release, American Heroes, won critical acclaim for its groundbreaking contribution to the field of educational children’s music in 1996. Three American Heroes sequels followed in 2000, 2009, and 2014. The series has earned a remarkable 26 national awards, including a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Children’s Album, several NAPPA Awards, several Parents’ Choice awards, two Film Advisory Board of Excellence awards, a Family Choice Award™, Dr. Toy One of the 10 Best Audio/Video/CD/DVDs, Academics' Choice Award, KIDS FIRST! Award, Tillywig Brainchild Award, Dove Foundation Seal, Mom's Choice Awards® Gold, Creative Child Magazine Award, Santa’s Choice Award, National Parenting Center Award, and a Global Music Award Bronze Medal.

Inspired by the heroes he has been writing, performing and recording about for more than 20 years, Jonathan founded

Force For Good in 2016. Force For Good provides uplifting compositions and character-driven messages to unify, inspire, and energize people to engage in responsible civic duties. Force For Good’s song videos compassionately and intelligently address important issues like sensible gun control, immigration reform, solar and wind energy, hunger and homelessness, celebrating and protecting the environment, and many others.

RODNEY WHITTENBERG
Rodney Whittenberg is an Emmy Award winning composer and Emmy-nominated filmmaker for Outstanding Documentary. From a young age he’s had four passions: music/sound, film/television, technology, and education. Rodney’s deep sense of faith has called him on a lifelong quest to integrate these passions into his art. In his late 20s he directed the non-profit Banner Project, an educational anti-drug program that emphasized nonviolence, and witnessed the power of music and arts to heal and transform communities.

In the early 1990s, Rodney created Melodyvision, a production and consulting company, to serve as a platform for his original audio and visual creations and a vehicle to help others achieve their artistic visions. In 2016, he produced We Stood Up, an audio CD of original songs, poetry and interviews with civil rights leaders. In 2018, he co-produced Caregivers, a film about the people who help the helpers that was nominated for an Outstanding Documentary Emmy.

From his numerous projects as a children’s music producer and composer to his award winning Voices of Ages, a feature documentary about the first intergenerational choir, Rodney makes art to heal, empower, and transform.

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Director Statement

Communitas is the degree of togetherness, solidarity, and spirit in a community.

One of the best and simplest ways we can develop communitas is by eating together. People who frequently share meals with others live happier and more meaningful lives.

Bryn Gweled is a collectively owned 240-acre wooded oasis near Philadelphia. It’s home to about 75 families who live in privately owned houses. Once a month, members gather to cooperatively conduct the community’s business. They work, share a meal, and nurture friendships that for many have lasted decades.

Wherever you live, we hope you’ll encourage communitas in your community.

An intentional community is a planned residential community designed from the start to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision and often follow an alternative lifestyle. They typically share responsibilities and resources.