“Kubo and the Two Strings” (in theaters Aug. 19) may be the most ambitious film the stop-motion animation company Laika has made. It is a sweeping tale of a young Japanese boy’s adventures, featuring fierce samurai warriors battling evil spirits and journeys across oceans and harsh winter landscapes.

But the adventures begin with a little origami. The paper-folding art form is the centerpiece of a storytelling show that Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson) performs for his village.

“If you must blink, do it now,” he says as he begins. Then, using a guitar and a little magic, he brings sheets of paper to life as characters that act out a story. That narrative is a miniature version of the movie’s plot, which is the first of Laika’s films to be directed by its president and chief executive, Travis Knight.

Using one frame from the film, here is a closer look at how the origami sequence came together, including commentary from Mr. Knight and one of the animators, Kevin Parry.