 "Photo: Randy Olson")
On Nov. 10 and 11, filmmaker Randy Olson came to the university to screen his films "Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design Circus" and "Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy." Admission was free and an open forum for questions was held later.
Olson, a former scientist and professor of marine biology at the University of New Hampshire, spent so much time telling stories of science that he decided to try experimenting with film as a means of storytelling. By 1994, he gave up his tenured career to start a new life. He spent three years in film school in Los Angeles where he learned the art of telling stories.
"Brave or stupid," Olson says of his career transition. "Still not sure what the conclusion is on that."
Olson says he aims to bridge the gap between science and filmmaking with entertaining segments that appeal to large populations.
The university is one of many stops on the journey of "Sizzle," which will be traveling to schools like Arizona State University and the University of Missouri and other film festivals throughout the spring, he says.
Olson realized many people were bored with environmental media and thought of a way to cut through the monotony and confusion with the use of comedy. Comedy is a tool to arouse interest in viewers, Olson says.
"It's inappropriate to not make a comedy about global warming," he says.
Since its premiere, reviews of "Sizzle" have been split. Olson says the criticism is mostly given by scientists who don't find humor appropriate for the topic of global warming.
The comedy gains interest up front, while the message of global warming still speaks strongly throughout "Sizzle." The increased interest in the content is meant to cause a stronger reaction in audiences, compelling them to make a difference, he says.
"Sizzle" evolved through the year-and-a-half process of its creation, Olson says. It consists of real-life interactions between global warming skeptics and scientists while holding onto the "mockumentary" concept.
"[It's] the simple little idea of, 'Wouldn't it be interesting if we interviewed these scientists and I had a cameraman who was a global warming skeptic?' " he says.
Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Sizzle" both pin global warming as a serious and urgent issue in need of more attention. Olson says "Sizzle" was created in reaction to Gore's film.
"It's the same message, but a different voice," he says. "It's the simplest way I can put that."
Olson says Gore did a great job capturing the interest and attention of the mass audience. However, he only reached a group of affluent white people and lacked a connection to other ethnicities.
"His film was not for the Nascar crowd," Olson says. "Not for the African-American community. His film was not for kids."
Olson says his goal was to radiate the voice outward to further strengthen the importance of global warming. He attempted to create a work geared toward college students that is more fun to watch than "An Inconvenient Truth."
"I don't have $300 million like Al Gore does," Olson says, laughing.
"Sizzle" simply has a different perspective than "An Inconvenient Truth," he says. It's filled with laughs, yet does contain that breakthrough moment. However, it doesn't take four hours to reach, he says.
"Who wants to see that stuff?" Olson says. "Who wants to see depressing movies about these crises?"
"Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design Circus," screened on Nov. 10, focuses on the teaching of evolution versus intelligent design. The film laid the ground work for "Sizzle" as they both stress the importance of communication over science.
Both topics - evolution and global warming - are understood in the science community and are not debatable among scientists, yet Olson says miscommunication causes the facade of controversy.
The title of Olson's upcoming book, "Don't Be Such a Scientist," comments on this concept. The book encompasses the bad habits and communication dynamics that scientists embody today, he says.
"You'll hear someone shout out, 'Don't be such a scientist. Stop being so literal-minded,' " Olson says.
Olson is careful not to get too caught up in planning for the future. Creating something that everyone enjoys and getting his ideas out there is enough, he says.
"I don't know if I have any goals at all," Olson says. "Just to have fun."
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