The NOVA Large-format Film unit of the WGBH Educational Foundation, in conjunction with the New England Aquarium, is producing a large format film about Cocos Island, a small, uninhabited island off the coast of Costa Rica that has not yet been affected by human activity. The waters around Cocos Island contain an extraordinary abundance of sharks, rays, tuna, marlins, swordfish, and other pelagic fishes, thanks to nearby upwellings of cold, nutrient-rich water that create a rich food source. The film will focus on the physical oceanography and behavioral marine ecology of Cocos Island, highlighting the animal behavior and interactions of the wide diversity of marine life. Executive Producer will be Paula Apsell, head of the WGBH science unit and Executive Producer of NOVA. Susanne Simpson, executive producer for NOVA Large-format Films will as a senior producer. Howard Hall Productions will produce and direct the film. Howard Hall will be director/producer, and Michele Hall will serve as producer. The Halls are experts in the field of marine natural history filmmaking and are world-renowned for their television programs on such series as National Geographic and Nature. They worked in the large format medium as producer/directors of Into the Deep. Joseph Levine, a marine biologist who has written both science textbooks and television scripts, will be the writer. William Spitzer, Associate Director for Education at the New England Aquarium, will be responsible for the educational outreach materials.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Paula ApsellSusanne SimpsonJerry SchubelKenneth MalloryBarbara Flagg
This is a comprehensive project about the science behind special effects in the motion pictures. WGBH, in association with eighteen museums in the Museum Film Network, will produce a 35 minute IMAX/OMNIMAX film showing the behind-the-scenes story of a group of filmmakers at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) as they create a special effects sequence in the IMAX/OMNIMAX format. The film will illustrate how the eye and brain work together to process cinematic illusions. The California Museum of Science and Industry (CMSI) will create a 6,000 sq. ft. traveling exhibit that will focus on the science and technical processes of special effect. The exhibit will travel to fifteen other museums. A smaller scale lobby exhibit also will be developed for display in the cueing areas of IMAX/OMNIMAX theaters that are showing the "Special Effects" film. A collaborative educational outreach program will extend the reach of both the film and exhibit. The project will be managed by the NOVA production unit at WGBH under the direction of Paula Apsell. Ms. Apsell also will serve as Executive Producer for the IMAX/OMNIMAX film. Diane Perlov, Curator of Exhibitions at CMSI, will supervise the exhibit portion of the project. Kenneth Phillips, Curator of Aerospace Science at CMSI, will develop video interactives and oversee scientific content of the exhibit. Carol Valenta, Director of Education for CMSI, and Beth Kirsh, Director of Educational Print and Outreach for WGBH, will be responsible for implementing the outreach plan. Advisors for the project include David H. Hubel, neurobiologist, Harvard Medical School; Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, neurophysiologist, University of California, San Diego; Richard Gregory, perception psychologist, University of Bristol; Sally Duensing, Science and Museum Liaison, Exploratorium; Elizabeth Stage, Co-Director for Science, New Standards Project, National Center on Education and the Economy; and Robert Coutts, high school physics teacher, Los Angeles, CA.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Paula ApsellSusanne SimpsonAnn MuscatCarol ValentaBarbara Flagg
MacGillivray Freeman Films is producing a 40-minute large format film about a scientific and climbing expedition on Mount Everest. The film will introduce viewers to the methods and significance of scientific field research and the rigor and excitement of the scientific endeavor through an expedition to the top of the world's tallest mountain. An international climbing team of women and men will advance the research of geophysicist Roger Bilham who has been influential in applying Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to the study of earthquakes in the Himalaya. The film also will explore the physiological challenges the climbers face at extreme altitude. Endoscopic and microscopic photography will reveal the human body's amazing adaptations to a cold, low-oxygen environment. A comprehensive package of ancillary materials for teachers, students, film exhibitors, and the general public will enhance the educational experience of the film. Greg MacGillivray, President of MacGillivray Freeman Films, will be the PI and Executive Producer/Co-Producer/Director/Photographer. Stepehen Judson and Alec Lorimore, both of MacGillivray Films, will be Co-writer/Director and Co-Producer respectively. Tim Cahill, a freelance writer with experience writing for National Geographic and GEO will be the other Co-writer. Advisors include: Cynthia Beall, Prof. of Physical Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University Broughton Coburn, Conservation and Development Expert on Nepal James Fisher, Prof. of Anthropology, Carleton College Kip Hodges, Prof. of Geology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Charles Houston, Prof. of Medicine (emeritus), University of Vermont Peter Molnar, Senior Research Assoc. Atmosphere and Planetary Sciences, MIT Audrey Salkeld, Author and Fellow, Royal Geographical Society Bradford Washburn, Honorary Director, Museum of Science, Boston
MacGillivray Freeman Films, in collaboration with Texas A&M University's Marine Mammal Research Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, ASPIRA Association, Inc, and Media Education Consultants, is producing a 40 minute, large format film on wild dolphins. The film will feature the research being done by two scientists: Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, a young marine scientist investigating dolphin communication and social systems, and Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez, a young Hispanic Ph.D. researching dolphin behavior and ecology. The film will inform the audiences about the methods, tools and significance of dolphin research and immerse them in on-going scientific investigations of wild dolphins in their natural habitat. The film will be supported by teacher's guides, a Science Career Exploration Unit for Hispanic youth distributed through ASPIRA, a School Trip Package for distribution to 11,000 teachers, and a Museum Educator Kit. The project also will provide theaters with 2,000 free passes for minority and low-income outreach programs. Greg MacGillivray, President of MacGillivray Freeman Films will be Executive Producer/Co-Producer/Co-Director/Co-Director of Photography. The other Co-Producer will be Alec Lorimore, Vice President for Film Production and Development at MacGillivray Freeman Films. The Co-Director/Co-Director of Photography will be Bob Talbot, an independent marine photographer. Dr. Bernd Wursig, Professor of Marine Mammalogy, Director of the Marine Mammal research Program, and Co-Director of the Institute of Marine Life Science at Texas A&M University will serve as the chief content advisor. Other science advisors include Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez, Kathleen Dudzinski, Randy Wells, Peter Tyack, and the staff scientists from the Mote Marine Laboratory. Informal science education and outreach advisors include Raylene Decatur, David Ellis, Freda Nicholson, Simone Bloom-Nathan, and Hilda Crespo. Project evaluation will be conducted by Barbara Flagg.
The National Museum of Natural History is producing 3-D and 2-D versions of a large format film on natural history. With a working title of Wonders of Life, the film will explore the diversity of life on Earth and how this diversity came to be. It will examine the biological, geological, and cultural entities that interact in myriad ways to generate, shape, and sustain the enormous biological and cultural diversity of our planet. The film will be supported by outreach material designed to support further exploration of the topic of diversity in both informal and formal settings. An inexpensive family activity guide to be available at venues that show the film will feature engaging and challenging activities for families with children ages ten through 15. A teacher resource guide, distributed free to teachers attending the film with groups of students, will be developed for use in grades 5 through 8. A classroom activity poster will be developed to serve grades 2 through 5. A Wonders of Life home page will support in-depth study of the film's topics. Larry O'Reilly, Director of The Discovery Center Project at the NMNH, will be PI and Executive Producer for the film. The Senior Scientific Advisory Board will be chaired by Dr. Robert S. Hoffman, Senior Scientist and former Assistant Secretary for Science at the Smithsonian Institution. The board also includes Sir David Attenborough, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Dr. Margaret Geller, Ivan Hattingh, and Dr. Thomas Lovejoy. Dr. Kay Behrensmeyer, Curator of Paleobiology and former Associate Director for Science at the NMNH, will lead a core team of scientists who will be directly involved in production. The film will be produced by Christopher Parsons and David Douglas will be Director of Photography.