World Premier of six science films

Thursday 11 November 2010

World Premier of six science films

Being taught to attack a subject with the perfect story has ensured the world premiere screening of films produced by the graduating class of University of Otago’s Master of Science Communication (MSciComm) course in Science and Natural History Filmmaking will be of top quality and relevance. Six documentaries written, produced and directed by Centre for Science Communication student filmmakers are having their premiere at the University’s St David Streets Lecture Theatres (cnr St David and Castle Streets) at 7pm Friday 19 and Saturday 20 November.

Centre for Science Communication Director Professor Lloyd Davis says, “Technically, the films are getting better and better as we continue to improve the course. These films look stunning, which is really great for the public; anyone coming along expecting to see ‘student’ films will be astounded at the look, quality and feel.” The course’s Director of Filmmaking, Ross Johnston, says, “The people that come onto this course have a lot of nous. Some come in with an ambition to become natural history filmmakers, some are activists who have a message to get out, some have a scientific background and they’re concerned science isn’t getting enough coverage. I am always emphasising to the students that they should take their subject area and find the story that they can use to attack it.”

Janelle Ericksen and Eliza Muirhead explore the sacrifice and risk involved in being an animal rights activist in ‘Human|Animal – Are we a species apart?’, along with revealing the conditions in which many ‘factory’ animals are kept.

River Dog is a poetic blend of the contemporary issue of farming practices in New Zealand, iconic landscapes and a man’s personal struggle for what is right. It follows the efforts of one farmer and his team of dogs to keep the Pahaoa River clean. River Dogs’ makers, Daniel Hunter and James Muir, bring to light seemingly unchecked environmental destruction.

In A Wedged Tale Simon Cherriman seeks to capture a moment of predation which has never been filmed before: an Australian wedge-tailed eagle catching a kangaroo. Adding to the excitement is the discovery of Simon himself – the rare, wild, wildfilmmaker – as he examines what it means to be a local bushman in the 21st century. Plough! takes us to the earth-churning 57th World Ploughing Championships as documented by Michael Henriquez. Held in Methven earlier this year, the Championships attracted competitors from 30 nations digging deep for the Golden Plough.

Food production and consumption gets another look in Three Little Pigs: A Curly Tale, by Emily Gordon and George Dawes. In showing the three very different lives of one factory, one free-range and one backyard pig, the film examines pork, the animals it comes from, and those of us who consume it. In the Shadow of the Mountain, by Hugh Barnard and Max Segal, explores the motivation of climbers to climb and why they continue to do so when the risks are so self-evident.

Professor Davis adds, “The role of the documentary filmmaker is not necessarily to be unbiased, it’s to make a point while being factual and truthful. It’s not reportage, where you have a duty to give equal coverage to all sides; it’s important for the director to have a point of view.”

An additional event, ‘Literature and Lager,’ is taking place at 7pm Thursday 18 November at the Empire Hotel, Princess Street, Dunedin, with the Centre’s graduating second-year writing students delivering readings from the books that they have been writing.

Professor Davis says, “This evening is a way of drawing attention to those taking the Centre’s Creative Non-Fiction Writing course. Although we will be having vignettes of their work at the film premiere – along with those taking the Popularising Science course, this event is something just for the writers.”

Tickets to see all six, 25 minute films are $5 at the door, or advance tickets sales can be had from the Centre for Science Communication, 303a Great King Street, ph 479 7939. Entry to ‘Literature and Lager’ is free.

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