Posts Tagged ‘science and entertainment exchange’

Hollywood science: A tale of abuse and inspiration

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Last week we covered a good chunk of a talk about science in the movies, but there’s still a bit more I want to touch on.

If you didn’t read the last post, here’s a recap of points made by scientists and Hollywood folks at a panel hosted by the Science and Entertainment Exchange:

  1. Science portrayed correctly in movies and TV shows more ‘em more plausible
  2. More plausibility means better, more profitable productions
  3. Scientists are cool if Hollywood distorts one or two big scientific concepts for a good story — but good science should always follow
  4. Hollywood (and the Internet) can influence millions more science-curious people than any professor in a classroom

National Academy of Science's Science and Entertainment ExchangeIn short, more accurately portrayed science in Hollywood benefits everyone. Mo learnin’, mo money.

That’s not to say that Hollywood elites and scientists have donned flowered garlands and are frolicking together barefoot in a Utopian garden of peace. Far from it.

Hollywood writers/producers and scientists may never get there, and you may shrug your shoulders at the notion. Yet I feel — and I know scientists do as well — that this is not just a fun, cerebral discussion for shits and giggles. It’s super important stuff. (more…)

Who watches the watchmen? Scientists do

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Watchmen movie posterScience is a ragdoll in Hollywood: a plot device that’s carelessly tossed around and repeatedly abused for entertainment value. (Well, I tortured my sister’s Raggedy Ann for fun… can’t speak for the rest of the planet.)

But hope has been brewing thanks to organizations such as the Science and Entertainment Exchange, an outfit designed to hook up Hollywood producers with enthusiastic scientists.

It also happens to be led by Jennifer Ouellette, a really great blogger I asked to join Discovery in 2008. She held a panel today at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) called “Watching the Watchmen and Cheering the Heroes: The Science of Superheroes.”

The purpose of the exchange goes like this: (more…)