INTRODUCING SUNLIGHT FILM+STORY STUDIO
Applied Poetics and Ambient Film have teamed up to form SUNLIGHT — a film and story studio for climate change action. In partnership with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), we are creating a series of very short films focused on the challenging, adventurous, rewarding, emotional human experience of Antarctic researchers out on the ice to reveal the scope, depth, complexity and urgency of their work — work that unites nations and spans generations. These films will be hosted and distributed online via various platforms and partners, available for use by presenting researchers and activists worldwide.
AN ENTIRE CONTINENT DEDICATED TO SCIENCE
Desensitization and apathy have become barriers to public engagement in the fight against climate change. Our campaign leverages the universal attractors inherent to Antarctic research — hard work, adventure and camaraderie — to overcome these barriers and inspire the public to action. Each scored film will be a succinct and dense compilation of key moments from researchers’ personal footage, to foster a personal bond between the public and scientists on the front lines. As Antarctica is the only continent set aside purely for peaceful, scientific research for all nations, we feel it only makes sense that every citizen of our planet should feel they have a personal relationship with this beautiful land that serves as a suit of armor for the Earth, reflecting the Sun’s rays and mitigating our global temperatures.
Gathering footage from researchers across the globe and creating this initial slate of films is the first phase of a larger project. We are in contact with researchers across the globe and some currently in Antarctica and our new website allows them to upload footage at any time, to be edited into short films over the coming years. These films, media and stories will be occasionally tailored for specific targets and outcomes — raising awareness about current proposed legislation or policies regarding climate change, for example. These calls to action can be customized for certain initiatives and allied organizations. The current team of committed artists includes a storyteller, a filmmaker, an animator, two musicians and two sound engineers.
We recently attended the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) conference in Pucon, Chile August 19-23 2024. There we presented our project as part of a session entitled “Public Engagement with Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research” and connected with researchers, artists and advocates. We also joined the PEAR (Public Engagement with Antarctic Research) working group which will be meeting monthly to discuss strategies for engaging the public in this critical and exciting work.
help fund this project
To learn more or offer support, email us at hello@sunlightfilms.org