The Newseum selected Let’s Explore, Honoring the Future’s 360° virtual reality film about climate change, for inclusion in its “Top Ten Virtual Reality Videos of the Month” exhibition. The film is on view in the virtual reality kiosks of the Newseum’s Interactive Newsroom from now until mid-September, 2017. It is also available for free online viewing here on a smartphone, laptop, desktop, or, for a more immersive experience, through inexpensive headsets. (See: How to Use 360°).
The film enables viewers to accompany scientists — virtually — to the far corners of the globe, underneath glaciers and atop coral reefs, to see how scientists gather evidence that climate is changing.
“360 degree video puts a person in the middle of a community or an environment that is being threatened by climate change,” said Mitch Gelman, Chief Technology Officer for the Newseum. “Once you have been there, it becomes easier to grasp the potential map-shifting power of nature unleashed by these forces. There is no better media through which to tell this story – and this film does it exceptionally well.”
Honoring the Future hopes to encourage educators to use the film as a teaching tool in science, technology, engineering, art, language arts and policy classes. “Less than 7 minutes in length, the film is ideal for classroom or group use,” explained Fran Dubrowski, Director of Honoring the Future. “It can stimulate interest in climate science, create a vehicle to explore effective storytelling, and spark discussion of whether new technology can enhance communication or inspire new art forms. Book groups and civic or cultural organizations can also use the film to initiate discussions of climate change.”
“Viewers can also shape the future direction of virtual reality filmmaking,” added Dubrowski, “by sharing their reactions to the film on an accompanying online survey.” Honoring the Future plans to use the survey to produce a series of 360° virtual reality films to spur interest in, and action on, climate change.
Honoring the Future produced the film in partnership with videographer Steve Johnson, a pioneer in exploring how this new technology can explain complex stories through immersive experiences. Johnson filmed the first 360° film on the effects of climate change on Iceland’s glaciers for The Weather Channel in 2016 and has led more than a dozen trainings on the new technology at U.S. universities.
