A bunch of American scientists have been sent to the American Film Institute in Los Angeles in order to learn everything about screenwriting. The goal is for Hollywood to write and produce more movies where scientists are « sexier » so that more young people will be attracted to scientific careers. The New York Times reports:
They wrestled with how to reconcile the cinematic suspension of disbelief with the scientific method and with their basic purpose of bringing accuracy to the screen.
The answer? Don’t worry about it too much.
« They will not forgive you for being bored. They’ll forgive you for anything else. »
Later, over meatloaf, the workshop participants batted around their favorite depictions of science and scientists (the television show « Numbers » and the films « Starman » and « Deep Impact, » among others) and what they considered the most odious (« The Day After Tomorrow, » hands down).
And then there was one they could not agree on: « Falling Down, » the 1993 film starring Michael Douglas as a downsized defense-industry engineer who has a violent breakdown in Los Angeles. « Why’d they have to make him look like that? » said Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, a physics professor at the University of Nebraska, of Mr. Douglas’s crew cut, black-rimmed glasses and pocket protector. « He’s a good-looking guy. None of my friends look like that. »
But Mr. Marcu, who works at a defense-industry plant, begged to differ. « I hate to say it, but people inside those defense plants look like that, » he said. « You should see the people at my company.
Where this week’s efforts may lead is, at the very least, uphill: out of an estimated 75,000 scripts floating around Hollywood, only 500 or so films are made a year, Mr. Field warned the scientists.
well, ehhh, indiana jones is a « scientist »… he didn’t make me want to become one though, just made me want to scream « oh yes, indy, yes! »
seriously though, kids wanting to be scientists cause it’s sexy? pfffff. maybe we need sexy physics teachers instead. and, hmm, they served them meatloaf and then want to make them sexy? boy… there’s some work to do.