Science in scripts

Zensteve

Zensteve

The DoD is having a hard time keeping enough scientists on board.

Unlike normal corporations who can hire anyone from overseas to fill the gaps, the DoD needs their staff to be US citizens to qualify for security clearances, etc. Much smaller pool to draw from.

Apparently, the "image" of a government scientist is far from sexy for today's graduates who'll be choosing other career options... so how to fix that?

But of course! :idea:

Pentagon's New Goal: Put Science Into Scripts

By DAVID M. HALBFINGER

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 3 - Tucked away in the Hollywood hills, an elite group of scientists from across the country and from a grab bag of disciplines - rocket science, nanotechnology, genetics, even veterinary medicine - has gathered this week to plot a solution to what officials call one of the nation's most vexing long-term national security problems.

Their work is being financed by the Air Force and the Army, but the Manhattan Project it ain't: the 15 scientists are being taught how to write and sell screenplays.

At a cost of roughly $25,000 in Pentagon research grants, the American Film Institute is cramming this eclectic group of midcareer researchers, engineers, chemists and physicists full of pointers on how to find their way in a world that can be a lot lonelier than the loneliest laboratory: the wilderness of story arcs, plot points, pitching and the special circle of hell better known as development.

And no primer on Hollywood would be complete without at least three hours on "Agents & Managers."
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The rest of the article is over at the NY Times.

It's rather comical in some ways, but it's also something to think about too. Films reinforcing image-types and stereo-types, and how to make it work to one's own agenda.
 
Hi Zensteve:

It is easy to write screenplays, very hard to sell screenplays. Neither are a Science! Selling is who you know! Do they teach scientists, who you know? Ha!

Satire
 
The "Baffle them with bulls**t" theory worked into scripts for the last 50 years has worked well enough for us to dismiss pseudo-science in movies. When real science is finally thrown in, will people know the difference?
 
mrde50 said:
The "Baffle them with bulls**t" theory worked into scripts for the last 50 years has worked well enough for us to dismiss pseudo-science in movies. When real science is finally thrown in, will people know the difference?
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The more important question is: Will the BE a difference????
 
Science fiction is one thing but others - such as breaking the laws of thermodynamics, gravitation, combustion etc - are just plain wrong :)

I personally think the public will notice a difference if we moved to real science (either hypothetical future stuff or current). For one it would be a great way to write an original script and you won't have the audience rolling their eyes at obviously implausible stuff (not to mention the enormous number of cliches this would eleminate).
 
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