RTSea Blog returns

In December of 2012, as administrator and chief writer for this blog, I made the decision to place it in a somewhat state of dormancy as I needed to devote more time to other projects.  Hence, RTSea Archives was born.  After posting over 950 posts, articles, and observations over a 5-year period, I felt I had done enough and I found readership was shifting to other platforms or media channels (Facebook, Twitter, et al).

After receiving a number of requests, I have decided to bring the RTSea Blog back - perhaps not as fervently as it was before as researching information and writing posts is, for me, still very time-consuming, but I hope to contribute several posts a month.

Blogs can be effective when the content is relevant and well-thought out.  I'm not interested in invective-laced rants.  Opinions and positions are fine, but let's do it in an intelligent, constructive, and respectful manner. 

Since December, I have been involved in several projects, ranging from film proposals to writing to ecotourism - and these projects will still be my primary focus.  But I hope you will check in from time to time to see what I have been up to or what observations I might have regarding what I believe to be the most pressing issue for the continued survival of mankind as a species - the conservation and preservation of the oceans.                 

California Diver interviews Richard Theiss

California Diver's Marine Science Editor, Mike Bear, interviewed me in early January and you can read a PDF of the interview here.  We touched on a variety of subjects, from my humble beginnings, working with wildlife, my work with Diana Nyad, and the latest trends in toys (ie: digital video cameras).

As someone who is involved in marine science, Mike was also interested in my thoughts on communicating critically important science information to a broad audience - something that, with my background in media communications, I am always happy to talk about.  All in all, I was pleased.  Hope you are too.

Source: californiadiver.com

Welcome to RTSea Archive!

Media outlets and academics, from grade school to college, are always looking for background research material.  The RTSea Archive provides a resource for searching articles and observations that cover a range of issues having to do with ocean conservation, sharks, and nature in general.  Some might be topical or time-sensitive, but many, unfortunately, represent issues that still challenge us today.

I will be less of a frequent contributor as I will be devoting attention to important projects that have been a bit neglected over the past year.  I'd like to think that what can be found in this archive is more insightful, well thought out information and not just cyberspace opinion and hyperbole. Personal blog postings will appear from time to time in my website's blog.

Please feel free to search the RTSea Archive using the two search tools listed on the site.  For those of you who have followed my contributions over the past 5 years, I truly appreciate your interest and hope that you continue to check in.

Remember that conservation is more than a fan club, a trend or a cause du jour.  It needs to be real, it needs to be proactive.  If you are dedicated, then work towards bringing it to the widest possible audience.

Cheers,
Richard Theiss
Cinematographer, Media Consultant, Project Manager
RTSea Media                  

Sharks, the Beauty of the Ocean Predator: March lecture/exhibition event in Long Beach, CA

In early March, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA will host a lecture/exhibition, Sharks: the Beauty of the Ocean Predator featuring yours truly and sculptor Victor Douieb. 

The event is being described as "Art and science come together like never before to heighten awareness for ocean conservation.  Sculptor Victor Douieb and filmmaker Richard Theiss present an exhibition and lecture series combining stunning and impressive bronze pieces of marine animals with insightful and thought-provoking commentary on marine research and the changing landscape of ocean conservation.  Douieb's work has been on display nationwide in major galleries and museums and his magnificent shark sculptures are popular favorites.  As a filmmaker, Theiss has worked closely with marine scientists and spent many years filming the iconic great white shark.  His work has been seen on major networks like Discovery and National Geographic.  Many of Douieb's most popular sculptures will be on display and there will be a series of lectures where people can learn more about these two dedicated conservationists, the challenging issues facing many ocean species like sharks, and what we can do to shape the future of the oceans." 

The origin of this event came about when I first met Victor at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium.  I had been contemplating a new lecture series, a kind of update from my presentation at the time and Victor was looking for more avenues to present his work.  It occurred to me that by combining forces we could offer something special that aquariums and other ocean education institutions might be interested in having.  I approached my friend, Dr, Jerry Schubel, CEO of the Aquarium of the Pacific, and he was quite enthusiastic with the concept.  And so, the Aquarium will host the inaugural event, putting Victor's work on display for several months and the lectures will take place in early March.

Victor has sculpted some amazing works in bronze and stainless steel of sharks and other sea creatures (his recent work of a lionfish is a favorite of mine).  His work is striking in its artistic beauty while also being anatomically accurate, and that allows people to view and appreciate sharks from an entirely different perspective.  His website lists sculptures currently available and at the event he will be presenting a new sculpture of one of the Aquarium's sand tiger sharks which Victor studied firsthand in the Aquarium's Shark Lagoon exhibit.

For my part, I will be sharing some of my personal experiences with sharks - in particular the great white shark, given that it's a California audience.  Also, I will be touching on what science has found that makes these predators so unique and critically important.  Then we will turn to the important issue of shark conservation and how it has evolved from a grass roots movement to a struggle on the battleground of international politics.  And finally, despite the progress that has been made to date, we'll look at why and how people still need to be concerned and involved.  Victor will also be on hand to discuss his journey as a committed conservationist.

The Aquarium of the Pacific will be posting details soon for Sharks: the Beauty of the Ocean Predator on their website.  Lectures are tentatively scheduled for the evenings of March 5th (opening night), 7th and 13th.  The sculptures will be on display for several months.  If you're in the neighborhood, hope to you see there.  It will be an opportunity for Southern Californians to see some awesome sealife sculptures and learn about the amazing sharks of California and what is in store for their future.

Source: Aquarium of the Pacific

About White Sharks & Conservation: presentation at the Explorers Club in San Diego

This coming Tuesday, October 16th, I will be giving a presentation at the San Diego Chapter of the Explorers Club.  The presentation will be "Understanding Great White Sharks and the Future of Shark Conservation."  I will be recalling some of my experiences from over 7 years of filming the white sharks at Isla Guadalupe. Also, I will be touching on some of the important issues facing shark conservation as it evolves from a grass roots cause to an international movement, involving new players both pro and con and new strategies.

I have been a member of the Explorers Club, Southern California Chapter, for several years and I find the members to be a varied and interesting bunch.  There are well known members like Dr. Sylvia Earle, Buzz Aldrin, Don Walsh, James Cameron, and many others.  But there are many others who are simply die hard explorers at heart, travelling all around the globe and gaining a great appreciation for the environment and the people that call it home.

The evening starts with a reception followed by dinner, and then it's my turn.  Click here for a PDF that has all of the details if you happen to be in the San Diego area. Or for more information or questions, you can email sandiegoexplorersclub@gmail.com.

Filmmaker's Journal: shooting the reality series, Lifeguard!

I have just completed principal photography for the second season of the Weather Channel's reality series, Lifeguard!  The work entailed multiple small crews working up and down the Southern California coast, from Long Beach to San Diego, waiting to catch real-life rescues and incidents that make up a lifeguard's busy day.

Well, sometimes busy.  And sometimes not so much.  If the weather was gloomy - keeping the crowds away or at least out of the water - or if the surf was not too great, then much of the lifeguard's time was spent simply watching the beachgoers, keeping an eye out for something that may or may not happen.

Filming for this series often would follow a similar path.  The modus operandi for this series was quick, light, and always at the ready.  The emphasis was on small lightweight cameras - everything from GoPros to 10-pound handheld camcorders.  A standard 2/3-inch shoulder mount camcorder would have been a heavy hindrance, because when the lifeguards would spring into action, you would be in a dead run - in the sand.  I discovered muscles I didn't even know I had.  (I usually would discover them lying in bed after a long day, the soreness now settling in.)

Part of your shoot day would be spent on B-roll: various shots of the crowds, little kids playing in the sand, shots of the surf.  Often times you would film things that most people would think, "Why?"  That's the beauty of B-roll; it often fills the many little visual voids in the storyline and it can consist of what would seem to be shots totally unrelated to the production.

But as I looked for artsy images to pass the time, I also kept one eye on the lifeguard tower.  I watched for subtle signs - a couple of extra gazes through the binoculars, a brief conversation on the walkie-talkie, the unzipping of a windbreaker - and then it happens.  The lifeguard bolts down the tower ramp and heads along the beach, perhaps 75 to 100 yards, then straight into the waves.  I need to get that establishing wide shot of the lifeguard heading out, then chase after him or her, and eventually wade into the surf up to my knees, zooming in to try to catch all the action, all the while trying to keep the camera steady with my heart thumping away.

While lifeguards in Southern California are a multi-skilled agency that can include dive teams, rock climbers, boat rescue teams, and even armed peace officers, a major part of their efforts are devoted to dealing with the consequences of rip currents.

Rip currents occur when the mass of water being pushed up onto the shore by the oncoming swells needs to recede.  Fluctuating changes in the sandy bottom can cause water to seek the path of least resistance and when it finds it, you have a rip current - a river heading out to sea that could extend for hundreds of yards.  Strong storm waves or tidal changes (particularly from high tide to low tide) can produce rip currents.  Some beaches have underwater topographies that produce predictable "permanent rips," but "flash rips" can also pop up at any time and catch unsuspecting swimmers off guard.

As I stood in the surf, zoomed out and trying to hold the image as rock-steady as possible, I could feel the sand eroding underneath my feet as the surf would claw away at me.  Getting knocked down, even in water whose depth is only mid-calf, is a distinct possibility, particularly for small children.  But the usual rip current victim is one who was touching the bottom one moment and then, with a rising swell, loses touch with the bottom and off they go, out to sea.  This is not something which I had any intention of doing with camera in hand, so I would slowly move my feet and reposition myself to more solid sand, however momentary that might be, all the while still continuing to shoot.  By the end of the day, you're longing for a simple stage shoot with the camera locked off on a secure dolly or jib arm, shooting with prime lenses.

The classic remedy for when a swimmer is caught in a rip current is to swim parallel to shore, thereby ultimately swimming out of the rip current.  You may find yourself several hundred yards offshore but you are now at least able to swim back in.  However, many people who find themselves in a rip current try to swim against the rip current or have been in the water for a while, expending energy, and they tire quickly.  The lifeguards are trained to spot the swimmers who seem the least comfortable or experienced in the water.  It's those people that will garner their attention and often the lifeguard will swim out to them and direct them to a safer area as a precaution, thereby preventing a rescue.

On the last day, we shot a dramatic "mass rescue" where seven people were caught in rip currents all at once.  It required great coordination between lifeguards from several towers and the assistance of a rescue boat, which cruises beyond the surf zone, to round up all of the victims and get them safely aboard the boat.  After first making sure that everyone was all right, the boat then proceeded to back up through the surf into very shallow water (a tricky maneuver for a 25-foot boat) and the lifeguards shepherded everyone back to the safety of the beach.

Throughout the shoot day, we would get interviews with the lifeguards involved in particular rescues and I was impressed with the camaraderie and support that all the lifeguards provide for each other.  For some, lifeguarding is a seasonal passion but there are many who are full-time employees with decades of experience.  And everyone - young or old, rookie or veteran - is covering each others' back. The Lifeguard! series makes a concerted effort to show how hard working these public servants are.  No rescues are staged - a strong mandate from the executive producer - and, in the end, there's really no need to fabricate anything.  The ocean attracts people from far and wide.  It's seen as an aquatic playground but it is also an untamed wilderness.  When it wants to, it will remind people of that in no uncertain terms.

I finished the final shoot day nearly up to my waist in the surf, capturing a sunset streaming through the nearby pier.  Golden sparkles danced over the wet sand as the water would recede, and when the sun dropped below the horizon (and the incoming tide was about to swallow me up with the next wave) we wrapped and called it a day.  But for many of Southern California's lifeguards, it was simply the start of their week. 

My thanks to the various producers, sound mixers, and production assistants I worked with over the past few months. Top flight professionals who helped to make a tough job easier. Now if I can just get all the sand out of my cameras.

Filmmaker's Journal: when mother nature says no, you can't film here

This past weekend, my dive buddy, still photographer Bidd Riker, and I tried once again to dive on the wreck of the "ACE" off the coast of San Clemente, California. I say tried once again, because this was to be our 4th attempt at trying to reach the ship. Three previous attempts were met with poor visibility to the extant that it made for unsafe dive conditions. We were past the "third time is the charm" mental attitude and were now bordering on the "we better find this bloody #@!!% thing" philosophy.

The "ACE" is a 58-foot fishing boat - a drum seiner, to be exact - that sank in the fall of 2006 during rough seas with a full load of sardines and mackerel. With a measure of air trapped in its holds, the ACE drifted a bit across San Clemente's sandy bottom before finally settling down on its port (left) side at a depth of 114 feet. That drifting made it hard to locate for officials and salvagers, and so it remained out of sight until a year ago when a local dive boat charter set about to find the ACE based on rumors and speculation provided by local fishermen.

On this fourth attempt, Budd and I once again found visibility to be very poor at around 5-foot - not dangerous diving but certainly not what you're hoping for when shooting video and hoping to capture images that show the size and overall condition of the wreck. The ship is nearly covered from bow to stern with white metridium anemones which are startling for their bright white color against the backdrop of rusting steel and dark water. In addition, the ship is littered with sculpin, a type of scorpionfish, that prefer resting on the bottom quietly waiting for small fish to pass by and inadvertently become today's meal.

Wrecks of just about any size are fascinating subjects to film. Their appeal works on several different levels: they are something out of place (its supposed to be floating on the surface, not resting here in the murky depths); man-made objects are a testament to our folly either to the ravages of war, as with the South Pacific wrecks from World War II, or to underestimating the power of nature; and they can be marvelous artificial reefs that attract a wide variety of marine life.

However, on this occasion, there were to be no sweeping panoramic shots of the ACE - not when you can only see a few feet in front of your face. And that points out one of the challenges faced by nature photographers and filmmakers. You may have phenomenal skills and all the equipment in the world at your disposal, but you are still a slave to the devilish whims of mother nature. Many times, the footage you see on television or in the theater, or the images you see in books, are the result of many, many repeated attempts. And the more unusual the subject matter, whether it be a particular animal or a certain animal behavior (or simply a capsized fishing boat), the more challenging it can become to find just the right conditions that will enable you to get what you had hoped for.

But when the dice roll in your favor, you can come away with some startling imagery. And this can raise another issue: are we doing the oceans a favor when we show it in all of its visual glory, when we show the best of the best of our photographs of video? Or are we presenting the general populace with a false impression of the actual health of the oceans? When I have had the opportunity to speak with renown underwater photographer David Doubilet, he often asks this same question. Can we effectively talk about, say, fragile coral reefs that are in decline when every book on the subject is full of glorious and stunning images of vibrant fish and reef communities? One would hope that the viewing audience would appreciate the diversity and color of underwater life as seen in photographs and film and, by extension, want to preserve it. But it's a thought that gnaws away in the back of the minds of some of the great craftsmen who so beautifully chronicle the world's marine ecosystems.

For Budd and me, such heady questions needed no pondering this weekend. Skunked again by mother nature and its millions of sand particles, plankton, and animal larvae that can make for a thick soup of poor visibility, we decided we would try again in the fall when changing temperatures and currents can make for a few more days of acceptable conditions.

Of course, we're bound to hear how great it was the very next day. "Oh, you should have been there. . ." Shoulda, coulda, woulda - words to live by for the underwater filmmaker.

Filmmaker's Journal: a squid invasion on National Geographic Channel

It's said that good things are worth the wait. I'm hoping that is the case with an episode of Hooked that airs this Friday on the National Geographic Channel. It's been just a little over a year ago when I traveled south to Baja, Mexico with my good friend, Scott Cassell, to study and film the Humboldt squid - a predator whose numbers have been exploding in the Sea of Cortez.

Michael Hoff Productions, which produces the series Hooked for Nat Geo, sent a crew down to Baja to document our efforts to film the squid and conduct some important experiments and observations with guide Dale Pearson, boat captain Tom Loomis, and marine biologist Steve Blair that would illustrate the voracious nature of this squid and what that means for marine ecosystems and many commercial fisheries.

The program focuses on Scott, as he has a long history of studying the Humboldt squid up close and in the wild. And that can be dangerous; Scott has had several broken bones and lacerations due to the tremendous force of the squid's formidable beak.

Having not seen the finished program, I am hoping that it clearly presents the issues regarding the expansion of the squid's range without becoming too melodramatic. But having spent some time with these creatures, I can tell you from experience that they are not to be underestimated. In fact, after having spent many years filming large sharks, this was the first time in a long time where my adrenaline was really pumping. Dangling from a steel cable 50 feet down in 250 feet of water, at night wearing anti-shark chain mail and peering through my viewfinder with only the dim glow of red underwater lights, only to have a 5 to 6 foot squid charge you suddenly - well, it's a little disconcerting.

So, shameless promotion: if you're watching cable this Friday night, tune in to the "Squid Invasion" episode of Hooked on the National Geographic Channel (May 13th, 9:00pm).

Filmmaker's Journal: on location in the Bahamas

For the next ten days I will be on location out at sea in the Bahamas. Depending on internet availability, blog posts may be a bit hard to come by until I return on April 12th.

In the meantime, feel free to peruse through the RTSea Blog archives. With over 600 posts, I'm sure you'll find something of interest until I return with new images, videos, and stories to tell.

Until then, remember: Save our Seas!

Richard Theiss
Cinematographer
RTSea Productions

Filmmaker's Journal: when things go wrong, take it in stride

Saturday was to be an interesting day: diving on a newly found 100-foot wreck off of San Clemente, CA and then filming a brief introduction to a video I was preparing for a film festival/science conference. A busy day but a very satisfying one. At least that was the plan.

Wildlife filmmaking is infused with a high degree of serendipity - unusual animal encounters, shots of once-in-a-lifetime behaviors - along with an often equal measure of frustration when things don't quite go your way. You control only that which you can control, and the rest you just take as it comes.

My dive buddy, photographer Budd Riker, and I had heard about a newly discovered wreck several miles offshore from Southern California's San Clemente beach and we were looking forward to this first of what could be many dives. Ocean wrecks have always fascinated me. As a man-made structure, they seem eerily out of place underwater and yet they also can prove to be an attraction for a wide range of sealife, from schooling fish to algae, corals, and numerous small critters that take up residence in the iron and wood oasis.

But first you have to find it. The boat operators had marked the location with a buoy (which makes for an easy method to descend straight to the wreck, but today the buoy marker was no where to be seen. Lost in rough water or cut free by a grumpy lobster fisherman who felt his unspoken lobster trap territory was being encroached upon; whatever the cause, the crew's easy reference point was now gone and hopes for relocating it on the sandy bottom via sonar proved to be ineffective. Rock outcroppings provided tantalizing but ultimately disappointing sonar wild goose chases.

With time running out, the boat captain had to eventually abort all hopes of locating the wreck. He moved the boat to another site with kelp beds and rocky reefs to offer some sort of consolation prize for having missed out on diving the wreck. However, that turned out to be a disappointment too, as visibility could easily be seen from the surface as having the consistency of green-tinted cafe mocha. With that, all diving was scrubbed and the boat and its disappointed and embarrassed crew headed back to the harbor.

Well, at least I didn't have to spend part of my afternoon cleaning camera and dive gear.

On to plan B in the day's schedule: to shoot the video introduction. Budd and I scouted for a suitable location at Dana Point Harbor and found an interesting spot with rocks, trees, and ocean breakwater in the background. Well, at least I will be able to salvage something from my day, I thought. Oh, but I will have to wait a moment as this one recreational powerboat motors by; its throaty engine rumblings being picked up by the microphone.

Good. All clear. Oops, hold on; here's another one. Now a helicopter cruises over head. And another boat. Now I'm having people who are strolling along the harbor's edge, enjoying the day's great weather, stop and call out, "Hey, you guys making a movie?" Well, not at the moment, that's for sure.

Working in uncontrolled environments can often be very challenging when you have specific goals or objectives to meet. The yin-yang attitude of mother nature is not always conducive to specific agendas. But it's those occasional monkey wrenches that can and do make it interesting.

Fortunately, Budd and I are scheduled to return to the offshore wreck in two weeks, after the dive operator promised to have it once again marked by buoys and accurate GPS coordinates. And we got the introduction filmed the next morning in a different and, thankfully, quieter location - just minutes before rain, forecasted for the evening, decided to come early.

Hah. you missed me, mother nature. At least for the time being.

Science and Media Communications: turning data into enlightenment, Part 3 of 3

"Data for data itself is not very powerful. When data turns into information, it's very powerful. But if it only has a limited audience then it has a limited effect. And so, you have to get that information to the people that make decisions." - Ed Cassano, CEO, InMER.org

To implement a media communications plan to support any scientific research project, it must be considered a vital component of the project, not an afterthought. It needs to be included in the early planning stages - hypothesis, methodology, logistics, analysis, and media communications. Depending on the nature of the project and the type of communication plan chosen, documentation and distribution of information could be ongoing throughout, as opposed to a "now that we're done, let's talk about it" approach. This could entail press releases, blog postings, or several other communication channels that can provide expedition updates.

Does this tack pose the hazard of discussing results prematurely, letting the cat out of the bag as it were? Not necessarily. A lot depends on how the communiques are fashioned and how true to scientific objectivity the project is trying to maintain. In any event, whether communication is distributed during the project or not, it must at least be involved from the get go to insure that all appropriate documentation takes place for future use.

Establishing a New Paradigm
Realistically, some media communication strategies would be less robust than others based on the specifics of the project. A study of, say, oceanic temperature variations throughout the Arctic over an extended historical period may relate to broader themes and issues than a project devoted to the migration patterns of one particular species of insect along the Arctic border. The former could more easily connect with an audience on the larger issue of global warming than perhaps the latter.

For research that has a more narrow or specific focus, cooperative consolidation with other researchers can help in bringing together similar or related data that can then be communicated under a unified topic or issue. However, this requires a new paradigm shift in thinking for many researchers and their supporting academic institutions. A protective, insular attitude often exists regarding research sites and data to insure maximum credit and attention is paid to those who have worked so hard to either conduct or fund a particular research project.

Given the types of limited communication strategies that have existed in the past (typically, a published paper followed by a press release and perhaps a lecture or two), these kind of self-centered attitudes are understandable but not productive when one considers the broader, global effects that the data can have in addressing critically important ecological issues. With cooperative consolidation, combined with a more proactive media communication plan, a greater good is served at a time when it is most needed and equal credit can be bestowed on all of the participants, from which all will benefit.

When I have spoken with scientists and researchers about this new paradigm, their enthusiasm becomes palpable. You can see the spark that originally ignited their love for exploration and scientific study suddenly burn bright again. But it can be fleeting. "Sounds great but that's not how the system works." "It's what we should be doing but our university just won't go for it." The challenge is in finding and supporting those who will be the drivers, the leaders, of this new way of thinking.

Bucking the System
Change will need to come from the top down. Whether demanding more effective, proactive media communication and outreach strategies or reshaping the system through cooperative consolidation, those who will change the system will be the ones at the top of the pyramid - in many cases, that means the funding sources.

As a media communications consultant and filmmaker, I am more than prepared and willing to assist any organization in reaching broader audiences. However, truth be told, my position is near the bottom of that pyramid. My interests are both global and self-serving and I am a support member to the project team, albeit one with unique expertise. The scientists or researchers are farther up the pyramid, with much greater influence, but they have others to answer to who may be less willing to change established protocol.

Change will come from those who greenlight these projects, whether it's private foundations, universities, investors, or government agencies. The National Science Foundation (NSF), one of the leading sources of scientific research funding in the United States, now requires an outreach component in all grant proposals submitted for consideration. Coming from a major government-supported funder of research projects, this is a significant step.

Some of the major NGOs (non-governmental organizations) - like Conservation International, Oceana, WildAid, and others - are making great strides in combining scientific research projects with their own fund-raising operations and international outreach efforts. Seaweb directs their specific resources towards issuing newsletters that include collections of abstracts from published scientific studies - although not "translated" for the general populace, imagine receiving 25 to 35 abstracts on, say, climate change or commercial fisheries each and every month. Would these issues be less questioned if the information was proactively disseminated?

We could very well be on the cusp of a major change in expectations from funding agencies. With media communication strategies designed to reach greater audiences, supporters of scientific research will benefit from increased return on investment (ROI), to borrow a term from the business world.

And why shouldn't they? In today's world of limited economic resources, funders are willing to invest more in projects that will further educate target audiences, generate more quantitative and qualitative results (like shifts in public opinion or changes in government or international policy), and bring greater recognition to the supporting organization itself. They expect more than a published paper that ultimately collects dust on a shelf. With ecological and environmental issues pressing down on us, the stakes are too high to demand anything less.

Scientific Research - Time to Reach Out
Having been scuba diving for over 25 years, I have seen the decline in marine habitats, both locally and worldwide. Working in television commercial production and corporate marketing communications for several decades, I came to appreciate the power of the message in reaching a variety of audiences.

Now, as I focus on conservation issues at this stage of my life, deep down in my own personal, ideal world, I visualize a future where messages on coral reef protection share digital signage space with sales at Bloomingdale's at the local shopping mall; where protection of our natural resources is as much a part of our day-to-day psyche as is pondering what we shall have for dinner. A fanciful dream perhaps, but there is no time like the present for science to begin moving in that direction. And media communications can help do that.

Media communications can:

• Reach those who can/should demonstrate change through personal awareness
• Bring forth issues to policy- and decision-makers for direct action
• Provide exposure which can open doors to other research opportunities
• Generate a better qualitative return to facilitate future funding

Throughout history, science has often lead the way in innovation and advancement, but today the world is faced with serious issues that require comprehension and consensus among peoples, their leaders, and their economic interests. Science can provide many of the answers to these pressing issues. However, to do that requires information - ready available, understandable information.

About the author: As media producer, filmmaker, and marcomm consultant, Richard Theiss has provided high definition images for broadcast networks and non-profits in addition to developing and implementing marketing strategies for multi-billion dollar corporations. From sweeping Arctic vistas to pensive human interaction to the power of the great white shark, Richard Theiss/RTSea adheres to the principle of "Making the Message Matter."

Science and Media Communications: turning data into enlightment - Part 2 of 3

Developing a Strategy
There are many pieces to a media communications strategy and no two plans are alike. Though there can be a methodical process to building it, the end result should be unique to each project. A good starting point is to explore three fundamental and interdependent questions: what you want to say, how you want to say it, and to whom?

The first question we'll explore in more detail shortly. "How you want to say it" opens the door to a vast array of communication vehicles at your disposal. Besides the traditional academic paper, there are solicited or self-written articles for non-academic publications, summary brochures or booklets, press releases, media opportunity announcements, educational curriculum materials, books, direct mail, email, informational websites, blogs, and many, many more. And that's just in the print medium.

Then there are the visual arts: photographs, slide/"powerpoint" presentations, lectures/speaking engagements, videos/films - either for broadcast, online, or DVD/download distribution, PSAs (public service announcements), webcasts and podcasts, retail digital and outdoor signage and, again, many more. Combined with other high-tech distribution methodologies and outlets, there is a seemingly endless number of avenues to pursue.

But you can't have it all. Some of the determining factors in narrowing down the field to the most appropriate communication channels can be resources (the almighty dollar), time, and even the participants themselves. Is the project best served by having the project members before the camera, before live audiences? Can they be another Carl Sagan? Or should there be qualified stand-ins or representatives; or should the data simply speak for itself?

Tied in very closely with all of this is the question of to whom you want to say it. Basically, who it is you are trying to reach. In the business world, this is referred to as identifying your markets. A company considers the best way to reach its different market segments - and a scientific research group developing an outreach program would be doing the exact same thing. Do you wish to reach politicians and other policy- or decision-makers? Adults? Men or women? School kids? Younger children? National or international audiences, particularly ones with different or even opposing cultural perspectives? Even if your decision was to reach all of the above, careful consideration must be given as to how best to speak to each group.

Data Translation: What did he just say?
"In polar bear plasma samples no binding of [125I]-T4 to TTR was observed after incubation and PAGE separation. Incubation of the plasma samples with [14C]-4-OH-CB107, a compound with a higher binding affinity to TTR than the endogenous ligand T4 resulted in competitive binding as proven by the appearance of a radio labeled TTR peak in the gel. Plasma incubation with T4 up to 1 mM, a concentration that is not physiologically relevant anymore did not result in any visible competition." - excerpt from a study abstract.

What you want to say usually requires translation. The language of science can be precise and detailed. It can also be obscure and arcane to a non-scientific audience. A media communication strategy succeeds only when it is able to relay a message, a story, to a particular group of people on a level that can be easily understood and appreciated.

However, this does not mean that one must appeal to a lowest common denominator, to "dumb it down" as it were. An effective translation is, in a sense, not a vertical exercise but a horizontal one. You are sidestepping from one language to another. I never underestimate the capacity of any audience to grasp complex subjects. The difference is in the steps one takes to lead the audience to the conclusion you want them to comprehend.

There are exercises that I take a client through to distill the data down to an easily understood message. While which exercise I choose may depend on the nature of the project or the people I am working with, all have a common trait: they are simple but repetitive, running the data through a linguistic filter over and over again until you are left with just the valuable nuggets of information.

Often, the desired message is one that is relevant to the audience, impacting their lives and provoking some sort of response or action. In advertising, this is the "call to action" - what gets someone off of the couch to order the chrome-plated swizzle stick and deep fryer combo shown on TV. But it must never be deceptive or misleading (as can be the case in some advertising). This is critically important. The data depended on scientific accuracy and precision; a successful message depends on credibility and integrity.

It is important that any scientist or group of scientists, who wish to enlist the aid of a media communications specialist, have a good working relationship and a clear understanding with their media counterpart. Veteran nature film producer Chris Palmer described it in his book, Shooting in the Wild, when discussing ethical film making, "It's important to choose partners carefully. Before they begin, the parties need to agree on both the goals of the project and the most ethical way to accomplish them. If a film tells a scientist's story well, it's easier for that researcher to find funding for further study and to cultivate a scientifically literate public."

Three Message Goals
Often when the data has environmental or ecological significance, a good message can be derived by focusing on three sequential goals: issues, implications, and solutions.

The media communications expert works with the scientific team in translating the data and its results into clearly defined issues. What is at stake here? What does this mean to the audience we are addressing? One might think that it would be fairly obvious and easy to glean from the research, and most of the time it is. However, there are situations where the data is so observational, it takes time to define the conclusions that will resonate with a non-scientific audience.

Issues lead to implications. This is where the message, in essence, becomes personal. One of the best ways to get the attention of any group is to show how an issue will effect them personally. For the most part, mankind is a pretty self-centered species. And conservation or environmental issues can seem remote or obscure until the implications to our day-to-day lives can be shown. Research can often identify a cause and effect - that's the issue. But in that complex puzzle we call nature, one effect often cascades into another and another; and from there implications can be ascertained. Part of the success of Vice President Al Gore's slide show presentations and subsequent documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, was his ability to take the data and present it as issues and then implications, many of which jarred the viewer into realizing the seriousness of global warming.

Providing solutions is where the call to action comes into full force. Without solutions, the message then is driving the audience right into a brick wall: What are we to do? What should our political or business leaders be doing? How can I help? The solutions can be specific, directed towards individual or governmental action, or they may simply infer a direction for others to pursue. In any case, providing solutions is as equally important as presenting the problem.

In the opening passage to this article (Part 1), the importance of a message's issues, implications, and solutions was expressed, ". . . unsure of ourselves without a clear understanding of what is happening and what is at stake. But science can illuminate the future of this planet."

What is happening: issues. What is at stake: implications. Science can illuminate: solutions. Three fundamental components to an effective media communications strategy.

Part 3: Implementation and a new science paradigm

Science and Media Communications: turning data into enlightenment - Part 1 of 3

Mankind stands at the edge of a dark night. Faced with enormous environmental and ecological challenges, we hesitate to take a first step, unsure of ourselves without a clear understanding of what is happening and what is at stake. But science can illuminate the future of this planet.

We ask a lot of science. It has done everything from having given us better-tasting ice cream to the hydrogen bomb. It has answered fundamental questions about the existence of the universe and shown us how to hold up our pants with Velcro. And now we seek solutions to environmental problems - mostly of our own making - that threaten the survival of thousands of species, including us.

In a world where communication can be near instantaneous and pervasive, we look for guidance to make the right decisions that can insure a future for this planet. We are looking for subject matter experts who can speak to us - simply and effectively - and science has been doing its best.

But it is just the tip of the iceberg. Science is not doing enough.

In the years that I have spent as a nature filmmaker and media producer, I have come to find that there is an enormous amount of data being generated from countless research projects, expeditions, and studies that is not reaching the people. It's not reaching the policy- and decision-makers. It is not having the impact on the future of this planet as it should.

To a large extant, this is understandable. Scientists, researchers, and academics spend years developing the skills to study, hypothesize, and analyze. They are trained to make science but not necessarily to sell it. To effectively communicate in today's world requires scientists and researchers to consider an additional discipline to their work, one that understandably may not be a part of their background or comfort level: Media Communications.

Media Communications
The techniques of communicating effectively to a general or targeted audience by utilizing today's available technologies that best transmit a message, generate a response, and invoke action.

This is an exciting time for media communications. The ability to reach people through a variety of communication mediums or formats is literally exploding. But to do it successfully requires strategic planning. One must examine what it is being communicated and then match the appropriate audience with the right communication vehicles to maximize the power of the message. Media communications itself is part science, part art form. And it requires an experienced hand to formulate, execute, and manage an ongoing, dynamic plan.

To demand this expertise of the scientist or researcher is not fair. After all, there are people who devote entire careers to media communications. After having spent over a dozen years in television commercial production, I migrated into corporation communications and marketing. I had seen the power of the visual image in delivering a message and then spent a decade dealing with the full range of message delivery through print, word-of-mouth, visual and audio broadcast and, of course, the ubiquitous Internet.

With the issues facing the world today, the old formula of writing a paper for publication in a scientific or academic journal, followed by a press release from the supporting university or research organization, is becoming wholly inadequate. In fact, as important as it is to the scientists involved or however much it adds to the prestige of the supporting organization, it actually is doing a disservice - it is shortchanging the potential of that research to really make a difference. And that's what is at stake here: making a difference in the future of planet Earth.

Being Proactive
To say the Internet has become quite a game-changer for message delivery is indeed a gross understatement. From websites to videos to blogs, there is a mind-boggling amount of information awaiting the curious user at the end of a few keyboard clicks. And many academic and research organizations have done what they can to take advantage of this medium with informational websites and videos that document their research or illustrate the results. This is a good step forward, but its one weakness is that it is not necessarily a proactive step.

To consciously and deliberately bring information to a specific audience, one must be proactive and the Internet does not lend itself to a proactive approach. Fundamentally, it depends on the user to be seeking the information. The user either searches for the information via search engines like Google, Bing, Ask or others, or the information is compiled for them by complex search algorithms (like suggested YouTube videos or products on eBay).

Word of mouth plays a significant role in information delivery on the Internet. The "viral" effect that can bestow a YouTube video with millions of hits within a short period of time is definitely a plus. However, it is more in the hands of others and less of your own making.

Now, none of this is meant to imply that one should disregard the Internet. To the contrary, it is an absolutely vital component of a comprehensive media communications strategy. Its effectiveness can be enhanced by carefully selected keywords or a more traditional promotional approach through the use of banner ads - all designed to nudge the user in your direction.

However, overall, it is more of a "pull" rather than "push" delivery system, and a complete media communications battle plan must have proactive initiatives that bring the information to those who need it most. Someone who is interested in, say, ocean acidification can find a lot of information on the web, but how do we reach the person who, at this moment, is completely oblivious to the issue? How do we get this information in front of a politician or governmental regulatory body? Do we wait for them to ask or do we find ways to bring to their attention?

Part 2: Steps to building a media comm strategy

Filmmaker's Journal: unlocking UW video secrets in Monterey's kelp forests

In case you just happen to be in the area, would you like to cruise through the towering kelp beds of California's Monterey Bay? Perhaps you'll come across a darting sea otter or a school of calico bass seeking shelter, partly camouflaged by the waving fronds of giant kelp.

And maybe along the way, you'd like to pick up a few ideas and tips on composing an underwater video that packs a message and a punch, better than last year's family vacation video to Wally World?

If so, then check out the Underwater Video Boot Camp workshop and 2 dives that I will be conducting next week as part of the festivities at the BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Summit. Not only will I be covering what many of those buttons and switches do, but we'll also look at preparing a meaningful storyline, what style of editing might be best for your video, and what types of distribution formats you might consider.

Two dives in some of the most acclaimed kelp forests in the world plus a full introduction to underwater video - a full day and a great start to a fabulous week at the BLUE Ocean Film Festival. Only $125 to registered festival attendees - that's a deal! And arrangements can be made for rental dive gear and even a basic video camera, if you're traveling.

You can learn more at the BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Summit website and from Facebook.

Underwater Video Boot Camp: better videos and beautiful sharks

If you or any of your friends have been tinkering with underwater video - either as a hobby or with hopes of becoming a serious filmmaker, here's an opportunity to learn some skills while at the same time getting a chance to behold one of the most magnificent of ocean predators.

In association with Shark Diver, I will be holding an Underwater Video Boot Camp aboard the MV Horizon as we make our way to Isla Guadalupe, Baja to cage dive with great white sharks. These amazing sharks migrate to Isla Guadalupe during the fall months and we will be there during the height of the season (Oct. 10th thru 14th); so you can expect plenty of frisky male and large female sharks.

The Underwater Video Boot Camp is a comprehensive look at underwater documentary filmmaking, designed to not only help make your videos technically better but to also deliver powerful and dramatic messages to best suit your medium of interest: television, online, and more. In fact, much of what you'll learn is just as applicable above the waterline as below.

In addition, Boot Camp members will be eligible for a "mini-film festival" by submitting a 5-minute video of their trip. The videos will be judged by a panel of independent UW videographers and the winner will receive a FREE trip to Isla Guadalupe in 2011.

Here's a short promotional video:


So, come join the fun. For more details, you can call Shark Diver today at 415-235-9410.

Scientific Research: turning data into a compelling message

The latest issue of TIME magazine has an interesting article on plastics and the chemicals they can leach back into our food and the environment. It's an interesting read but what caught my eye was it's closing statement as it is applicable to nature and ocean conservation in general:

"' Science isn't just about data,' says the NIEHS's [National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences] [Linda] Birnbaum. 'It's about the interpretation of data.' That interpretation, ultimately, won't be up to scientists. It will be up to us. The lesson of Earth Day [when air pollution was a heightened and more visible issue], 40 years on, is that smart policy - fired by popular will - can make a difference that we can see."

In my documentary, Island of the Great White Shark, this sentiment was echoed by Ed Cassano, Deputy Director of the Center for the Future of the Oceans and founder of the marine research/education group InMER.org, "Data for data itself is not very important. When data turns into information, it's very powerful. But if it only has a limited audience then it has a limited effect. And so, you have to get that information to the people that make decisions."

In the years that I have spent as a filmmaker, working with researchers, and promoting conservation issues, I have seen how this is true. There is important research data that appears in scientific journals or other publications but, because of its complex nature and scientific jargon, does not go much further in reaching and motivating the public. Arcane, esoteric language is ignored, or worse, is misinterpreted.

Scientists may not make the ultimate interpretation, but they can do a lot more to insure that the public and the policy makers come to conclusions that are accurate and actionable.

This is where people like myself, involved in media communications, can play an important role and need to be included in the research process. There are a multitude of media channels by which research groups and scientists can take their results and translate them into issues, implications, and possible solutions - something that the public can get a handle on. And it should be a component of the research process and not left, after the fact, to university public relations departments or headline-seeking networks on a quest for ratings. Therein lies the potential for distortion of the facts.

Scientific research can provide answers to many of our pressing environmental challenges which means it has a greater responsibility to better control and deliver the message itself. When I discuss this with scientists and researchers, they seem to agree (I get a lot of enthusiastic head nods). But it's a big step for them to include media communications in their proposals or projects - it's one more item that requires funding in a strained economic environment. However, the residual benefits of making the extra effort can pay off: more exposure for a group's work, providing additional recognition and leverage when seeking future funding.

As someone who has been involved in a variety of corporate and broadcast media activities, from strategic planning to multi-channel development and execution, every time I look through the lens, I'm thinking beyond just capturing a pretty image. How will it be used? How will it motivate? What is the big picture that could be accomplished here? These are the thoughts that go through the minds of people who realize the power and reach of effective media communications - for good or for bad. And because the truth can be distorted, it behooves scientists and researchers to be more proactive and work with those who have a mutual interest in getting the message right.

I am always looking for opportunities to work with scientific research groups in documenting their work and insuring that their results are effectively communicated to the masses. This is a direction that really excites me and speaks to my passion for conservation.

The general public, educators, and policy makers are turning to science for answers and we must be sure we are all speaking the same language.

Filmmaker's Journal: an oceanic roller derby

Preparing for our last day of diving here at Bahia de Los Angeles. Had one terrific night dive surrounded by the local fishermen in their traditional panga boats as they hauled up Humboldt squid. This fishing activity brings the Humboldt squid up closer to the surface and we position ourselves right in the thick of it.

To prevent scaring off the squid, I was filming with red lights which don't seem to bother them. It made for an eerie and adrenaline-pumping experience - like being in an oceanic roller derby bathed in red light, with squid zooming about, sometimes hitting you as they test to see if you're something edible.

Will be back in a day or two and will post a final report with pictures (the WiFi here in Baja is very sketchy and slow, so I have held off posting any images).

Keep watching the CITES conference. It's an important event.

Filmmaker's Journal: conditions improving for viewing Humboldt squid

We're finding windows of opportunity to dive with the Humboldt squid when the wind's not blowing.

An amazing animal but, unfortunately, a very disruptive predator when it's range has been allowed to extend beyond traditional borders due to a loss of natural predators that would normally keep their numbers under control.

We have a slate of experiments we are performing while we're here and we're chipping a way at them one by one. Last night we were surrounded by small to medium squid.

The photo shows me in standard squid diving gear: Neptunic Shark Suit, cable harness for being attached to the boat, and (not shown) an EX3 HD camera in Amphibico housing.

Gotta go - the wind is dying down.

Filmmaker's Journal: off to the Sea of Cortez

There's no Friday night partying this week; it's off to bed for an early call tomorrow as I head to the Sea of Cortez for a two-week film assignment. I will be joined by Scott Cassell of Undersea Voyager Project as we travel to Baja, Mexico's Bahia De Los Angeles. Hopefully, I will have internet access so that I can post some news and updates while on location.

In the meantime, be sure to watch the developments coming from the CITES conference which begins tomorrow (3/13) and runs through the 25th. I'm sure there will news updates and press releases on the CITES web site. Stay tuned - there are a lot of important proposals regarding threatened or endangered species.

Hasta la vista!

Filmmaker's Journal: the elegance of black & white underwater

Ever since movie-goers watched Dorothy step out of the farmhouse and into the rainbow-hued Technicolor world of the land of Oz, filmmakers have worked with color film and video but often kept a soft spot in their hearts for black and white imagery. There's a stark beauty in its expression of pure contrast; and yet, it provides a myriad of subtle shadings - something that millions of colors cannot achieve.

From the gritty photos of Matthew Brady and war photographers like Joe Rosenthal and many others, to Ansel Adams' striking images of Yosemite and other U.S. forests and national parks, to the black and whites films of the '30s and '40's; monochromatic images have often been a welcome respite to color pictures and films.

When it came to underwater images, it seemed that color would understandably have a strong foothold. Capturing the explosive vibrant color of coral reefs and exotic fish seemed a natural fit and it has remained the established format to date.

But black and white can be fun and challenging - and sharks can lend themselves as excellent subjects because of their basic gray color and contrasting counter-shading (check out the Oceanic Dreams blog for some wonderful examples of b&w stills of sharks). For video, it usually requires more time spent in post-production, because what might look great in color, may not deliver in black and white without some tweaking of gamma, black, and contrast levels. But the end results can be worth all the effort.

Here's a brief experiment I completed recently using footage shot in the Bahamas of lemon and tiger sharks. Black and white helps bring out some of the wonderful effects of sunlight beaming through the blue water of the Bahamas. And leveling the playing field to just black and white helps focus attention on the graceful movements of the sharks. But it can be tedious work, requiring each and every shot to be adjusted and compared to the rest. Tedious but worth it.