Science films can help audiences understand new concepts through visual storytelling, according to survey data collected after a documentary screening last September. During Climate Week NYC 2025, more than 100 people attended a showing of OBSERVER on Governors Island, an event organized by the New York Climate Exchange, Stony Brook University and Science Communication Lab/Wonder Collaborative.
The importance of engaging with science through film was highlighted by J.D. Allen, lecturer in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University, and Sarah Goodwin, executive director of the Science Communication Lab. Surveys conducted before and after the event found that attendees were motivated by their interest in climate science and the unique venue. Many hoped to connect with others interested in climate issues and gain new perspectives from the experience.
“At the Science Communication Lab, we study what stays with them afterward,” Goodwin said. “That insight helps universities, labs and collaborators tell better stories about complex topics like climate and biodiversity. The goal isn’t just to inform, but to create experiences that resonate and shape how people engage with science beyond the screen.” Allen said that “Engagement in science is critical to breakdown barriers in transdisciplinary collaboration.”
Six months after viewing OBSERVER, follow-up interviews revealed several lasting impacts among attendees: greater mindfulness during observation, deeper connections to local environments, increased use of all senses when observing nature, and recognition that personal background influences perception. Attendees also participated in hands-on activities during the event where they framed sections of Governors Island for closer observation—a practice mirrored by naturalists featured in OBSERVER.
Film participants like David George Haskell and Marcia Bjornerud demonstrated different approaches to observing unfamiliar landscapes. In one scene Bjornerud remarked: “Maybe there’s more in this frame than I initially thought.” Attendee Jess Stallone reflected on her own experience: “We were all given the same tool and the way that we used it each was so different.” Other viewers echoed these themes; James Burney said he realized “how important it was to talk with people and understand what they’re observing versus what you are,” while Hadar Pepperstone added that “No matter what you see, what your lens is, it’s valuable and interesting.”
The documentary also followed individuals like Manu Prakash exploring urban nature using a portable microscope; artist Jessica Oreck searching for small treasures; Earyn McGee moving slowly to spot lizards; Juan Pablo identifying birds through sound despite being blind; as well as Zuzana Grochalova noticing environmental changes affecting fruit trees back home.
Reflecting on these experiences six months later led some attendees—like Pepperstone—to incorporate mindful observation into daily life: “We only actually live life in the present,” Stallone said. Burney noted how using all his senses has changed his approach since returning home from New York City.
The survey findings will inform future projects at Science Communication Lab regarding public understanding of science through film media. Funding for this work came from sources including Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation as well as grants from Schmidt Sciences and University of California Santa Cruz Science Communication Catalyst Grant.
OBSERVER is currently available for classroom screenings via free educator registration on its website; institutional licenses are also offered online with individual screenings planned later this year.
“Six months later, people were still thinking about OBSERVER and even changing how they move through their neighborhoods. That’s the kind of lasting impact we hope for. It shows that meaningful climate action can start with something as simple as paying closer attention to the world around you,” Goodwin said.
