A New Generation of Scientists-as-Filmmakers: Experiences Gained in Switzerland

Abstract

Film is one of the most powerful tools for communicating science to peers and the general public. Recently, there has been a boom in demand for science films. To satisfy the demand for science films, universities and scientific institutes are now increasingly teaching their scientists and students how to produce their own films via accredited science filmmaking courses, which now form part of science communication programs. These courses are producing what I define as a new generation of scientists-as-filmmakers—that is, scientists who integrate filmmaking into their academic preparation, albeit in a nonprofessional way. The aim of this article is (1) to describe the boom of this new generation of scientists-as-filmmakers and (2) to use common traits and conventions to classify and analyze the science filmmaking courses offered by Swiss universities and research institutes. This study could help promote a new generation of scientists-as-filmmakers and stimulate other countries to design specific programs for training scientists in science filmmaking.