Through illumination
we might better understand
the global climate crisis. . .
WATCH: "The Year Earth Changed" (2020)
This is important!
Learning objectives for this class: Global to local ideological issues are also known as problems that arise when there are conflicting ideologies. Intercultural communication and global climate actions are trying to resolve conflicts both in approach and convincing people there is an issue.
By learning to identify personal, social, cultural, religious, family values and norms. Ideology in this context is understood to be a system of ideas, beliefs and values that form the basis of social, cultural or political theories or systems.
These are specific terms or types of ideological content you need to understand without bias.
A film is full of techniques/tactics that help emphasize the similarities or differences of different groups. Refer to “Living in Two Cultures” and your film text chapter about the ideological approach to film and cinematic tactics.
14 comments:
Q1 (18:47-20:20) The deer in Japan relied on crackers given to them by tourist at the temples as part of their diet, but with quarantine in place they had no food source, so the older deers were able to remember feeding grounds and led a group to them. This is an example of Acculturation, living in two worlds, where that had to be flexible with a new diet, but some still retained the path to their past grazing grounds. While the deer are meant to graze on plants, they saw their environment being taken over and adapted to instead relying on the crackers at the temples as they no longer had secure feeding grounds; when that source of food was taken they remembered what their past diet and went in search of it.
Q2 (18:47) While the voice-over narration says “No people, no crackers” it shows a shot of a temple attendant closing the stand that sells crackers, while the deer watch. The editing used amplifies the loss of the deer’s food source and how stores closed not just for humans, but for them too.
Q3 I do think the solutions presented in the film are less intimidating than what most global activists ask for as humans and nature can live together it just requires some compromise and creative thinking. The solutions presented like having an area specially for elephants to feed in shows how space can be made for animals so they can live their lives without threat to their own. In Palm Beach, Florida, the town has mandated a “Light’s Out Policy” during the endangered Sea Turtles’ nesting season so the artificial lights don’t confuse the hatchlings. Oceanfront property owners are told to either shield, redirect, or turn off lights near the beach that is used for nesting.
https://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/story/news/2025/03/13/lights-out-palm-beach-sea-turtle-nesting-season-is-underway/82375550007/#
Caroline Lipscomb
Q1. The first “living in two worlds” moment that I noticed, was very early on in the film. We are powerfully transported back to what the world was during COVID as we see glimpses of what cities looked like during lockdown. There’s no life in sight until a bird flies across the skyline. Then, we began to see more animals- elephants, deer, monkeys, whales- and I realized that while people were in seclusion, there was a whole other world where our environment and wildlife were flourishing. We realize that it is not just about human beings and our wants and needs; there is another side to life (00:01:54).
Q2. I would say the message of these scenes was amplified by the color choices and sounds used. The montage began with footage of dull, deserted cities with minimal sound. Then, as animals and nature are shown, the colors are brightened, and the music becomes louder and more intense. The lighting, sound, and hues all align with the images shown.
Q3. I would say that this film made the issues both more approachable and intimidating. This is because the film shows you how simply you can help and contribute to earth health, but then you realize how many people need to diligently contribute to make a difference. Additionally, you may need government action which is hard to receive. This article on a pollution issue that the UN has decided to contribute to, is an example. They are moving towards a global plastics treaty, which could be a wonderful change. However, with every other environmental issue, we are led to wonder, ‘Will I need government involvement to truly make a difference?’
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/un-moves-forward-on-far-reaching-treaty-that-could-have-massive-impact-on-people-s-health-around-the-globe-the-world-has-come-together-to-act/ar-AA1BSScR?ocid=BingNewsVerp
Q1At 24:45 the film shows how whales were able to communicate better due to the reduction of noise in the ocean because of the lack of ships and boats in the ocean. You could say this is showing the difference between the human world and the natural world, without man in it.
Q2. I’m not sure if it qualifies as a cinematic tactic but the director used audio, sound to make the point of how “polluted” the ocean was with noise pre pandemic as apposed to during the pandemic.
The pre pandemic noise is loud and irritating, giving the viewer a sense of external pressure possibly causing anxiety. Were during the pandemic it’s calm, quiet, peaceful.
Q3. The main point the film tried to make was that simple little changes made to our impact on the earth make vastly bigger changes to the natural world. I agree with that point of view. I think the viewpoint expressed in the modern-day media is more fear tactics then truth. Case in point in an article in The Gardian were they talk about environmental activists who are using increasingly dangerous and bold acts in protesting our oil usage. Everything from road barricades and aggressively interpreting public events trying to be heard. All because the media spreads more fear then truth, working people up to their boiling point.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/05/what-next-climate-activism-just-stop-oil-hanging-up-hi-vis-protests-arrests?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Q1. At 33:58 we see a mother cheetah catching its prey to feed itself and two cubs. This is living in two cultures because usually there are so many tourists that bring noise and traffic the cheetahs have difficulty calling to their cubs. But because of the lockdown the cheetahs were able to call to their cubs and be heard allowing them all to eat undetected by larger prey.
Q2. The scene was amplified when the director mixed in to the scene droves of people in vehicles snapping pictures and making so much noise it drowned out the cheetah's cry to her cubs.
Q3. The film's solutions sounded very doable but at the same time it takes everyone to follow the guidelines in order for the differences to be seen. I believe it will take government action before we are able to see real changes. Since the politicians views on climate change are so different I think it will be a while before we see climate change issues improve.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-aims-shut-down-state-194253089.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
Cody Menzies
Q1) (00:28:40) We see several penguins who are wondering the streets instead of their normal routine of hanging out near the coast. With people lock inside nature has time to explore and break barriers allowing the animals too live in two cultures, one in the city, one in their habitat on the coast.
Q2) To showcase the penguins again the director uses a wide camera with a low shot so it feels like you can reach out and touch the penguins as they are wondering the streets. It feels as close to normal as possible being so close to an animal that would usually not be anywhere near that area.
Q3) https://memorialhermann.org/locations/greater-heights/patients-visitors
Working for Memorial Hermann in an emergency room I got to see the real affects of the virus as well as how it affected those people family members. I think there is a certain fear that is always out there from activist and others but nothing comes close to the real thing. The documentary did a good job showcasing the freedom the animals when not restricted by humans.
Author: Jaylen Galvan
Q1. (12:25) The absence of cruise ships in Alaska allowed for humpback whales to thrive in their own environment for the first time in a long time. It allowed them to communicate from longer distances, letting nurturing mothers leave their calves alone to go feed. This behavior highlights how an industry meant for entertainment and luxury affects the survival of marine life.
Q2. (12:10) The murky lens along with the drowned-out sound of massive amounts of water being moved by a cruise ship is followed by a contrasting scene of a clear and peaceful ocean for whales to thrive in. This scene emphasizes the message of how much of a hindrance the travel industry is for humpback whale's survival.
Q3. The examples given in the film sound achievable and not very intimidating. As climate change worsens every year, it seems as if there’s always stories coming out about how far gone the damage is to the planet. The film does a good job explaining how simply being conscious as a community towards the local environment can produce drastic changes. Here’s an example of environmentally conscious policies affected by community participation.
https://phys.org/news/2024-10-role-environmental-policy-decision.html#google_vignette
Q1. (40:20)
In this example we see how elephants destroyed the crops of farmers. The farmers responded with aggressive tactics to scare the elephants. This did not provide lasting results. Only when a community of farmers decided to meet the elephants halfway were they able to provide lasting results that benefited both. In reference to the BTG text, this is an example of acceptance and adaptation of behavior.
Q2.
The cinematic tactics for this scene relied heavily on sound. The tension and aggressiveness of the farmers is communicated by the sounds of yelling and popping fireworks. The director then contrasts the scene with a community of farmers who find a solution by establishing a buffer zone. The scene starts with the farmers praying as the narrator communicates their desire for the elephants to stay in the buffer zone. Tension is created as the viewer sees the bushes shake and elephants emerge. The music shifts to a soothing tone as the elephants remain in the buffer zone.
Q3.
I think this film communicated multiple messages. The first message I perceived was that the world was better off without humans. This message was very confusing to me because it seems to place the value of animals over humans. The second message did not seem so aggressive. In the example of elephants, we see how humans and animals can work together to live in harmony. I think this message is easier to take versus protesters yelling in your face with signs.
https://www.fox29.com/news/i-want-a-future-global-youth-protests-urge-action-on-climate-change
1. Around (27:45 - 28:30) "The Year Earth Changed" (2021) two African penguins waddle through Cape Town’s silent, pandemic emptied streets waiting at a traffic light, then ambling past shuttered cafés toward the ocean the film offers a vivid picture of what Bridging the Gaps calls “living in two cultures" the one in which they were brought up and the one in which they now are living.” In their “natural” culture the penguins are coastal, wary of noise and vehicles; in the suddenly hushed city they discover a parallel, human‑built world and adapt to it with surprising ease. That effortless code‑switching mirrors the what Bridging the Gaps point that individuals learn new behavioral “roles” for each setting, flowing back and forth almost unconsciously. The penguins’ stroll therefore becomes a living metaphor for intercultural competence: observe, adjust, and discover that sharing the same street.
2. The cinematic tactics heavily relied on the camera at penguin‑eye level and lets a single, unhurried tracking shot roll almost in real time. The low, ground‑hugging perspective pulls the viewer into the birds’ experience while the long take lingers on the eerie hush of an urban landscape stripped of people; every footfall, traffic light click, and distant wave is captured as natural ambient sound. By refusing to break the shot or add commentary, the film forces us to notice the familiar geometry of a city now functioning as wild habitat thereby amplifying the “two worlds” theme far more powerfully than dialogue ever could.
3. After watching "The Year Earth Changed" (2021) made me realize that taking climate action doesn't need to seem like a massive, comprehensive restructuring; the documentary illustrates small, specific adjustments like redirecting vessels slightly to protect whale communication, adjusting beach access times for undisturbed turtle nesting, or adopting remote work that yield quick environmental benefits without requiring significant lifestyle changes. Those "minor-change" solutions seem much less daunting compared to the broad net-zero targets or fossil-fuel eliminations frequently advocated by international activists. A real-world parallel emerged during the initial COVID-19 lockdowns: as reported by The Guardian, short interruptions in traffic and industrial activity reduced nitrogen-dioxide levels by as much as 40% and significantly lowered carbon emissions globally, providing us with “a glimpse of what the world might resemble without fossil fuels.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/09/climate-crisis-amid-coronavirus-lockdown-nature-bounces-back-but-for-how-long
Q1. (6:44) At this exact scene they say the quote " .... in that moment we paused, the Earth was able to breathe again..." They show clear roads and clear skies, all open. The scenes are lonely and sad if one is able to look back and remember how lockdown went, but in these scenes the way that the beaches, roads, trees, and wildlife is able to spawn again, it is beautiful if not majestic. This shows living in two worlds where humans only saw the negative effects of living in everyday life, work, school, and basic necessities were on a pause and anxiety levels were raising up, but the wildlife and Earth were healing it self where we could also enjoy and take a deep breath remembering the beauties and natural wonders of life.
Q2. The cinematic tactic they used during that quote was the silent on music, and the birds chirping in the back ground, hearing the wind and for some could represent the Earth breathing as the quote said. It transitions into empty cities with the sound of a clock as time passes by representing the lockdown being extended longer than anticipated. The way that they shot the scenes were also almost most of the view looking down on the cities and beaches, they also did not take color from those shots if anything they showed maybe amplified the colors in order to send a more happy message to the viewer.
Q3. Personally I believe that this film was not intimidating at all or was attempting to be. The message seemed pretty clear without trying to prove anyone wrong. I do also think that their solutions such as having humans back off of natures natural life cycle like for the first example which was letting the turtles take their own route home and having everything cleared was better off for them than ever. Letting nature take its route for the Earth to heal is something humans can work with but in order to do that it would mean that all humans must understand the impact it could make which is what this film was trying to portray. Sadly, I believe that not everyone will follow up with those plans unless under extreme measures such as when COVID19 happened.
This article shows how leaders all over the world have to try or have tried to implement rules in the way we live in order to help the Earth.
https://www.un.org/ht/desa/greta-thunberg-tells-world-leaders-%E2%80%98you-are-failing-us%E2%80%99-nations-announce-fresh
Q1: (00:19:05) The Nara Deer had to go into the heart of the city just to find a small patch of grass and greenery in the middle of a vacant lot. You have the clashing of the new and old. Buildings, concrete and asphalt characterize the new world. While the old world is characterized by the elder deer in the group still knowing the way to their ancestral grazing fields. You can cover a well-traversed pathway with cement, but the remnants of the old still hold.
Q2: The static shots of the deer roaming the streets. It gives you a sense of “Oh these dudes really know where they’re going” and you can’t help but hope that whatever they find is worth the danger of walking the streets full of potential hazards.
Q3: I think they were. From what I see on my feed or timeline, most global climate activists have a “we’re f’ed” approach to telling people why they should change their ways. They make it seem like we’re past the point of no return (which they might be right in some sense) but with this documentary I didn’t get a sense of that at all. They mainly just stated that, if we change some small parts of how we conduct ourselves in our daily lives, we would have a more positive impact on the ecosystems and earth as a whole.
This story details an International Coastal Clean-up Day in hopes of promoting a better way to raise awareness of this growing issue.
https://nationaltoday.com/international-coastal-cleanup-day/
Q1: The scene from 16:23 to 17:15 demonstrated living in two worlds because it showed how there were little to no humans on the street during the beginning of COVID, but there were a lot of animals all over the streets and in places typically filled by humans. This showed two different effects that COVID had on living things.
Q2: The music that was put into this scene helped set the mood and showed that the animals were able to explore new areas even if humans were not able to live their day-to-day life. The music created an atmosphere of hopefulness and showed that not everything was bad during this time.
Q3: I think that the solutions presented in the film were less intimidating than what is typically discussed when it comes to global climate activists and their suggestions. The film had a lot more hope surrounding the suggestions as compared to other global climate activists and what they typically suggest.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52485712
Callie Smith
Jayden Thompson
Q1) (3:16) The lack of traffic noise caused white-crowned sparrow birds to come out of their hiding spots and chirp. This shows two worlds by demonstrating that in our world we aren’t aware of the noises we cause and how it effects wildlife while they hide waiting for the quiet so that they can come out to enjoy their habitat.
Q2) The director’s used multiple shots of open land from a sky eye point of view, this helped me personally. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up with technology, seeing nature thrive from a bird’s eye view is a great way to encourage people to participate in helping with global climate change.
Q3) In the film, they expressed the severity of climate change which would usually be very intimidating however, they were able to reduce the intimidation by showing multiple ways of how to help and the effects that it could have. Usually global climate activists are very aggressive and in your face, pushing to the limits on how we could help but it’s nowhere near as persuasive as addressing the issues with a more calm yet knowledgeable approach.
https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2021/05/26/climate-engagement-and-activism/
1: When talking about lockdown at the 7 minute mark we saw that the beaches were empty. That because the college students were inside for spring break that meant that the sea turtles could lay eggs in those beaches without worrying about people stepping on the eggs.
2. By following the turtle and how they go from the ocean to using a night vision to demonstrate that they go out at night to lay there eggs shows that its important to let the animals do what they were designed to do. By not having people there they become more successful at it.
3. By showing that small things can change the animals habitat means that we can do alot as a whole to change even more. If each person does one small thing a lot can change. When thinking about endangered animals its important to know what we can do to help. Whether thats being on the beach less so turtles have the potential to survive or coming up with better shipping methods.
https://www.endangered.org/10-easy-things-you-can-do-to-save-endangered-species/
From Clark: You guys did really good except for GSP errors.
Please be sure to do the Final as assigned and edit closely. Your final is expected to consist of more details re ideological issues in the scenes you chose and specific cinematic tactics per mise en scene. Be sure to include applicable theory and refer to the ideological approach to writing about film. It'll help you all a lot. It was interesting to note that all of you like this film's approach to helping Earth, as opposed to the scarier news pieces that emphasize news values with impact at the top of the list.
Have a great summer! I'm teaching photojournalism (F2F) and Alternative Media Mrktg (100% online) this summer. Best, Dr. Clark
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