Hi Folks,
Any one want to help make a short film to be used to introduce users to our consortium? The goal is to edit/produce it on Nov 18 at IMAS.
But I am thinking we need a script and organize/film some interviews with people before then.
Topics could include:
i) What is COSIMA
ii) Why do we exist
iii) Who is COSIMA
iv) What do we want COSIMA to be
v) How can you contribute
vi) What can we expect from each other
Freeeely dig in if you want to make history!
Spontaneously list of possible people to interview (edits welcome):
i) ECRs at different stages/paths (new Phd student, finishing PhD, postdoc)
ii) Stephen Griffies, etc. GFDL
iii) Most Selfless Contributor winners (James Munroe, etc.)
iv) Someone from Drakkar (Julien Le Sommer or Bernard Bernier (retired))
v) CI from Linkage grant and/or Andrew Kiss/Aidan, etc.
Sounds great.
Important question before scripting and etc… How long is this video? The content you have sounds like a 5-10min duration but I would also hope we’d get a 30sec or 1min video abstract of what is COSIMA and why is so great.
What do you think?
(Btw I’m keen to help!)
I was thinking longer.
A 5-10 min video which can serve as an introduction to lots of COSIMA ideas.
But, snappy 30 second videos could be good too. Maybe it’s time for COSIMA to go global on TikTok?
5-10min + a 30sec “trailer” would be ideal!
I think also some animations of models and a snap of a past workshop (I assume there are no videos, but even a pan of a photo) would be nice!
I think a short “trailer” would be really nice. This would allow us to show it, e.g., at a conference presentation (and still have time to present your research).
I’m keen to be involved in whatever way is helpful (scripting, holding the mic, making the tea…).
Regarding the long vs short form, I think if you follow an inverse pyramid structure the first couple of minutes should give broad coverage of all the key points, so could be the ‘Intro’ to more detailed stuff or a standalone short.
I created a script draft here:
Please dig in and edit away freely. Lets see what craziness we can create together :). Go for it!
Movie thoughts:
i) Adage: “Don’t make average the enemy of poor”. We won’t have much time to pull this off. What if we embraced making a particularly terrible COSIMA intro movie? Something that was so bad it is oddly good.
ii) Maybe we could use an animated character to tell our story (platypus!) to tell our story (rather than subject real humans to represent COSIMA for eternity of the internet).
iii) I asked chatgpt to write us a script for the playtpus. See below.
Here’s a draft script for a 7-minute presentation for COSIMA, introducing its mission, contributions, and goals. This script highlights the consortium’s collaborative nature, the importance of its research, and its relevance in understanding climate dynamics.
Narrator: "Welcome to the world of COSIMA, the Consortium of Ocean and Sea Ice Modelling in Australia. At COSIMA, we’re dedicated to understanding the vast and dynamic systems of our oceans and sea ice, fundamental elements in shaping the Earth’s climate.
Narrator: "COSIMA is a unique partnership, bringing together researchers, modelers, and scientists across Australia to develop, refine, and share advanced models that simulate the behavior of the ocean and sea ice. With a powerful, collective effort, COSIMA tackles some of the most pressing scientific challenges of our time: the impact of climate change on marine systems, the role of oceans in weather patterns, and the response of sea ice to warming temperatures.
Narrator: “Ocean and sea ice models are vital tools that let us predict changes in temperature, currents, salinity, and ice cover over time. These models, crafted through rigorous scientific research, help us not only understand these elements as they exist today but also anticipate how they will evolve under various climate scenarios.”
Narrator: “So, what is COSIMA’s mission? It’s simple yet ambitious: to advance the science of ocean and sea ice modeling to inform climate adaptation strategies, conservation policies, and sustainable practices. With our models, we aim to shed light on the complex interactions within the ocean and ice systems, delivering insights that support Australian decision-making in fisheries, weather forecasting, and climate mitigation.”
[Display of Global Context]
Narrator: “The work of COSIMA isn’t just vital for Australia. Oceans and sea ice impact the entire planet. Our models contribute to global understanding, joining forces with international efforts to track the health of marine ecosystems, monitor melting ice caps, and understand ocean currents, which affect weather patterns worldwide. Climate science is truly a global pursuit, and COSIMA is proud to represent Australia in this essential work.”
Narrator: "Let’s talk about the models themselves. COSIMA uses cutting-edge, computationally intensive models that simulate a variety of ocean and ice behaviors. Imagine a powerful virtual ocean, where you can explore changes in temperature, see currents shift over years, and even watch sea ice grow, melt, and move with the seasons.
Good to get the discussion rolling! My 2 cents: the ChatGPT script is terrible. I like the idea of having real world stories of how different people contributed different things to COSIMA.
Thanks for injecting some life into this @PSpence. I’m still not entirely sure what the purpose and target audience is though. The first post just says
a short film to be used to introduce users to our consortium
So, does that mean it’s informational for people who are already onboard, or is this a sales pitch for potential collaborators?
Also, if you wanted an avatar animal what about a penguin. They’re actually marine, they’re based in the Southern Hemisphere (like COSIMA), and like COSIMA scientists, they come in many different varieties and they cover every single climate zone (from tropics to pole).
(It’s a bit cheesy I know, but that’s how I roll)
For me, the target audience is new users. And the purpose is to encourage more contributions and ethical engagement with COSIMA.
OK, so maybe a focus on the low barrier to entry? i.e. you don’t need to be an expert in fluid dynamics/ocean modelling?
If I was a new user and saw the video with the chatGPT script I don’t think I would understand what COSIMA is. And I would definitely feel too intimidated to contribute.
I think something more down to earth and with less big words would be more effective to promote more participation. If we get volunteers to appear on the video - which might be hard!
I agree with Julia, I think showing people (ideally lots of people, so we can show we have a community) is better!
I made a draft storyboard/script on the google doc, kind of based on what was already there. feel free to edit… I feel like if it’s just one or two scripted sentences that people need to say, then it shouldn’t be too hard to find volunteers?
I really like it! Happy to help editing as well 