On October 24, The Storytelling for Climate Change event gathered aspiring filmmakers, academics and climate enthusiast to explore how art and storytelling can fuel environmental activism.
To explore the topic, Julia Hoppock, the impact producer for the Emmy award-winning documentary The Social Dilemma, was invited to share her 15-year experience in telling stories that connect people to the issues that affect their lives.
“Stories helps us process and understand systemic issues”, she said, explaining how difficult topics like climate change can be easier digested when shared through storytelling. It transports individuals to the lives of the characters, challenging existing beliefs through introspection of their own experiences.
As a filmmaker herself, Julia shared tips in telling effective climate stories. At the forefront, it’s important to communicate why the audience should care. Citing the WWF “Daily Dose of Nature” campaign, she highlights how relating personal mental health and the environment raises interest among viewers.
This roused an interesting discussion among the audience as members from the Faculty of Medicine in UM inquired how they could internalise environmental awareness among healthcare professionals. Doctors and climate change aren’t always the first thing that comes to mind, but they play a significant role in advising individuals on their daily behaviour which includes interaction with the environment. Julia highlights the importance of including strong trust messengers. Fellow doctors might not necessarily listen from climate activists but would be inclined to learn from other doctors.
Equally as important was to centre the story on people most affected by the issue. Julia shared her own experience when working on a short film to end harmful fishing subsidies in Senegal. The campaign was shown to members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) where a decision would be made on the subsidies. She acknowledged that the topic could seem dry, but by showcasing the livelihoods of those affected and allowing locals to share the reality on ground it resulted in greater understanding and empathy for the issue.
This theme was further reinforced during Julia’s work on the “Papahānaumokuākea” campaign which resulted in the creation of the largest marine protected area in the world. She reflected on the importance of building relationships with local communities. However, due to the tight filming schedule, it became a delicate balancing act between authentically representing local realities and avoiding an extractive story. Julia highlighted the necessity of involving those impacted both in front and behind the camera, ensuring their voices are fairly represented throughout the storytelling process.
Audience members expressed interested in the challenges of balancing the sensational aspects of climate issues in storytelling. Julia highlighted the importance of involving subject matter experts and conducting research even before finalising a story concept. She pointed out that experts often focus on statistics and scientific terminology which can be difficult to translate into engaging narratives. It’s crucial to answer how to communicate the issue to various stakeholders. For instance, would a child be able to comprehend the story. A compelling narrative can’t only be a compilation of facts, it must engage and resonate with the audience. Julia stressed the need for greater collaboration and training between subject matter experts and filmmakers to find a common ground and effectively convey important issues.
Julia also discussed how leveraging various emotions such as hope, humour and fear can raise awareness about climate change. Hope can help break through climate fatigue, humour can help bridge climate issues with younger audiences and fear can struck a chord among people to act. From her experience with ‘The Social Dilemma”, using fear resulted in an immediate reaction but did not lead to lasting behavioural change. Therefore, it was crucial to follow-up with resources that empower viewers to take meaningful action. For viewers of “The Social Dilemma” online tools were made available directing users how they can act and collect data to further research on the effects of social media.
Concluding the event, Julia advised aspiring filmmakers start with stories close to home and address issues that they are passionate about. She pointed out the scarcity of fictional stories focused on climate change despite significant concern by the public on climate issues. The success of films like "Don't Look Up," which topped the Netflix charts, further highlights a strong demand for these fictional stories.
This event was organised by the UM Sustainable Development Centre (UMSDC) in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology Studies and Department of Media and Communication Studies with support from the US embassy in Malaysia.
This writeup is prepared by Muhd Aqmal Zullif, UMSDC Intern.
