This is a clip from "National Parks Exploration Series: Grand Canyon." In spite of the title the film covers the entire Colorado Plateau. In this clip you'll see Geologist Wayne Ranney and Ranger Poe explaining the indepth geology of Bryce and Zion National Parks. The "indepth" is what makes this film unusually interpretive.

In most of these travelogue type films, writers and directors take the "Birds fly in the sky." approach which is to say that the narration is NO more indepth than an audio description (headset audio designed so that vision impaired people can hear about what sighted people are watching). This genre also features walltowall music to fill in the huge dead zones such simple narration creates. This results in products that may (if visuals and music are inspirational enough) create opportunities for emotional connections but seldom offer any intellectual stimulation for anybody older than 4 years of age. Everybody knows that "Birds fly in the sky" and showing a picture of flying birds offer little to that understanding. Without the intellectual component it is NOT interpretation. Indeed without the intellectual component it is not even information and may only serve as orientation. Unfortunately many interpretive centers have spent $ millions to contract such "orientation films" and they are widely popular.

Questions:

1. Why?

A) Few want to learn anything but all like to see pretty pictures set to music?

B) International appeal of America's natural/historical treasures means multilingual captioning/dubbing and detailed science or history can only be easily understood by English speakers?

C) Filmmakers get Bachelor's of Arts while interpreters get Bachelor's.of Science?

D) [your better answer goes here]

2. When you invite visitors to attend your live presentation (only being offered now) how often do they choose to watch the 22minute film offered every halfhour instead? What reasoning if any do they offer?

3. Which interpretive service generates more positive visitor comments (written, verbal, survey rating, etc.) your interpreters live interpretation or your film?

4. What can live interpretation do/offer to rival the appeal of "Birds fly in the sky" films.




Questions: