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Science Consultants, Fictional Films, and Scientific Practice

David A. Kirby

Department of Science and Technology Studies, dk246{at}cornell.edu

When scientists act as consultants during the production of a fictional film, it becomes an act of communication that plays a role in the process of science. Fictional film provides a space for scientists to visually model their conceptions of nature. Film impacts scientific practice as science consultants utilize film as a virtual witnessing technology to gather allies among specialists and non-specialists. Film not only has the ability to act as a virtual witnessing technology, but also forces consensus on the public version of scientific debates by presenting a single vision of nature in a perceptually realistic structure. This paper shows films to be successful communicative devices within the scientific community by showing that, and how, other scientists respond to the depictions in the films. It also demonstrates that science consultants use fictional films as promotional devices for their research fields.

Key Words: fictional media • perceptual realism • representation • science communication • science consultants • scientific controversy • virtual witnessing

Social Studies of Science, Vol. 33, No. 2, 231-268 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/03063127030332015
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