Comedy for Conservation
by Chris Palmer and Kent Wagner
These are trying times for environmentalists. Regulations are being gutted, fossil fuels are making a worrying comeback, and this is prompting environmental filmmakers like us to ask one another, what we can do to further engage audiences to care about the issues?
One thing certainly would be to tell better stories with more compelling characters. But what else? One underutilized resource is humor. Environmentalists are perceived to be a pessimistic and dour group and so humor, can be an unexpected yet impactful means. To encourage the use of more humor in our struggle to protect the Earth, , the Center for Environmental Filmmaking at American University created the annual Eco-Comedy Video Competition in 2007. Soon after, The Nature Conservancy came onboard as the co-sponsor of the event.
The competition asks producers and directors to create original short films (less than three minutes long), that communicate a clear and funny message around a theme of conservation and environmental protection. The contest is open to anyone who has a flair for producing videos and each year entries pour in from around the world. The winners are announced during the annual DC Environmental Film Festival every March and the grand prize winner walks away with a $2,000 prize from the Center for Environmental Filmmaking.
One of us (Chris Palmer) knows something about being funny because he spent five years as a stand-up comic performing in the DC area once or twice a week at local comedy clubs. He firmly believes that humor is one of the most powerful tools available to filmmakers. Making viewers laugh is an effective way to grab their attention and hopefully hold on to it long enough to get an important message across. And getting that message across has never been more important.
Comedy is a great vehicle for encouraging conservation, especially when things are looking so serious. Certainly, there’s a lot to be serious about, but zealousness can turn people off. Sometimes levity is just what the doctor ordered. It may also help reach people prone to confirmation bias, who would otherwise remain closed off to any messages not already aligned with their position.
When we read humorless, serious arguments, we tend to be skeptical and read with our defenses up. But when we’re laughing, we relax and become receptive to new ideas. The use of humor increases the like-ability of the message source, which can have an immediate effect on the palatability of the message. It can bring down the natural defenses audiences may have around controversial issues and encourage them to consider a fresh point of view. It may also come with other long-term benefits, especially in the way people perceive the brand or issue being represented.
Take, for instance, a funny web video Greenpeace made a few years ago (Ken Finds Some Hard Truths About Barbie), which attacks Mattel’s use of virgin paper from Indonesian rainforests in the packaging of its Barbie dolls. The video was a huge success. Mattel received more than 500,000 emails protesting their choice of packaging. Poor Barbie’s overloaded Facebook page eventually had to be shut down. The result was that Mattel, the largest toy company in the world, announced it would stop using environmentally-damaging packaging. A win for Greenpeace and the world, and the video was hilarious to boot.
However, beware, when you do use humor, you must use it effectively. It should be funny, but it should also make a point. Filmmakers would do well to avoid being too preachy, and instead should strive to be engaging and light. An intelligent tone can encourage viewers to relate to the message at a deeper level.
We must be sure to combine our use of humor with a strong conservation message. The humor grabs people’s attention, increases sharing, and starts conversations. And if a well-conceived message is incorporated, and that message is clear, then it stands a far greater chance of being heard and ultimately, being accepted.
Comedy has so much potential, and as advocates for our planet, environmental filmmakers must learn to harness this potential to do good. Humor alone may not change behavior, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use it — it just means we need to use it as part of a broader message. In the words of Caty Borum Chattoo, director of American University’s Center for Media & Social Impact, “Laughter opens our ears and our hearts — and once people are listening, who knows what they might be inspired to do?”
Professor Chris Palmer is director of American University’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking and author of four books, including Raising Your Kids to Succeed, Confessions of a Wildlife Filmmaker, and Now What, Grad? Your Path to Success After College. Kent Wagner is a filmmaker, photographer, and MFA candidate at American University.
