MEGAGRAVEL: A YOUTUBE MOVIE SHOWCASING COASTAL BOULDER DEPOSITS, THE SCIENTISTS WORKING ON THEM, AND THE PEOPLE LIVING NEXT TO THEM

MEGAGRAVEL is a short documentary film introducing coastal boulder deposits (CBD) to a general audience. CBD accumulate above high tide on certain rocky coasts. Some are on tops of tall cliffs, others are found up to a quarter of a kilometer inland; and they can include clasts weighing 10s or 100s of tonnes. Because they occur in remote areas prone to extreme waves, few people are aware of them. But CBD can help us understand the upper limits of storm waves power at coastlines.

Devised as part of the Broader Impacts component of an NSF-funded research project investigating CBD and storm waves, the documentary is designed to give people a sense of wonder about CBD, to put a human face on the scientists, and to place CBD in the societal context of the people who live next to them. The video, which is just under 10 minutes long, is posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9PuDY7QyBo.

The documentary combines interviews (filmed on location as well as on campus), field footage, and still images. A narrative voice-over by the first author, placing the research project in the context of her personal involvement, draws the viewer in by piquing their interest in the human experience of the location and its people. Information about the CBD is conveyed mostly through short interviews with the scientists involved, contextualized via field footage and interviews with local people. The video concludes with clips showcasing the scientists’ visceral responses and awe in the face of nature.

Response to the video has been very positive. Many people to whom the link was sent as part of project reporting protocols actually watched the whole thing (!!), and gave unsolicited feedback. We have incorporated links to the video in educational materials developed as additional parts of the project’s Broader Impacts, and will continue to include it in other kinds of research output.