MAKING GEOLOGY MAGICAL: USING VIDEOS TO SHARE THE GEOLOGY OF DISNEYLAND

When thinking of the Disneyland Resort, “geology” is usually not one of the things that come to mind. While most of the rocks you find at Disneyland are not exactly real, there is still a treasure trove of geologic stories to be found—from the geologically-spectacular Cars Land evoking iconic southwestern landscapes like Monument Valley, to the other-worldly Star Wars Land and its faux petrified trees. Since 2017 I have been creating videos on my Disney-themed YouTube channel “Magically Emily,” including a “Geology of Disney” series. In these videos, I highlight the geological inspirations behind and tell the stories of the not-so-real rocks at the Disneyland Resort, as well as at Walt Disney World. This creative endeavor has allowed me to combine my passions for geology and the Disney Parks (two entities that don’t initially seem to have a lot of overlap), as well as to share and communicate geoscience with an audience that might not otherwise seek out geoscience content. In this presentation, I share the creative process behind making one of my “Geology of Disney” videos —including research, scripting, graphic design, and video editing—and highlight the impact of these videos as public outreach and communication tools.