Big Screen Science: Scientists' Backstage Role in the Production of Hollywood Films

The overwhelming financial success of films such as Jurassic Park (1993) and Twister (1995) led filmmakers to believe that scientific "realism" is a necessary component in producing a modern science-based blockbuster. Therefore, filmmakers have increasingly turned to scientists to help them turn scientific facts into plausible cinematic scenarios." In this talk I will elaborate on the role science consultants play in negotiating information transfer between the scientific community and the entertainment community. "