First Look: Inside the private screening of Antarctica Unearthed

I am still in a glow from something that overwhelmed me with joy and gratitude earlier this month: I hosted a private, invite-only sneak peek of Antarctica Unearthed for friends, family, supporters, and crew. Antarctica Unearthed, my first documentary, is scheduled to broadcast on television in the U.S. this Fall. Here’s the short synopsis:

Journey to the most alien landscape on Earth with National Geographic Explorer Ariel Waldman, as she explores Antarctica’s extreme, Mars-like habitats and the mysterious ecosystems that host the smallest animals on the planet. Antarctica Unearthed follows Ariel’s two-month expedition into the continent's most remote areas—so remote that she must attempt to film it, and its microscopic wildlife, entirely by herself. By combining thrilling views from space and groundbreaking microscopic imagery, the series highlights the paradox of Antarctica as a frozen desert that’s teeming with life.

Due to the success of this forthcoming docu-series, I am launching a new production company: Order of Magnitude Films. Order of Magnitude Films is on a bold mission to push the boundaries of science and nature documentaries by capturing life at all scales–from the microscopic animals below our feet to the search for life beyond our atmosphere. I’m in-part inspired by Charles and Ray Eames’ short film, Powers of Ten, and its influence on both science and art. For me, this is a perfect marriage between my work with NASA and my work as a microscopist.

More details on the U.S. broadcast premiere of Antarctica Unearthed to come soon!

We booked out the historic Vogue Theatre in San Francisco for the screening and I invited Pulitzer-winning author and journalist Ed Yong to host the Q&A with me afterward. The event was nothing short of tremendous: every one of the 220 seats was filled, with standing room only in the back. Children cheered each tardigrade that appeared on screen, adults gasped at the frigid conditions, and everyone wrinkled their nose when they heard about how to go to the bathroom on a military aircraft. Almost exactly two years after I set foot back in San Francisco from Antarctica, I was able to experience my work for the first time with others. Filmmaking can at times be incredibly isolating – having to put your head down on a project that takes years to finish and that you often can’t share with anyone until long after the final edit. So it’s a truly special moment when you can finally begin to come out of that period and share with others what you’ve made, thanks in large part to their support.

After the show, Ed Yong interviewed me about the making of the documentary and the thinking behind it. I invited Ed to interview me, both because he’s awesome (check out his interview in the NYT), but also importantly his next book, The Infinite Extent, tackles the same theme as my filmmaking: illuminating life at scales unfamiliar to us. Working in both space exploration and microscopy regularly gives me a different perspective on ourselves and our place in the universe and the microcosmos. Importantly, it gives me the space and time to really contemplate those things; a type of career I have been so grateful to cultivate. By pivoting my work towards filmmaking, I hope to give others the space and time to contemplate those different perspectives.

I invite you to follow the journey and support this important work on Patreon. Your support makes a massive impact right now, at a time where funding for both the arts and sciences are under attack and affecting creators like me. ❤️

Epilogue:
In times like the current one we find ourselves in, where there is so much darkness and uncertainty, having in-person reminders of our connections, community, and our shared enjoyment of wonder are so important. I want to explicitly highlight that the creation of this wonder, specifically my documentary Antarctica Unearthed and the next in the ongoing Unearthed series, Prairies Unearthed, would literally not be possible without the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF provided all the operations, logistics, and support required for my work in Antarctica – both for the research team I was a member of, affectionately known as the Wormherders of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) group, and for the filmmaking I produced. This is no small feat – it involves military aircrafts, constant helicopter support, food, fuel, shelter, waste management, safety training, you name it. Not to mention that my McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER team has been collecting data on this important ecosystem since 1993, all thanks to NSF support. Nearly all the researchers I closely partner with on my work are supported in large part through NSF.

NSF, and the American Antarctic bases they manage, are in grave danger right now, under threat from terrorizing government cuts to both their employees and budget. NSF’s annual budget (~$9 billion) is a fraction of NASA’s (~$25 billion), and supports a wider array of sciences and scientists. Both are barely blips on a radar: less than half of a penny of each of your tax dollars supports NASA, and less than a quarter of a penny of each of your tax dollars supports the NSF. Even when looking solely at the government’s discretionary budget, NSF still doesn’t come close to even 1% of that - clocking in at close to 0.5%. NSF has not historically enjoyed the pop culture zeitgeist that NASA has, even though it supports many equally mind-blowing endeavors. So, should you find yourself with the unexpected energy this week to call your representative or write to a local reporter, lend your voice to the National Science Foundation. Here’s a helpful resource that points to the impact NSF makes in each U.S. state and territory to get you started.

Photos courtesy Matt Biddulph