Men of Rock: Deep Time
Men of Rock is a scientific documentary produced by Iain Stewart, retracing the steps of a band of maverick pioneers who made fundamental discoveries in the landscape of Scotland about how the planet earth works. In the first episode titled Deep Time, Stewart gives the chronology of events about James Hutton, who is considered the founding father of geology.
The episode is premised on the vital role played by James Hutton, his profound and original thinking that for over 250 years ago changed the ancient beliefs and myths about how and when the world was formed. The message being passed across by the documentary is that behind the success stories of the study of Geology, there were people who pioneered the study and the documentary is a tribute to their significant contribution.
I believe the documentary is well structured and capable of enlightening anyone with interest in the science of geology. The picture quality and excellent narration are efficient in conveying the message to the audience. Since it was done by an expert, there is of mincing of content like it would be the case in a documentary done by a celebrity. Everything shown and said is factual and scientifically proven.
The documentary is very relevant to the topics we have studied in class. For instance, the history of geology as a science is one that is often learned in class. As a result, the documentary comes in handy as a reminder of the tenets of the course.
What I like about the documentary’s episode one is the explicit setting of the film. The magnificent landscapes where Stewart worked to produce the film present an eye-catching, entertaining yet a very informative piece. The fact that the narrator explains some complex analyses so effortlessly is interesting.
Earth: The power of the planet-Volcano
Volcano is the first episode of the documentary, and talks about the volcanic forces that have, for over 4.6 billion years, determined the destiny and shape of the earth. Although feared to be destructive, the episode highlights the significant role they played in the development of life on the planet earth.
The documentary lays emphasis on the important role played by volcanic forces in shaping the planet earth. The same forces of destruction and regeneration are still at work to protect the earth that is now threatened by human beings through environmental pollution. The main message here is that the earth we see today was shaped millions of years ago by various forces, volcanic forces being one of them.
I am of the opinion that the documentary has conveyed its message effectively due to the fact that Iain Stewart, the brains behind the documentary is an expert. Besides, the visual animations are expertly done and are enticing to watch by many hence driving the lesson home.
We have studied the formation of the earth, the colliding tectonic plates that are responsible for the formation of the continents, and the volcanic forces that have shaped the face of the earth in various ways. All these are covered in the documentary, and the fact that they are animated makes it look real and relatable to anyone watching the episode. This makes the documentary very incisive and informative and relevant to topics learned in class.
The fact that the documentary employs the use of satellite imagery to paint a three-dimensional view of the planet earth is really fascinating to watch. The life-size animations are wonderfully done, which makes me want to watch the episode over and over again. The narration is very informative and compliments the visuals perfectly.