Events

Title: HAZE, It’s Complicated…
Director: Issac Kerlow
Producer: Earth Observatory of Singapore
Length of Film: 70 minutes

There will be a question-and-answer session with the director after the film screening.

View trailer: https://vimeo.com/234115792

CHAIRPERSON

Dr Michelle Miller, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore

SYNOPSIS OF FILM

HAZE, It’s Complicated… presents the scientific facts behind the issue of peat haze as well as a variety of points of view from local and regional stakeholders: scientists, activists, officials, farmers.

The burning of the peat forests throughout tropical Southeast Asia creates transboundary haze pollution, and this has posed significant challenges to human health and the economies of the region during the second decade of the 21st century.

The intensive farming of oil palm throughout tropical Southeast Asia requires land, and peat forests have been cleared often times with government support to make room for both industrial and small holder farming. The solution to the complex issue of haze pollution will not be a simple one.

The peat haze problem has been somewhat mitigated in recent years but in spite of this positive progress a few of the critical issues are yet to be solved.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Isaac Kerlow is a Professor and Principal Investigator at the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS), a Research Center of Excellence located at Nanyang Technological University. He has lived in Singapore for over a decade and at EOS he develops creative projects inspired by Earth science and natural hazards. Some of his recent films include HAZE, It’s Complicated… (2018), People of the Forest (2017), Ichiro and the Wave (2016), CHANGE (2016), The Ratu River Expedition (2015), and SHADOWS(2014). His team also produces the Earth Girl series of interactive casual strategy games for people to experience and better understand natural hazards. Earth Girl Tsunami is a preparedness casual game for tablets that can be downloaded for free from the App Store and Google Play, and Earth Girl Volcano is in production with a planned release date of late 2018.

Prof Kerlow has been honored by SIGGRAPH, the prestigious Computer Graphics international association, as one of the Digital Pioneers. For ten years he worked at The Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles, California, where he led the integration of digital technology onto the film and animation production process. He is also the author of best-selling books including The Art of 3D Computer Animation and Effects published by Wiley and translated to Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Korean.

Prof Kerlow is is also the founding Dean of the School of Art, Design and Media at the Nanyang Technological University, and also the founding Chairperson of the legendary Department of Computer Graphics and Interactive Media at Pratt Institute in New York City. He has a long career as a pioneer digital artist and independent filmmaker, and his award-winning work has been shown extensively at international venues. More information can be found at http://art-science-media.com.

REGISTRATION

Admission is free. We would greatly appreciate if you click on the “Register” button above to RSVP.