The long-running Deep Look series, created by KQED San Francisco and distributed by PBS Digital Studios, takes viewers into the world of the very small, where organisms like honeypot ants, acorn barnacles and giant water bugs thrive and reproduce. The filmmakers explore unusual creatures doing unusual things at the edge of the visible world, like the honeypot ants who turn their biggest sisters into engorged jugs of nectar to help feed the ant colony. Or the male water bugs whose fatherhood chores include carrying fertilized eggs on their backs, bringing them to the water’s surface regularly where they can absorb needed oxygen. Through more than 150 short episodes, the Deep Look team has invited viewers to explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small. “I found myself riveted by these cinematic little videos about the ultra-small,” said judge David Baron, an author and former broadcast science journalist. “Spectacularly shot, creatively written, and theatrically scored, they reveal the fascinating lives of creatures we normally ignore.” Blythe Terrell, supervising editor at Gimlet Media, said the videos “featured absolutely stunning footage of creatures we don’t always get to see. They are concise and to the point while providing a beautiful glimpse into the science of the natural world.” Series cinematographer Josh Cassidy, producer of two of the three winning episodes, said the Deep Look team “focuses on the stories that often go unnoticed in the natural world. There are tiny dramas playing out at every moment under rocks or in that little stream by the side of the road if you just take the time to look for them. It’s an honor to be recognized by AAAS for our work. Who would have thought that people would be so interested in the love lives of barnacles?” Gabriela Quirós, Deep Look coordinating producer, said: “We love showing our audience all the weird ways in which small animals make a living. Honeypot ants swollen with liquid til they look like golden disco balls—that’s possibly the most dramatic insect transformation I’ve made a video about yet.” Quirós thanked Shirley Gutierrez and Dina Munsch for doing the sound mix for the winning episodes.
