When Colin Stokes' 3-year-old son caught a glimpse of "Star Wars," he was instantly obsessed. But what messages did he absorb from the sci-fi classic? Stokes asks for more movies that send positive messages to boys: that cooperation is heroic, and respecting women is as manly as defeating the villain.

Soft percussion and a toasty scent mark the violent transformation of tough seeds into cloud-like puffs. This is the almost magical process of popcorn-making. Dozens of kinds of popcorn are now grown in the US, with different strains assuming distinctive shapes when their kernels explode. So, how did we actually end up with this whimsical food? ...

Film producer Jeff Skoll (An Inconvenient Truth) talks about his film company, Participant Productions, and the people who've inspired him to do good.

Ever wonder how computers make films so realistic? Enjoy these fascinating talks on movie magic in the digital age.

Pop culture is changing thanks to a different kind of storytelling, says digital strategist Hyeonmi Kim. They're called webtoons: comic-like illustrations published in short segments and meant to be read on a smartphone in five to 10 minutes. Kim breaks down how webtoons have leapt from phones to the big screen (Netflix's "Hellbound," anyone?) a...

With a fan following that runs into multi-millions, Shah Rukh Khan is at forefront of the Indian film industry and continues to rule at the box office in India.

How does Hollywood choose what stories get told on-screen? Too often, it's groupthink informed by a narrow set of ideas about what sells at the box office. As a producer, Franklin Leonard saw too many great screenplays never get made because they didn't fit the mold. So he started the Black List, an anonymous email that shared his favorite scree...

Danielle Feinberg, Pixar's director of photography, creates stories with soul and wonder using math, science and code. Go behind the scenes of Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Brave, WALL-E and more, and discover how Pixar interweaves art and science to create fantastic worlds where the things you imagine can become real. This talk comes from the PBS sp...

Rob Legato creates surprising and creative visual illusions for movies.

Sometimes, talking with kids about certain subjects is hard. We’re here for you with these gentle lead-ins to help get those tough conversations started.

To you, our present and future sons ...

Rob Legato creates movie effects so good they (sometimes) trump the real thing. In this warm and funny talk, he shares his vision for enhancing reality on-screen in movies like Apollo 13, Titanic and Hugo.

Between television, the movies and top 40 lists, ballroom culture was appropriated by pop culture decades ago. With the spectacular support of a team of dancers, community leader Ronald Murray reclaims the subculture's narrative for queer communities of color.

The perspectives movies are told from filter into our life choices, personal philosophies and very identities. Film journalist Alicia Malone tells the forgotten stories of Hollywood's very first female directors to illustrate how a diversity in cinema could benefit us all.

Predictive algorithms may help us shop or discover new movies, but do they belong in the courthouse? Technology and policy expert Hany Farid reverse engineers the inherent dangers and potential biases of the recommendations engines built to make key decisions in the criminal justice system.

Naomi McDougall Jones is a vocal advocate and activist for bringing gender parity to film, both on and off screen.

Stacy Smith shows how Hollywood’s homogenous (and overwhelmingly male) culture systematically excludes women and minorities.

Movies have the power to create a shared narrative experience and to shape memories and worldviews. British film director Beeban Kidron invokes iconic film scenes -- from Miracle in Milan to Boyz n the Hood -- as she shows how her group FILMCLUB shares great films with kids.

Society's understanding of masculinity is changing, redefining culture and challenging long-held beliefs. These compelling talks put "manliness" under the microscope.

In a world filled with sound bites and paparazzi-snapped photos, there are still storytellers determined to create media with meaning. From feature films to citizen journalism, their work is worth spreading.

Aliens have invaded ancient history: they've cropped up in humanity's past through popular television and movies, displacing facts with absurd yet commonplace beliefs like "aliens built the pyramids." Archaeologist Sarah Kurnick illustrates why these misconceptions perpetuate racist and xenophobic notions of history and culture -- and demonstrat...

We live in a world run by algorithms, computer programs that make decisions or solve problems for us. In this riveting, funny talk, Kevin Slavin shows how modern algorithms determine stock prices, espionage tactics, even the movies you watch. But, he asks: If we depend on complex algorithms to manage our daily decisions -- when do we start to lo...

A post-apocalyptic Earth, emptied of humans, seems like the stuff of science fiction TV and movies. But in this short, surprising talk, Lord Martin Rees asks us to think about our real existential risks — natural and human-made threats that could wipe out humanity. As a concerned member of the human race, he asks: What's the worst thing that cou...

It's obvious that knowing more than one language can make certain things easier -- like traveling or watching movies without subtitles. But are there other advantages to having a bilingual (or multilingual) brain? Educator Mia Nacamulli details the three types of bilingual brains and shows how knowing more than one language keeps your brain heal...

When you collapse in front of the TV after a long day, do you always end up watching the same few shows and movies the algorithm serves up to everyone? If so, engineer and movie enthusiast Sid Thatham believes you're missing out. Thatham lays out the myriad potential rewards for diversifying your streaming habits and venturing into unexplored co...

What we see in movies matters: it affects our hobbies, our career choices, our emotions and even our identities. Right now, we don't see enough women on screen or behind the camera -- but waiting for Hollywood to grow a conscience isn't going to fix the problem, says Naomi McDougall Jones. Join forces with the actor and activist as she outlines ...

Andrew Stanton has made you laugh and cry. The writer behind the three "Toy Story" movies and the writer/director of "WALL-E," he releases his new film, "John Carter," in March.

Showing spectacular clips from productions such as Frida, The Tempest and The Lion King, director Julie Taymor describes a life spent immersed in theater and the movies. Filmed right as controversy over her Broadway production of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was at its peak, she candidly describes the tensions inherent within her creative proce...

Filmmaker, biologist and TED Fellow Alexis Gambis makes films grounded in fact, straddling the genres of experimental, documentary and fiction. Showing clips of his work, Gambis demonstrates how storytelling helps explain important scientific advancements and social issues -- and how it can be a lens on our own humanity. "We need more real scien...

Fantastical settings, awe-inspiring landscapes ... Let these talks inspire and guide you in imagining a world of your own creation.