Oil giant's climate science secret revealed

Set in 1982, Simon Schneider's short film 'Degree of Certainty' explores the dilemma faced by Jackson Miller, a risk analyst at a U.S. oil company. Miller uncovers alarming research from his company's own scientists projecting rapid global temperature increases.

The film, inspired by true events and screening at HollyShorts 2026, uses this conflict to examine corporate self-interest and moral compromise. Schneider, originally from East Germany, was drawn to sociopolitical storytelling, leading him to study filmmaking in the U.S.

Schneider was fascinated by how major oil corporations, despite being pioneers in climate science research in the 1970s for oil exploration, later turned against their own findings. This irony forms the core of the narrative, reflecting how institutions can betray their values.

Influenced by films like 'All the President's Men' and 'Spotlight,' Schneider focused on how systems interact. Recreating the 1980s on a student budget, the production team meticulously researched period-accurate costumes, makeup, and props to build a convincing world.

The writing process focused on making the invisible nature of climate crisis engaging within a 16-minute runtime. The film's ending is intentionally not uplifting, showing the protagonist becoming part of the company's propaganda machine rather than enacting change.

Schneider aims for the audience to recognize their own agency in decision-making, emphasizing that individual choices matter in preventing current environmental predicaments. The narrative suggests that even corporations could have pivoted to renewable energy, but prioritized profit and job performance.

'Degree of Certainty' is now on the Oscar-qualifying festival circuit, with upcoming screenings at HollyShorts, the Climate Film Festival in New York, Bengaluru, and Aesthetica. Schneider is also developing a feature film adaptation of 'Degree of Certainty' and his debut feature, 'Unter Mietern.'