While some people complain about the world in chaos around them; others make films about it. South Whidbey residents Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young are two of the latter.

Through their Moving Images Video Project, the documentary filmmaking duo has created over 20 films, travelling the globe to gather footage and showing their films wherever they can find an audience hungry for real knowledge.

“I don’t expect to change people’s minds,” Dworkin said of his films. “People have their own life experiences that help shape their opinion. We just want them to think more.”

Their films are brief, some just over 10 minutes, or lengthy almost-hour looks at the world around us. The messages held within are a mixed bag of issues that include the environment, human rights, globalization, biotechnology, human rights, agriculture, consumerism, biology, business, anthropology and endless more.

The latest to be completed, “Net Loss: The Storm Over Salmon Farming,” addresses the salmon aquaculture industry and its huge numbers of farm raised fish, and its threats to economies of coastal fishing communities and the marine environment. Filmed in Chile, British Columbia and Washington, the documentary is narrated by South Whidbey actor Shelley Hartle. South Whidbey musician Tom Hoefflich did the music for the film.

The 52-minute 2003 film is a celebration for the fisherman who brought people wild salmon for so many years, according to Dworkin.

There will be a public screening of the film on South Whidbey Thursday, at which people can meet its creators and have an open forum with volunteers from the Maxwelton Salmon Adventure.

It is at public screenings the filmmakers believe their films — or any documentary for that matter — to be most powerful.

“People have the opportunity to ask questions and get more information, and they’re not distracted like they might be at home,” Dworkin said.

The film screening is but one educational opportunity through the Salmon Adventure, according to Nancy Waddell, the organization’s co-administrator. The nonprofit will launch a series of educational opportunities this year to further its goals of fishing practices and salmon restoration education. Future events are to include a visit from “King of Fish” author Dave Montgomery.

Waddell considers Dworkin and Young’s films clear, fair and balanced.

“They’re very committed community minds who live by the principles in their films.”

Dworkin has always been fascinated by the world around him. But it wasn’t until video equipment became affordable in the 1970s that he began making documentaries. He bought his first camera for an “affordable price” at the time — $10,000 — and soon began capturing life on tape.

Dworkin and Young met in late 1985 while she was a carpenter for a crew that was planning to go to Nicaragua to build a church. A crew member filmed the work and brought it to Dworkin to edit. Ever since, they have been a duo in film and life.

In deciding which topic to tackle next, the filmmakers have to weigh the typical questions. Is it interesting? Can financial support be found for this project? But as of late, the 60-something filmmakers have been asking “What do we get out of it?”

“We’re looking for rich life experiences,” Young said.

They plan projects based on the people they’ll meet, places they’ll go and the knowledge and experience they’ll gather from the project.

Their current project is a film about Argentina, which has been in the works since 2001. Argentina, once the richest country in South America, collapsed economically in December 2001. Dworkin and Young had tickets to go to the country for a “sort-of vacation.” The didn’t know what state they’d find the country in when they arrived.

“Friends assured us it would be all right,” Dworkin said. “And we were. We were surprised to find everyone there very cheerful and optimistic.”

The filmmakers were witness to a nation of people making a grassroots movement for economic change.

“They had no respect for their leaders, so they were working together to do it themselves. They felt they were getting more results,” Dworkin said.

They were humbled by the people of Armenia when they visited in the summer of 1989. They documented the efforts of Americans and the people of former Soviet Union to help the country after it suffered a massive earthquake.

“These people had terrible stories,” Dworkin said. “It was amazing and surreal realizing they weren’t telling lies and that these stories were real.”

But through the painful accounts, the people were nothing but concerned for the visitors.

“They wanted to make sure we weren’t uncomfortable and that we felt welcome,” Young said. “On this fundamental level there was this incredible quality of humanity.”