INDUS TRY. SUSTA INAB I L I T Y ROUND TABL E
What can storytellers do to promote a greener future for those that consume and love their content? Can this message be delivered through ‘product’ placement? BALL: At the end of 2021, Sky worked with our behavioural insights team on a report exploring how television content could nudge consumers to take positive personal action to reduce their carbon footprint. Of the 3500 participants across Europe, 80% supported the idea of broadcasters using content and advertising to encourage environmentally positive behaviours. The research also included recommendations for content creators to bring climate solutions into storylines and scripts. MARGRETT: Storytellers arguably have the biggest opportunity of us all to help inspire the change required to tackle the climate crisis. Storytelling is a fundamental part of being a human, and we need it to learn, feel inspired, change and reflect. Storytellers can educate themselves about the technology available right now, to support our transition to net zero. They can consider what their characters might think about those changes and how they’ll interact with a net-zero future. It may not be a show about climate change, but if you’re touching on travel, homes, consumer choices, jobs or finance, then the climate also has a part to play in your production. MCENALLAY: I’m not a fan of product placement. In fact, I think that green
MCENALLAY: Film is no different from any other industry, and I do think that environmental awareness is much more sophisticated now. This means that individual productions are starting to make a real effort, on both company-wide and personal levels. Ian Kincaid, the gaffer on Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood , refused to use polystyrene on set, and that made a big impact.
Outside the impact of day-to-day operations, there are other notable instances of productions actively harming the environment. For example, 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road damaged sensitive areas on the African Atlantic coast while filming, endangering local reptiles. So, how can sustainability be achieved for producers working outside of the lot? BALL : We’re facing both a climate and nature crisis, so the ‘do no harm’ approach is really important in sensitive natural environments, which are often protected by law. Our guidance is to protect and preserve all locations and, where needed, look for expert partners who can advise on responsible practices in these unique and precious locations. MARGRETT: Biodiversity loss, and awareness of this problem within the production industry, is an area we really want to grow in Albert. We know biodiversity is declining faster than at any time in human history – there’s been on average almost a 70% decline since the seventies – and that it is intrinsically linked to climate change. Without a liveable climate, biodiversity will shrink, and without a diverse ecology, nature will struggle to repair itself. Our production toolkit currently asks companies to think about their carbon emissions and waste, but we want to consider how we help productions think about the ecosystems they operate in and other impacts such as noise and light pollution, and whether they’re inadvertently causing damage to local habitats.
Statement from Arri
while helping to save resources and reduce emissions. Arri has a long history of giving back to the industry and these efforts are being continuously expanded. Through initiatives such as the Arri International Support Program, the Franz Wieser Grant, the Arri Support and Education Program and various festival sponsorships, Arri invests in the global film community – often favouring projects with an environmental or social focus. Sustainable measures can also be seen in how Arri fosters its workforce and constructs workspaces. Our state- of-the-art headquarters in Munich serve as inspiration to other Arri locations. Here, colleagues benefit from a pleasant, modern and functional workplace. From reusables in the kitchens, to solar panels on the roof, Arri is making a concerted effort to reduce its carbon footprint.
Helping to make productions more sustainable is vital. Below are a few examples of Arri’s commitment to positive social and environmental impact. For over 100 years, Arri has been known for producing products that stand the test of time. Our extended warranties, software updates and worldwide service centres reflect this commitment to quality and longevity. Under the recently expanded Arri Approved Certified Pre- Owned programme, second-hand camera and lighting equipment is completely refurbished and updated. This circular life cycle makes sense for our customers and the planet. Arri supports sustainability in film and television production by offering creative tools and solutions that can improve a project’s carbon footprint. Mixed-reality stages give creatives an efficient new platform from which to tell their stories,
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