ROUND TABLE
PDC: Greater cooperation for sustainability across all aspects of the production journey will certainly happen, and this will help energise more people to make greater efforts on sustainability. Technological advancements in renewable power generation and storage (ie solar film rather than big PV cells) will make onsite power generation easier too. However, advancements in virtual production and further digitalisation of the production process will also bring challenges in terms of power usage and sustainable digitalisation, which must be addressed. Def: As we look towards the future of sustainability in film production, what would be your call to action for filmmakers, industry stakeholders and audiences? FP: Achieving a more sustainable film industry is a shared goal that benefits everyone. It’s important that, as an industry, we collaborate and work together to achieve it. It’s not going to be easy and we don’t have all the answers yet, but regardless of that, it’s important that we focus now on taking steps in the right direction. It’s essential that filmmakers and other industry stakeholders don’t work in isolation, but instead draw on all available expertise and support – of which there is plenty. Crucially, filmmakers and content providers can do more than simply reduce the impact of productions to achieve net zero. They also have an important role to play in both raising awareness of and engaging audiences with the sustainability agenda. Media has the power to shape beliefs and change behaviour, and if the film and media industry harnesses this power, it could generate positive change on a global scale.
CHANGE MAKER Film and TV can foster progress through both its practices and messaging
BB: Neal Romanek from The Flint gives some great advice: “Of course, the most sustainable footage is the footage you don’t shoot at all. Plan ahead. Take your time. As they say, ‘Measure twice, shoot once.’” I would suggest that filmmakers seriously consider shooting at or near the resolution they are going to master in, since this can have a hidden but real impact on energy and thus their carbon footprint. If you are delivering in 4K, then don’t shoot in 6K or 8K – and choose an efficient codec instead of either Raw or low-compression if the pictures look good enough. However, the biggest impact that the industry can have is by not demanding
the latest, greatest thing. We have cameras in our fleet that were leading- edge 4K cameras when new, but which no one wants to rent any more. We know this is the way that the industry works, but it is really wasteful. We have been asking manufacturers to build circular thinking into their strategies, offering upgrades to equipment models (by upgrading sensors and PCBs, rather than entire units), but they have not been receptive to this idea. Although we have managed to cut our own carbon emissions by 50% in just three years, still some 90% of our emissions derive from capital expenditure (Scope 3 emissions) of the cameras, lenses, lighting and grip etc that we buy for stock, yet we have no control over this. We want to give our clients what they want, so until they want to become more climate aware in their equipment choices, then the cycle of new products, new demand, new purchases and more waste will continue. I am not a doomsayer – or an Eeyore! – but that’s the reality of our business. PDC: Look up!
THE MOST SUSTAINABLE FOOTAGE IS the footage you don’t shoot. PLAN AHEAD AND take your time ”
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