VIRTUAL PRODUCTION SUSTAINABILITY
far smaller than filming it all for real. For a successful VP shoot, you must tie in real physical elements, therefore you always need a traditional crew. However, the physical crowds and scale of on-location shooting are reduced, contributing to a more sustainable production,” he describes. GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS While there is a Studio Sustainability Standard delivered by BAFTA albert (with technical partner Arup), there are differences in how sustainability is measured and accounted for from country to country. For example, the benefit of choosing VP varies depending on the fuel mix of the grid. A VP in Sweden will be more sustainable than an identical one in Poland or Romania, for instance, due to the higher proportion of renewables on the grid in Sweden. “I believe BAFTA albert is working on ways to create a carbon calculator for VP, and that’s something we would welcome,” highlights Hoegh. “Carbon calculators, sustainability certifications and other frameworks and tools are being worked on by organisations like albert and the Producers Guild of America,” she adds. “These standards must consider the entire life cycle of production equipment.” Dimension says it carefully tracks employee travel and carbon
consumption. The company has partnered with Treeapp and, since working together, it has planted 12,330 trees, absorbed 2279 tonnes of CO2 and reforested 2.47 hectares of land. Alpe thinks there is exciting potential for a global standard that encourages productions to consider the sustainability benefits of VP: “I see this as being a compelling report to put in front of directors, clients and brands to gain internal buy-in and champion the sustainability gains available when utilising VP as a solid part of the production mix. By producing quantifiable numbers, this would make the case for VP over other methods (location shooting, green screen, post-
production-heavy workflows) that would be hard to ignore.” Having reliable third-party calculators that enable producers to understand the impact of various production methods would help them make informed decisions on scheduling and running their productions. Looking ahead, more research is needed to fully understand the carbon costs associated with the manufacture and disposal of LED panels. There are also calls for more funding for recycling and reuse of digital assets. “Training for producers and crew is the best way to drive awareness of the potential positive impact of VP,” says Hoegh. “Previs and techvis could be utilised alongside a carbon calculator to demonstrate how the time and efficiency savings could translate into greener production.” Garden Studios actively donates props and set materials for reuse. The organisation recognises that – since one of the goals of VP is to reduce sets and props – the overall impact may be limited, but there are still items that could benefit from a new life. Hoegh would love to see consistent engagement with the donation programme. “We’re here to make the process easier and more efficient, as we know how stressful strike time can be,” she concludes.
STITCH UP The LiveStitch system from CineArray makes stitched previews accessible by laptop, reducing transport needs
16
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
Powered by FlippingBook