Sustainability, design and the filming process

Sustainability is proving to be an important consideration for all aspects of working in the screen industries. And it’s possible to embed sustainability at every decision stage, from the choice of materials and power sources that are used to the way things are disposed of (or not).

This intersection of sustainability, design and filming process is something the panellists on a recent double bill of BAFTA practical resource sharing events ‘Frame the Future’ and ‘Set the Scene’ know all too well. So, here are some of the things that they have used in their own work which you can try too…

Taking a considered approach to the power sources that are used on set and where they come from is making a big difference. Cinematographer Mattias Nyberg says: “Sustainability is such a vast thing so we tried to figure out what can we as cinematographers specifically do on shoots and production. Eventually we honed in on power because obviously in lighting, camera, grip we consume a lot of power. We started a fact-finding mission and talked to lighting companies about what sustainable solutions they had i.e. batteries, hybrids etc… [and we] started to compile a list of every sustainable power solution we knew about that was available to hire.”

Pat McEnallay, founder of Green Kit adds “the range [of more sustainable power sources] is amazing” thanks to the “great innovators and great products” that are being developed. He also points to how their use can be creatively rewarding as well as helping the planet, commenting: “LED lights now are brilliant and you can do more… You can twist it be anything you want so you need half as many lights.”

Thinking about what will happen to the materials you choose to use on set after you are done is another way of having a big impact. Blair Barnette, production designer on You Were Never Really Here, explained how circular design, which means “anything that comes full circle”, is an empowering way to be more sustainable. She explains: “Often times when you are creating something you source the materials, you make what you’re doing, and you get rid of things and that’s where it ends. The circular economy is taking those items from something else that’s already been made and continuing its life on further… It’s not being wasteful and not letting something actively fall out of that circle, keeping your eyes on recycling and reusing those materials again and again.”

Molly Emma Rowe, costume designer on Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy says a lot of starting the sustainability journey on set is “realising that ultimately the film industry isn’t sustainable”. She says “I think accepting that and accepting that you can’t do everything is a huge step…and working out what you can do and what you want to do is really, really valuable and not having to get disheartened because we can’t make what we do fully sustainable.” For example, when working on the latest Bridget Jones she pulled things from the archives of previous films for Bridget to wear as well as sourcing select items from local charity shops that felt like something her character would actually do too.

Jackie Sweeney, hair and makeup designer on All Creatures Great & Small explains that for her “green choices and sustainable choices have to be about the products that we use and that then has to be in budget.” Working on a show that comes back series after series does have the benefit of meaning Sweeney and her team can to some extent hold stock to use again but she does say they make sure to “tilt towards companies that are UK based, companies that are very sustainable and we feel make good choices for actor’s skins and the environment”.

Tom Balkwill, founder of post-production company Dirty Looks, meanwhile reflects on how as “there is a shift” to looking for more sustainable solutions, innovative options have become available. For example he talks about a company called Heata which has “a product which they can send out to people’s houses which is basically a micro render farm that bolts to the side of your boiler and it can give you free hot water” by using the heat produced from rendering.

And cinematographer Gabi Norland urges us all to think about how using certain technologies can help the industry become more sustainable. She says: “I think where people can let go of having to be there – avoiding long haul flights and travel… that is something we can actually do… Maybe we have the technology to set up a really beautiful document and just hand the look of that bit of the project to someone in a different country.”

BAFTA is excited to be hosting the Green Light Season, a series of discussions and screenings designed to inspire content makers to take our collective commitment to sustainability to new heights. Through this season of activity, we’re asking for the industry’s help to explore how we can create TV and films that support an inclusive conversation about climate change where everyone feels part of the mission.

With thanks to our Official Partner Universal Production Music and our event supporter, Sunbelt Rentals UK. Listen to the official Green production music playlist.

Find out more.