Film and high-end TV productions filming in Wales over next 12 months encouraged to participate
The BFI and BAFTA albert have announced today that Wales has been selected to put environmental sustainability recommendations for screen production into action in Screen New Deal: Transformation Plan.
The initiative is a follow-up to the Screen New Deal report released in 2020, which explored the carbon impact of the film production sector and proposed a practical route forward for scripted film, high-end TV drama and studio-based productions to reach a zero-carbon, zero-waste future, aligned with net zero and science-based targets. The BFI's National Lottery Research and Statistics Fund supported the Screen New Deal report which was produced by leading global engineering and design firm specialist Arup with BAFTA albert, the leading screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability and the BFI. The BFI's Research and Statistics Fund has now awarded up to £80,000 National Lottery funding for the Transformation Plan project as the next phase of work.
Through the Screen New Deal: Transformation Plan, the BFI, BAFTA albert and Arup are working with Creative Wales, Ffilm Cymru Wales and Clwstwr to conduct localised data collection and mapping. This will identify film and HETV-related services which already exist in the area, highlight service gaps and advance the creation of a location-based transformation plan to decarbonise TV and film production.
The first 12 months will focus on data collection followed by the development of the transformation plan over the following six months. Data and learnings gathered during the mapping and creation of the plan will be shared with other UK screen clusters looking to achieve zero-carbon and zero-waste in order to support the production sector more broadly. The 18-month programme will deliver the transformation plan by mid-2023.
Minister for the Creative Industries, Julia Lopez, said: “It is great to see work being done to help our world-class film and television industries become more environmentally friendly. I look forward to seeing how the pioneering research carried out in Wales can benefit productions being filmed across the whole of the UK.”
Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden, said: “‘I am delighted that this pioneering sustainable research project for the screen industry run by the BFI and BAFTA Albert has been secured to Wales, following a successful bid from Creative Wales with delivery partners Ffilm Cymru and Clwstwr. As part of our Programme for Government, we are committed to supporting action that reduces our carbon footprint across the economy, and look forward to working with established screen stakeholders across Wales including production companies, public sector broadcasters, studios and the industry supply chain. The data gathered will be invaluable in helping us forge a path to secure a zero-carbon, zero-waste and a stronger, fairer, greener future for the industry here and across the UK.”
Harriet Finney, the BFI's Deputy CEO and Director of Corporate & Industry Affairs, said: “A Screen New Deal provided a route-map to help the production sector reduce carbon emissions and waste. Producers and funders are looking for solutions to help them meet their net-zero targets however the fast-paced and peripatetic nature of production is challenging for individual productions trying to find how that they can achieve that. Taking this work across a screen ‘cluster’ will develop practical and sustainable outcomes that can work for all productions and help reduce the sector's carbon footprint.”
Carys Taylor, Director of BAFTA albert, said: “We’re really excited to roll out this next phase of the Screen New Deal project in Wales.. The TV and Film production industry has an unparalleled opportunity to be the catalyst of change, both in front and behind the camera, and I’m delighted this collaboration will be spearheading the exploration of practical, location-based solutions for decarbonizing TV and film production.”
Creative Wales, Ffilm Cymru Wales and Clwstwr champion environmental sustainability across their activities and have generated a high amount of buy-in across the country from studios, producers and suppliers. Their commitment to sustainability combined with the high concentration of studios and the scale of production scheduled to take place in 2022 will ensure that a rich dataset could be gathered and a detailed transformation plan produced.
Because the speed of film production does not allow individual productions to seek out individual solutions, the transformation plans will create sustainable infrastructure measures that film productions can access as they are moving around the country.
Data gathering and the development of the transformation plan will comprise a range of activities including all productions being asked to measure their carbon footprints; encouraging suppliers to share their data on energy and travel; and stimulating the creation of new products and services such as reuse networks. There is also potential for cross-sector sharing of certain resources such as reuse networks which may be useful to theatres, galleries and the hospitality and events sector.
The Cardiff Capital Region is the UK’s third largest audio-visual media sector after Greater London and Manchester.[1] Outside of London, the region boasts one of the biggest concentrations of studios in the UK with Bad Wolf’s Wolf Studios, Dragon Studios, Great Point Seren Stiwdios and BBC Drama Studios in Roath Lock. It has a number of leading production services and post-production services including Real SFX, Location Solutions, 4Wood, ADF, Dragon DI, Bang, Gorilla, Cinematic, Bait VFX, Streamland Media and Painting Practice. Film and television productions made in Wales include Dream Horse, Willow, Sex Education, War of the Worlds, His Dark Materials and Doctor Who.
Gerwyn Evans, Deputy Director of Creative Wales, said: “We welcome the news that Creative Wales has been successful in winning this bid, and thank the BFI and albert for developing such an important opportunity for the industry in Wales, the UK and beyond. Developing sustainable production practices across Wales is a top priority for us, and together with all delivery partners we are excited to build and consolidate on the great work already being done in Wales, and set a path to realise the project’s ambitious goals.”
Professor Justin Lewis, Director of Clwstwr, said: We are thrilled to be announced as a pilot cluster to research and develop (R&D) a localised transformational plan for the media production sector in Wales. In recent years, Clwstwr has supported a number of green R&D projects in the screen sector focusing on carbon footprint reduction and lower environmental impact – there is no shortage of ideas or willing from Welsh creative innovators. And this important work will further Clwstwr’s ambition to see Wales at the forefront of efforts to move media production towards net zero and to be a true leader in green media production.”
Pauline Burt, Chief Executive of Ffilm Cymru Wales, added “This partnership of aligned interests, coupled with in-depth research and understanding, offers genuine opportunity to significantly advance environmental practice in our screen sector. For Ffilm Cymru's part we are committed to ensuring that the approach works for all company sizes and for professionals at any stage of their careers, whilst building upon complementary offers that have already been secured for Wales including seed and scale-up funding for products and services that support green working practice, which Ffilm Cymru manages on behalf of its collaborators as part of its Green Cymru programme."
[1] The media sector in the Cardiff Capital Region - driving economic growth through audiovisual activities https://clwstwr.org.uk/clwstwr-creative-industries-report-no-2-media-sec...
ENDS
Media enquiries:
BFI
Tina McFarling, Head of Corporate & Industry Communications
[email protected] / +44 (0)20 7957 4797 / +44 (0)7879 421 578
albert
Genevieve Margrett, Communications Manager, albert
[email protected]
Accompanying photo from The Arborist – Dir. Clare Sturges. Photo credit: Tom Sparey
A Screen New Deal – a Route Map to Sustainable Film Production was published by the BFI in partnership with albert and Arup and can be read here. Green matters – Environmental sustainability and film production which drew together evidence and first-hand experience from industry practitioners, was published in February and can be read here. Both reports were funded by the BFI’s Research and Statistics Fund awarding funds from the National Lottery.
The BFI
We are a cultural charity, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image. Our mission is:
To support creativity and actively seek out the next generation of UK storytellers
To grow and care for the BFI National Archive, the world’s largest film and television archive
To offer the widest range of UK and international moving image culture through our programmes and festivals - delivered online and in venue
To use our knowledge to educate and deepen public appreciation and understanding
To work with Government and industry to ensure the continued growth of the UK’s screen industries
Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter.
The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Tim Richards.
BAFTA albert
albert is the leading screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability.
Founded in 2011, albert supports the Film and TV industry to reduce environmental impacts of production and to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future.
The BAFTA-owned, industry-backed organisation offers online tools and training, events, practical guidance and thought leadership to all screen industry professionals to help them identify and act upon opportunities on and off screen which can lead to effective climate action.
Arup
Arup is the creative force at the heart of many of the world’s most prominent projects in the built environment and across industry. Working in more than 140 countries, the firm’s designers, engineers, architects, planners, consultants and technical specialists work with our clients on innovative projects of the highest quality and impact. www.arup.com
Creative Wales
Creative Wales is a Welsh Government internal agency that supports the development of the fast-growing creative industry in Wales. We focus on developing and promoting growth across the Screen, Digital, Music and Publishing sectors, positioning Wales as one of the best places in the world for creative businesses to thrive. Our organisation continually invests in developing infrastructure and creative businesses, whilst building on continued success, identifying opportunities and actively promoting diversity and equality across the industry. We are passionate about supporting home-grown talent and attracting international creative projects to Wales. In doing so, we are strengthening the industry in the long term and creating exciting opportunities for future generations".
(translation)
Mae Cymru Greadigol yn un o asiantaethau mewnol Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n cefnogi datblygiad y diwydiant creadigol sy'n tyfu'n gyflym yng Nghymru. Rydym yn canolbwyntio ar ddatblygu a hyrwyddo twf ar draws y sectorau Sgrin, Digidol, Cerddoriaeth a Chyhoeddi, gan leoli Cymru fel un o'r lleoedd gorau yn y byd i fusnesau creadigol ffynnu. Mae ein sefydliad yn buddsoddi'n barhaus mewn datblygu seilwaith a busnesau creadigol, tra'n adeiladu ar lwyddiant parhaus, gan nodi cyfleoedd a hyrwyddo amrywiaeth a chydraddoldeb ar draws y diwydiant. Rydym yn angerddol am gefnogi talent cynhenid a denu prosiectau creadigol rhyngwladol i Gymru. Wrth wneud hynny, rydym yn cryfhau'r diwydiant yn y tymor hir ac yn creu cyfleoedd cyffrous i genedlaethau'r dyfodol.
Clwstwr
Clwstwr is a five-year programme to create new products, services and experiences for screen. Clwstwr builds on South Wales' success in making creative content by putting research and development (R&D) at the core of production, creating a culture of innovation in the cluster which is moving the screen sector from a position of strength to one of international leadership. It is led by Cardiff University in partnership with the University of South Wales and Cardiff Metropolitan University. Clwstwr is funded by the Creative Industries Clusters Programme, which is part of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, and Creative Wales.
Ffilm Cymru Wales
Ffilm Cymru Wales is the development agency for Welsh film. We are dedicated to advancing and sustaining a strong film industry for Wales; one that we can all be proud to call our own. We do this by providing funding and training to emerging and established Welsh filmmakers, offering exciting cinematic experiences to audiences across Wales, engaging people of all ages and abilities in creative learning, and developing new skills and career paths for people through a range of training programmes. Recent credits include Dream Horse, Censor, Eternal Beauty, The Feast / Gwledd, I Am Not a Witch and Ethel & Ernest.
About BAFTA
BAFTA – the British Academy of Film and Television Arts - is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – which includes workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the UK, USA and Asia – BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For more, visit www.bafta.org. BAFTA is a registered charity (no. 216726).
