How climate storytelling is being embedded in factual entertainment

Embedding climate storytelling in programmes is many things… it can be explicit, it can be subtle, it is most certainly nuanced, but above all it is important. Rising to the challenge of helping tell these stories are the producers behind a wave of factual entertainment shows that are entertaining, educating and informing all at the same time.

As part of BAFTA and BAFTA albert’s Green Light series, on sustainability in the industry, Tom Beck, Head of Live Events and Commissioning Editor, Reality & Entertainment at Channel 4, led a panel at Sheffield DocFest on how factual entertainment producers are finding creative and innovative ways to bring sustainability into their content without it feeling “preachy” or forced.

See what the panel, made up of; Charlotte Jacobs, Series Producer, Race Across the World, Susanne Rock, Executive Producer, Interior Design Masters, Tom Davies, Executive Producer, The Great British Sewing Bee, Emily Hudd, Co-founder, Bango Studios and Executive Producer, Joe Lycett vs series, and Nada Issa, Producer, Joe Lycett vs The Oil Giant had to say…

Producers across genres have become key drivers of climate storytelling in recent years, including in the world of factual entertainment. As a Commissioning Editor Beck says he has seen an “increasing thread in [what’s] being pitched” specifically when it comes to “content that delivers a meaningful message or plays some sort of role in societal change”.

Issa, a producer working on this kind of content, explains this is because: “We can’t afford not to tell these stories. These are important stories, they are impacting our lives and we just have to find a different medium or different form of telling that.”

But how does this look in practice? For Issa it “means we take the best of both worlds”. So, “[taking] the best in regards to the content or subject matter from investigative documentaries and current affairs and combining that with factual/ factual entertainment. And create this thing that brings you both worlds together, that engages people but is still delivering a key message that is so important… maybe that is the future of TV documentary”.

Executive Producer Hudd agrees: “It’s harder than it’s ever been to bring people to traditional TV. So, you have to go into untapped spaces and think about how you can combine comedy and investigative journalism, or lifestyle and climate change to engage people. Because it’s just not this is entertainment, this is reality, and this is factual entertainment.”

Stepping beyond the traditional climate narrative and weaving climate themes into entertainment is proving a particularly effective way of reaching mass audiences about an issue that affects us all. These factual entertainment programmes are rooted in humour, heart and human stories all of which help programme makers connect and spark meaningful change and conversation.

Series Producer Jacobs has seen the impact of this firsthand. She says: “I don’t think people are tuning in [to Race Across the World] because they want to watch a programme about climate change, it doesn’t feel like you are tuning in to get a political message out of it. I think there is a climate message that’s embedded, you don’t feel preached at, you don’t feel like you’re being taught something. But you feel like its forcing you to think about travel in a different way because its engaging and its exciting, oh and it’s really exciting for the planet to do it this way as a side note rather than being the focus point.”

Similarly, Executive Producers Davies and Rock have successfully used comedy as an effective engagement tool. Davies says: “With Sewing Bee the comedian sort of plays a slightly different role. I think it’s that thing of introducing the concept, or some environmental messages, and you don’t sit in it too long you kind of move quite quickly to show people the possibilities.” While Rock adds: “I think having comedians… who can get that point across in a very digestible way [means] it doesn’t feel like you’re being preached to but it is a very serious message.”

As Beck explains, embedding climate storytelling in our programmes offers “unique opportunities to say important things [and] engineer change”. Producers already leading the charge have found it’s not just about delivering the message but also about providing audiences with tangible ways to then take action.

Rock says: “upcycling furniture [as shown in Interior Design Masters] is so personal and so unique and it shows people it’s not just about doing your bit for the planet but it’s also creating something for your home… its aspirational as well as doing your bit.”

But offering audiences ways to take action also needs to come without judging.. As Hudd explains: “[With Joe vs] we’re constantly thinking about how can you do the exposition when you’ve got loads of dense data and stats… We’re constantly thinking about what the delivery mechanism is to make that messaging go in in an entertaining way that feels an easy access point, but also doesn’t ever make you feel guilty or ashamed about how you currently live your life.”

Issa adds: “People tend to be tuning out of watching current affairs or watching the news, they want something that’s a bit light, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be telling those hard hitting stories within a lighter entertainment format… it’s important that were telling these hard stories but it’s also important people watch, people engage and react.”

• The panel discussion: Sheffield Doc Fest BAFTA Presents: From Sofas to Solutions – How Popular Entertainment Is Inspiring Climate Action was part of BAFTA albert’s Green Light Season.

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.

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