Sustainability in Film and Television Production

In the early stages of production, it is important to determine the target outcome. Do funders require you to implement certain eco-measures? Will you use an environmental management system or a carbon footprint calculator to measure production emissions? Will you aim for certification, i.e. will you reduce the environmental and climate impacts also in practice? Will you comply with the Nordic Ecological Standard? Answering these questions guides resourcing. 

Manuscripts contain details that are central to the production implementation: in what kind of environment will the filming take place, and will you need a mountain of food or five horses, perhaps? Reading the manuscript from an eco-perspective helps you identify ways to improve the sustainability of production. 

While the methods can be production-based, the content can also be made more sustainable if the production and authors so wish: could you bring the story geographically closer or provide enough symbolism through cotton clouds and hobby horses? An external consultant (cf. sensitivity reader) can help with the ”eco-reading”, but the final decisions are made by those in charge of the production. 

Read more about developing the sustainability of content in the Avaus article. 

Sustainability On-screen

The most important decisions in all areas of production are made during pre-production, so the clearer the framework is for all decision-makers, the more likely the production is to achieve its sustainability objectives. The producer should discuss sustainability aspects immediately at the start of production with the director and the heads of departments. It is a good idea to also include the production manager or line producer as well as the location or catering managers whose choices directly affect the climate and environmental load of the production.  

Taking care of sustainability requires work, especially when aiming for certification or to comply with a standard, so hiring an eco-manager is often worth it. If a separate professional cannot be hired, it is recommended to appoint a responsible person or persons to coordinate environmental sustainability. It is important that the team knows who to contact for advice and support if necessary. As the work progresses, each department and professional will become more experienced, and the need for eco-support will likely decrease over time.  

If a carbon footprint calculator or other system is used in production, data collection is planned already in the pre-production stage. A preliminary emission inventory can also be carried out before filming. It is also important to discuss environmental sustainability in pre-planning with partners, such as equipment rental companies, accommodation and transportation services and post-production companies—their expertise can help in energy consumption, vehicles, procurement and recycling, among other things.  

The data is used to draw up an action plan for sustainability, or a green memo, which will be distributed to the team in the production information session. It presents concrete objectives and operating models for implementing environmental sustainability. If an eco-plan was already drawn up at the funding stage, it can now be specified. The production company can sign the green memo, which shows their commitment to the production objectives. Employee contracts may also refer to the sustainability objectives.  

It is a good idea to arrange orientation for the team before filming, for example in connection with the kickoff event. Communication about eco-actions throughout production ensures that everyone knows what to do and why. If the objectives include compliance with a standard, certification or calculating emissions, the filming period must meet certain quality standards and collect a wide range of data. 

At the filming stage, sustainability aspects often involve many practical matters (e.g. use of electric cars, recycling of materials and waste) and data collection (e.g. electricity consumption, waste volumes). When responsible persons have been appointed and communicated before filming, the team knows who to turn to during production with possible problems or questions, which in turn promotes the realisation of eco-plans. 

Environmental sustainability is also monitored in post-production, most often in the form of energy consumption, logistics and purchases. Data collected during previous production stages is checked and compiled for reporting or emission calculation. If the production has used a carbon footprint calculator, the data entered in the calculator is finalised. If the production has complied with a standard or is aiming for certification, the required information and proof must be submitted to the requesting parties. 

If a green memo was drawn up at the start of production, it is updated with a final green memo. It summarises how the targets were achieved and describes, for example, the final emissions from production. The report should be shared not only with the team but also with partners and funders. If a premiere or watch party is organised within the production’s framework, sustainability should also be considered in the arrangements, as it applies to the entire chain of production.