Innovation is a priority

Since January 2015, every Dutch film project that receives a production grant from the Netherlands Film Fund can benefit from the know-how a complimentary Sustainability Manager can give them. Creative producer Els Rientjes helps producers green their films.

“Innovation is a priority for the Film Fund. And sustainability fits perfectly with innovation”, says Doreen Boonekamp, Director of the Netherlands Film Fund, which is one of the first film funding agency in Europe to takes this step.

The Sustainability Manager’s job is to offer practical support to producers who want to produce their films as sustainably as possible. Els Rientjes provides productions with advice and training, and she connects them with sustainable facilities, eco-conscious companies, and “greener” suppliers.

“Exchanging practical experience is a powerful incentive”, says Doreen Boonekamp. “We support producers by covering the salary of the Sustainability Manager, so they don’t have to hire one themselves. Producing sustainably can be cost neutral — or at least more cost efficient.”

Sustainable filmmaking was introduced in the Netherlands by the KORT! program in 2013 and 2014. Strawberry Earth’s Green Film Making Project invited filmmakers to produce short films in a sustainable way.

“The Dutch Film/TV industry recognizes sustainable film production and it’s headed in that direction. So, we expect that it’s going to be adopted by the majority of producers in the coming years”, emphasizes the Director of the Netherlands Film Fund, which is also developing a carbon footprint calculator. “This calculator will first of all serve as a guideline for sustainable production methods, and second, it will serve as a tool to obtain more information on green film production”, concludes Doreen Boonekamp. “In time, it can help develop a tool for productions to calculate their carbon footprint.”

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