A question of awareness

The directed application of resources and cost efficiency are key issues in the Film/TV industry. But when it comes down to implementing sustainable measures that also introduce cost-savings, most industry representatives are unfamiliar with it. The source of this information is a survey that Green Film Shooting conducted in cooperation with the German Producers Alliance and professional Film/TV associations.

 

Although the use of renewables, waste separation, train trips, carpooling, the avoidance of disposable dishes as well as the consumption of local food are already established practices in the everyday routines of ordinary life, these Best Practices are not being utilized on the set because they don‘t fit into the routine workflows. „The time pressure to stay on schedule, then higher costs, changing routines, and the lack of a responsible supervisor all make implementation difficult“, says Oliver Damian, who produces international feature films such as Iron Sky with 27 Films Production.

 

„It wasn‘t that bad“, assures Berlin-based producer Doris Zander, who checked out green shooting when she produced the courtroom drama Nacht der Angst for ZDF. „If the production manager or the location manager are informed and show interest, then the rest of the crew picks up green practices.“ At Cologne-based Sony Pictures Film and TV Production, TV series were slated to go green in May 2014. „We are permanently enlarging our package of measures”, says Aurel Beck, Fiction Line Producer at Sony Pictures, which has already produced five climate-friendly TV series, which amounts to about 470 shooting days. „The most important issue is to raise sustainable production awareness among all the members of the team“, says Antje Campmann, Executive Producer at Riverside Entertainment, who is in charge of green production measures.

 

„Up until now, productions have permitted unlimited wastefulness, like using paper cups in catering or throwing out renewable resources after production wraps. It‘s happening not only in production offices but in the creative departments, as well, like production and costume design. The time pressure is immense“, admits costume designer Riccarda Merten-Eicher, who suggests that the whole crew should take a sustainability course before the start of production.

 

For some make-up artists, green thinking and acting is a matter of course. „Sustainable measures are no longer an option but simply an absolute necessity nowadays“, says the Munich-based make-up artist SanDee Kreinsen, who developed her own product line which, of course, reflects her requirements: environmentally friendly production, recyclable packaging, and natural cosmetics that are HD-compatible. According to her, it’s only natural that people should bring their own cups to the film set.

 

„If I were a producer, I’d already be producing climate-neutrally because there are plenty of examples to show that it works“, says Berlin-based make-up artist Julia Baumann. „I try to be as green as possible. I haven’t used any plastic cups from catering for years. That’s where it starts! Instead of a goodbye present for all the members of the crew, how about handing out a welcome gift — a refillable thermos cup!“

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