The drivers of change

At the panel discussion Sustainability in Series: Change is challenging which Green Film Shooting organized in cooperation with the Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein and MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg during the 66th Berlin International Film Festival, producers, directors, production managers as well as film commissioners shared their experiences and expertise with green productions.

 

In Great Britain, hundred crew members of the long-running TV soap opera Coronation Street participated in the Carbon Literacy courses. „Consequently, every area of our production has changed. The renewing process has been very creative. We have taken the show apart“, reports Dan Jackson, Production Manager of Coronation Street. „We looked at every single part of how we make it and put it back together again and that is because we trained this people.“

 

Technology is changing all the time, particularly the creative side. „The LED lightening market for drama wasn‘t not any way near where it is now“, states the production manager. „We are trying to make the business case to get more investment from the networks so that we can continue to go green and support these industries as they are growing. We need to be returning some of the investment that they are making into this research back into their own industry so that it grows.“

 

In Italy, Alessandro Bonifazi, produced with his company Blue Film the documentary Sul Vulcano in a sustainable way while Belgian producer Charlotte Van Hassel went green for the first time when she produced the feature film Black. „In the beginning when I saw the carbon calculator, I thought it is a lot of administration but it wasn‘t like that. It was really easy“, emphasizes Charlotte Van Hassel.

 

For Nevina Satta, CEO Sardegna Film Commission, it is not an option to go green or not to go green. „We are an island and efficiency is a need of every single citizen“, she stresses. If a huge film set is abandoned and a lot of trash is left behind on the beach, it affects the tourists season and destroys the reputation of the audiovisual industry. „Film Commisions are dealing with communities. The films sets go away but the Film Commissioner stays“, says Nevina Satta. „We can also change the way we offer services to producers. We just don‘t give grants.“

 

Joanna Gallardo, adviser of the French consortium Ecoprod, explains the Ecoprod Charter which was launched for audiovisual companies such as suppliers and studios. „We need to tackle all the aspects of the audiovisual sector and not sensibilize not only the producer but also the provider“, underlines Joanna Gallardo. Therefore, Ecoprod is organizing workshops and conferences where the various companies can exchange new sustainable innovations which they are going to bring on the market.

 

„Technology is on our side“, enhances Belgian director Nic Balthazar. Often, being sustainable and environmental-friendly means using less energy what comes down to less costs. „We are important as leaders of opinion“, concludes the filmmaker. "We should be the drivers of change and I think we can also do that in a positive manner.“

 

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