Panel discussions at Green Tec Day

At the Green Tec Day, hosted by the German Association of Film and TV Technicians (VTFF) at the Jofa Studios in Berlin-Adlershof on the occasion of the Berlin International Film Festival on February 20, manufacturers and rental houses are presenting advanced solutions for sustainable film production at the 1.300 sq m stage. The green event for film and TV professionals will also feature two panel discussions with industry representatives who will give an insight into their new developments.

The first panel discussion is about the ecological benefit of resource efficient production tools, ranging from analogue over digital to mixed reality. There is a broad bandwidth of options that can be used to produce film and TV productions more ecofriendly. It starts with planning at an early stage, that requires information and communication. The use of resources can be managed efficiently as Roman Russo, creator of the Green Tool Box, and Florian Reimann, Managing Director of Yamdu will point out.

The German cinematographer Dedo Weigert, two-times winner of the Technical Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, developed the Dedolight more than thirty years ago. The optical principle of the dual lens concept allows enhanced light output, tighter focusing range, and more even light and color distribution. Over the course of the years, this innovation has been developed much further and made the transfer into the LED world with the Dedolight DLED Turbo Series.

Jens Telchow will share information about diewattkiste , a 5 kW mobile power bank that is built-in a flight case. Ernst Feiler, Managing Director of German rental house Kamera Ludwig, will give insight into new solutions that provide zero-emission power for film productions. Katja Köster will point out the options that a mixed reality studio offers. The Berlin-based LEDcave already hosted the Hollywood production Tár starring the Academy-Award winning actress Cate Blanchett.

The panel discussion "Energy Transition on set: Price, Practicability and Problem-solving" is focusing on mobile battery storage units. Regardless if is the energy demand is small, medium or large – there is always an alternative that can be used instead of the classic diesel generator. Jens Duwe from Lichthaus Berlin will share the experiences with the Stage V Hybrid System, that is continously in use on RTL’s successful series Good Times, Bad Times. The Ecobaze offered by Mobilespace, works on the same principle as Moritz Kromer will explain. The 100 kVA generator powered the production base when German director Chritian Petzold shot the Berlinale competition film Afire.

Roel Bleumer, co-founder of the Dutch startup company Volta Energy  provides a solar-powered generator, which is equipped by an HVO-powered backup. Hydrotreated vegetable oils are also used for the backup generator of the Filmhybrid 30/60, which is developed by the newly founded company kemama. An advantage is that an asymmetrical load connected to the output won’t affect the three input phases as Niels Maier, CEO of Maier Bros., will point out. The Swiss company Cinegreen, co-founded by DoP Maher Malek, presents mobile power storage units, that have the advantage of preventing an unbalanced load of three-phase output from occuring.

The panel discussions are moderated by Birgit Heidsiek, Publisher of Green Film Shooting. The Green Tec Day takes place on February 20 from 10 am to 6 pm at the Johannisthaler Filmatelier, Groß-Berliner Damm 83a, 12487 Berlin. Admission is free for all visitors of the Green Tec Day and the shuttle service, which is provided between the Berlinale and the Line Producer Brunch to the Jofa Studio.

Photos: © GFS, diewattkiste, Lichhaus, Volta Energy