A Screen New Deal: a route map to sustainable film production

ascreennewdeal aroutemaptosustainablefilmproduction contents Thisreporthasbeenproducedasacollaborationbetweenalbert,theBFIandArupbetweenNovember2019andJuly2020.TheprojectwasfundedbytheBFIResearchandStatisticsFund,whichissupportedbyNationalLotteryfunding,andArup. Aseriesofstakeholderengagementactivitiesandproductiondataanalysisidentifiedrelevantopportunitiesforthefilmproductionindustrytooperatemoresustainably.Theseopportunitieshavethenbeendistilledintoavisionandsetof recommendationstosupporttheindustryintakingstepstowardsamoresustainablefuture. Wewouldliketothankallcontributorsfortheirinsightandadvice. Tofindmoreinsightsaroundsustainablefilmproduction,visitinspire.driversofchange.com Formoreinformation,pleaseemailforesight@arup.com forewords03 executivesummary04 methodology05 introduction06 settingthescene06 planningforsustainability10 dataanalysis11 vision13 opportunities16 productionmaterials17 energyandwater24 studiobuildingsandfacilities31 studiositesandlocations38 productionplanning45 recommendations52 conclusion58 acknowledgementsandreferences60 executivesummary forewords AaronMatthews HeadofIndustrySustainability,albert In2019theClimateChangeActwasamendedtolegislatefornetzeroemissionsintheUKby2050.Itmeansthateverysector,includingtheFilmIndustrywillberequiredtomakesignificantchangestomeetthisstatutorytarget. Atalbertwehavelongunderstoodthesignificantcontributionthatstudioandlocationfilminghasontheenvironmentalimpactofthefilmandtelevisionindustry.Thisstudyshinesalightonthesystemicchangesrequiredtoalterthattrajectory.Theinnovationneededwillbemadepossibleiftheindustrycanuniteincollaborationandopennesswithasharedvisionforthefuture. Asweemergefromaworldwidelockdownandtrytorestartourindustry,theideaofintroducingcomplexchangesmightfeeloverwhelming,butthisisexactlytherighttimetorethinkourprocesses.Byengagingwiththechallengenow,wecantakeadvantageofthelongamortisationandleadtimesinvolvedininfrastructurechange.Butthemostexcitingopportunityisforthefilmcommunitytoleadbyexamplewithapositive,impactfultransformationthatbreedsinnovationandhopeforthefuture. Thefilmindustryinspires,influences,motivatesandentertainsmillionsofpeopleworldwide,butthere’sanenvironmentalcosttothis;everyfeaturefilmwemakeproducesthousandsoftonnesofcarbon.It’sanimpactwecannolongerignore,wehavetoactnow.Weneedtobuildanindustrythatworksmoreefficiently,creativelyandcollaboratively.Weneedtotakethatpositive,transformationalstorythatwesoeasilycreateinfictionandmakeitourreality.Willyoujoinus?■ TimSnelson AssociateDirector,Arup Manypeopledon’tthinktwiceabouttheenvironmentalimpactofwhatweconsumeonourtelevisions,mobiledevicesorcinemascreens.Theconnectionbetweenwhatwewatchandtheenormouseffortthatgoesintoitscreationistoocomplexandwell-hidden formostaudiencestorealise.Thismustchangeurgently,andArupisproudtosupportalbert,TheNationalLotteryandBFIintheirongoingeffortstodoso. Ourstudyhighlightsthecomplexity,urgencyandimportanceofmoresustainableandresource-efficientapproachestofilmproduction.Whenwethinkaboutthefutureofstudiosandfilm productionwefaceadilemma.Whattrendsandinnovationsreallymattertous?Andhowcanweachievechangeacrossanindustrythatiscomplexandhighly-dependentonasetoftrustedroutinesandpractices?Wearguethiscomplexityisanopportunity,achancetolookatradicalnewideasandtolearnfrominnovationinotherindustries.SolvingthesustainabilitychallengewillbeacompetitiveadvantagethattheUKproductionindustryshouldpursuecollectivelyandwithaclearvision. Innovationtodayisnotjustaboutmakingindividualthingsfasterandbetter.Climatechange,globalisation,digitaltransformation,andenvironmentaldegradationareallsystemicchallenges.Itisalsothetransformationofman-madesystemswheretheanswerstothesechallengeslie.Studiosandfilmproductionareoneofthesecomplexsystems,wherethepotentialforchangeishuge.Yettotransformitwillrequireallofustoworktogetherasone.From thepeopleprovidingtheenergythatrunssets,tothoseconsumingcontentallovertheworld.Let’stryandtransformtogether.■ HarrietFinney DirectorofExternalAffairs,BFI Thisstudyarrivesatwhatisanunparalleledmomentforfilmandtelevisionproductionaroundtheworld.ItwascommissionedpriortotheCOVID-19pandemicandtheimpactthatishavingonourindustryandourlives,andisbeingpublishedaswestarttodevelopnewwaysofworkingonsetandonlocation,ateverystepofproduction.Wearegrapplingwithanundeniableperiodofchangeinourindustrybuttheimpactsofclimateemergencyarerightbeforeallofus. OurevidencereviewGreenmatters-Environmentalsustainabilityandfilmproduction:anoverviewofcurrentpracticeprovidedasnapshotofUKfilmproductionactivityandthekindsofleversthatcouldhelpchangebehaviourinproduction–ifyouhaven’tlookedatthisyet,mayIencourageyoutodoso.Ascreennewdeal:aroutemaptosustainablefilm production,producedbybuiltenvironmentspecialistsArup,takesthatworkfurther,providingablueprintforthefilmecosystem,mappingoutdesignandoperationalrecommendations,providinginformationaboutthenewservices,materialsandknowledgerequiredtoachievemoresustainableproduction.Casestudiesrevealboldideas,showinghowchangeishappening. Sh