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Play Your Way Into Production's Educational Resource Package

Sustainability and Climate Action

Logo University of Yo  SIGN's logo in purple and black with a glitch-looking on the left.On the right, in purple coloured font, a text reads "Screen Industries Growth Network".    One to One Development Trust logo in red and black colours.

Educational Resource Package

 Competency: Sustainability and Climate Action          Duration: 50 minutes approx.

MODULE OVERVIEW

It is very likely that you have heard about climate change and how it has already affected, and continues to affect, our planet, manifesting as shifts in the Earth's long-term weather patterns. The release of greenhouse gases, primarily from burning fossil fuels, intensifies the greenhouse effect, leading to rising global temperatures. These changes result in more frequent extreme weather events, disruptions to ecosystems, and a cascade of impacts affecting sea levels, biodiversity, and the overall health of our planet.

 

As climate concerns continue to escalate, the role of the screen industries in contributing to sustainable practices becomes increasingly significant. Addressing the relationship between climate change and the carbon footprint of our activities is essential for mitigating environmental impact, fostering industry-wide sustainability, and making the most of the influential platform of storytelling to raise collective awareness and drive positive change within the community. Recapping from what we explored in the game, here are a couple of examples showcasing opportunity for climate action:

 

While exploring the production set, you might have noticed that one of the objects on set is a reusable travel mug. We intentionally included this item, instead of a disposable paper cup, to exemplify small but meaningful actions that represent a step towards sustainability. This is an example of “editorial planet placement”, a strategy that will be explored throughout this module.

 

On the other hand, when Jo, the Production Assistant, overheard a conversation between Renee (Producer) and Firoz (Catering) in Scenario 8 Sustainability in the Workplace they were given different options to help improve the situation regarding waste and the use of plastic plates and cups that had not been recycled. Options where the player chose to recycle the disposables or message the producer with alternatives were definitely a better option over not doing anything and being indifferent to the problem. Unfortunately, although recycling is a strategy that helps reuse and repurpose resources like paper, plastic, and metal, more than half of the recycling gathered by the waste collection services in Northern countries, end up in landfill in the Global South, affecting especially marginalised communities. For this reason, our number one priority is avoiding the consumption of single-use plastic products, when possible, preventing more waste production.

Can you think of other aspects of sustainability portrayed in the game?

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this module, learners will have awareness of the environmental impact of production and postproduction activities within the Screen Industries. Through discussions, reflection, and practical exercises, they will have gained understanding of the importance of individual and collective climate action, so that they will be equipped with practical knowledge and tools to integrate sustainable approaches into their roles within film and television production.

 

OUTLINE

Section 1 – Screen industries meet climate science 101

The screen industries, including film, television, and other forms of media production, can contribute to climate change through various activities and processes associated with their operations. In 2022, one hour of film or TV produced generated 12.8 tons of CO2 emissions (tCO2e), this is the equivalent to 32 car round trips between Southampton in the very south of England, to Dundee in the north of Scotland! Some ways in which the screen industries impact the environment and contribute to climate change include:

 

Transportation – Cast and crew travel (especially air) and logistics including equipment, materials, etc.

 

Energy Consumption – During production on set with lights and equipment, data storage and streaming.

 

Resource Use – Set construction and materials, costume design, water.

 

Waste Generation – Disposal of set and props, food waste, litter.

 

Single-Use Items – Props, disposable plastics, and food packaging.

 

Ecological Disruption – filming locations in nature reserves or sensitive areas, noise pollution, and harm to animal species from meat-based catering to contamination of ecosystems.

 

Activity: Discuss and create a mind map with tangible ideas on how you could prevent, mitigate, or tackle these six contributors to climate change

 

Section 2 – Editorial Planet Placement and the power of storytelling

Besides contributing with climate action through everyday practice on and off set, Film and TV content has huge potential to influence the general population through “editorial planet placement”. Normalising the inclusion of climate science and behaviours as part of the narrative of a piece is a practical way to inform people about current issues as well as providing them with ideas on how to collectively tackle this environmental and humanitarian crisis.

One of the keys for successful editorial planet placement is to keep the content inspiring and solution-focused. It is more likely that audiences want to engage in climate action when they feel that change is possible, whereas if the theme is portrayed as huge and terrifying – which, let’s be honest, it is! – there are very few chances that people will confidently join the cause. Editorial planet placement does not necessarily mean making documentaries about the ongoing rising sea levels but creatively integrating everyday aspects of this into the narrative of a project.

 

Activity: The following summary and still images correspond to a scene of Episode 7 of Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy you drama series. After reflecting on the material, discuss different creative elements of the scene that were used for editorial planet placement.

 

The episode presents the main character (played by Coel) Arabella, a talented Black novelist, struggling to make ends meet, accepts a job in a small vegan grocery delivery company, Happy Animals. Even though the job consisted of administrative duties, the CEO – a young white man recently graduated from uni - removes Arabella from her duties and offers her double pay and cash upfront to be their new influencer, intended to show "diversity" and catch more clients through their social media channels.

Coel showcases a common unethical marketing strategy popularly known as greenwashing. This strategy consists of using alleged “eco-friendly, inclusive tactics” to attract consumers and augment a company’s profits without really contributing to tackling climate change nor benefiting those whom it affects the most, i.e., Black, Indigenous and Global Majority groups.

 

A still image of Arabella, a slim Black woman with dark long hair, on an elevator holding a mobile phone, facing the camera. The woman wears a black top with a Champion logo and red sweat pants. Behind the woman, there is a glass window and a landscape visible through it. The elevator walls are white.  A still image of Arabella, a slim Black woman with dark long hair, sitting on an office chair while answering the phone in front of a computer. The woman is wearing a black top with a Champion logo and red sweat pants. In the background, a white woman sits next to the first woman while also speaking on the phone. The subtitles read Hello, this is Happy Animals, we're a vegan grocery delivery service.

A mid-close up shot of a company CEO, a white man with short hair wearing a brown shirt, looking and pointing towards the left. In the background, we see the white wall and a book shelf with document binders.The subtitles read "Yeah, your details were on our database."  A still image of Arabella, a slim Black woman with dark long hair and a black top talking to the company CEO, a white man with short hair wearing a brown shirt looking and pointing towards the left. Behind Arabella we see a big studio lamp. On the left, we see part of a white company banner with two avocado halves next to each other, and below it reads "ppy imals" in light pink colour, as the company name is Happy Animals. The subtitles read "Emily, can we, erm,"

A full shot of Arabella, a slim Black woman with dark long hair, a black top under a pink merch t-shirt that displays the company logo "Happy Animals" and red trousers speaking to Emily, a photographer in front of her. The photographer, a tall, white woman with dark blonde hair, wears a thin striped long sleeve shirt and black jeans, talks to the CEO on her right. The company CEO, a white man with short hair wearing a brown shirt with crossed arms looking to the left to the photographer. On Arabella's right we see a big studio lamp, on her left we see a couple of stands, one of them holding a mobile phone thatis being used to take photos. In the middle, behing Arabella, a long white company banner with the logo consisting two avocado halves next to each other, and below it reads "happy animals" in light pink colour.The subtitles read "Would you mind if we do, like, a quick ten-second video?"  A Mid-close up shot of Emily, the photographer, a white woman with dark blonde hair, wears a thin striped shirt talking. Behind her, blurry windows with a lot of incoming light. The subtitles read "And would you mind doing like, a few more?"

A mid-close up to a computer screen displaying data on race and conspicuous consumption, showing differences for Black and non white consumers. The subtitles read "The thing I miss most after the complete ecological..."  A full shot of Arabella, a slim Black woman with dark long hair, a black top under a pink merch t-shirt that displays the company logo "Happy Animals" and red trousers sitting on a chair, smiling and posing for a photo shoot session. Emily, a photographer in front of her, a white woman with dark blonde hair, wears a thin striped long sleeve shirt and black jeans, while takes a picture of Arabella with a mobile phone on a stand. The company CEO, a white man with short hair wearing a brown shirt with his hands in his pockets looking to the left to the photographer. On Arabella's right we see a big studio lamp, on her left we see a couple of stands, one of them holding a mobile phone thatis being used to take photos. In the middle, behing Arabella, a long white company banner with the logo consisting two avocado halves next to each other, and below it reads "happy animals" in light pink colour.The subtitles read "Maybe a live stream tomorrow? Great"

Still images from I May Destroy You (Coel 2020), EP 7- Happy Animals showing greenwashing through planet placement.

 

CALL TO ACTION!

Pledge for sustainable film and tv production

A great way to get your sustainable practice journey started is to make informed decisions and write a realistic plan to decrease your carbon footprint. Will you join the cause?

  1. Head to C Level’s free carbon calculator tool, input hypothetical data for a fictional production and estimate the carbon footprint of your project.
  2. Record your results; according to C Level, what is your carbon footprint equivalent to?
  3. Based on the estimated tCO2m of your production, write a short statement pledging to reduce your footprint with tangible strategies such as production and editorial planet placement, virtual production, and carbon offsetting.

 

EXTERNAL RESOURCES

Have you heard of albert? albert is a UK-based initiative developed by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and partner organisations focused on promoting environmental sustainability within the film and television industries. albert offers free training and toolkits for industry professionals in diverse roles and at any stage of their career, and even provides sustainable production certifications, recognised worldwide.