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Posted on 20th May 2025

Education Partnership Spotlight: Sustainability Meets Sobriety in The Snakebite Anthology

Case Study, Climate Content, Culture & Capability, Education, Sustainable Production

University of Sunderland MA students Morgan Williams and Nikta Faraz Moeinfaraz use creative collaboration and sustainable filmmaking to tell deeply personal stories.

Morgan Williams and Nikta Faraz Moeinfaraz, both MA Film Production students, joined forces to produce The Snakebite Anthology – a pair of short films with interwoven themes of addiction, trauma, and redemption. What makes the project even more impressive is how it seamlessly integrates sustainability into both the storytelling and the production process.

The anthology consists of The Cobra Effect, written and directed by Morgan, and The Birth of the Rattlesnake, led by Nikta. Both films explore the consequences of alcoholism, each told through a distinct lens but connected by overlapping characters and settings.

Morgan’s film follows a man quietly battling addiction while trying to reconnect with his estranged daughters, while Nikta’s film depicts a woman who kills someone while drink-driving and is forced to face both the external and internal fallout. Despite beginning with separate ideas, the two students realised the themes aligned. “It just made sense to bring them together,” says Nikta. “Everything fit naturally. We hardly had to change the scripts.”

Both students were introduced to BAFTA albert through their MA course, and for Nikta – who came to the UK from Iran – it was eye-opening. “I didn’t know anything about albert before arriving. Back home, these conversations just aren’t happening,” she says. “Now, I can’t imagine making a film without thinking about the environmental impact.”

Together, they committed to embedding sustainable practices throughout the production – not just as a learning exercise, but as a personal responsibility.

One of their first decisions? Going completely paperless. “There was a bit of pushback at first,” Morgan admits. “People were worried about working without printed call sheets or scripts. But once we got going, everyone realised how much easier it was. Everything was up to date, digital, and accessible.”

They also made strategic choices around transport and location. Rather than travel long distances for filming, they scouted local spots and even shot multiple scenes in one house, creatively redressed to appear as two. “We’d film one room for one character’s home, another for someone else’s, and even reversed staircase shots to differentiate them,” says Morgan. “It was a logistical and environmental win.”

Shooting on a tight budget, they quickly discovered that sustainability often aligns with practicality. By limiting vehicle use, consolidating kit transport, and walking between set and storage, they not only reduced emissions but saved money. “Our base was my house,” says Nikta. “We stored gear there, and many scenes were just a few minutes’ walk away.”

Costumes and props were sourced through reuse and sharing, with costumes often provided by cast members. “We even reused alcohol bottles across both films,” Nikta laughs. “Nothing went to waste.”

The students also used water-based products for fake blood on the set of ‘The Birth of The Rattlesnake’ to prevent any harmful residue being left at the locations. Additionally, they had two ash spreading scenes in ‘The Cobra Effect’, in which they used wood ashes as a natural fertiliser.

In terms of kit, they opted for LED lighting over energy-intensive tungsten setups and questioned every piece of equipment. “Do we really need this? Or do we just want it?” became a guiding mantra.

Pre-production meetings were all held remotely. “It’s such a simple shift, but it cuts your footprint massively,” Morgan says. “People assume sustainability is about big gestures, but it’s often the small choices that stack up.”

Though the films aren’t explicitly about the environment, the students found subtle ways to reflect the world around them. A fictional news ticker in The Cobra Effect references flooding in Spain – a real-world climate issue that grounds the fictional story.

“Not including the climate feels like science fiction now,” Morgan says. “It’s our reality – even if it’s not the focus of the plot, it’s still happening around the characters.”

They also layered in audio cues and background media to reinforce the theme. “If you listen closely during The Birth of the Rattlesnake, you’ll hear environmental news playing in the background,” Nikta notes. “It’s subtle, but deliberate.”

Both students are passionate about pursuing careers in film – Morgan as a producer and Nikta as a writer-director. Their experience on The Snakebite Anthology has not only shaped their creative paths but deepened their commitment to sustainable production.

“There’s no excuse not to consider sustainability,” says Nikta. “Even if your film isn’t about climate change, the way you make it still matters.”

Morgan agrees: “If blockbuster sets can do it, so can student filmmakers. Sustainability isn’t a limitation – it’s an opportunity to think more creatively and more responsibly.”