How to embed environmental sustainability as a

Scripted producer/director

You set the stage for great TV.

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In your position at the helm of the production, you have the power to make sure your creative teams produce ground-breaking content that cuts through the noise.

Here are some of the ways you could produce content that’s in tune with the times:

1.

Get your creative department involved

Tell your teams about the necessity and importance of environmental sustainability on screen.  This is a new way to approach content creation and therefore needs a coordinated approach across all creative departments. So, make sure everyone from set design to the costume department understands your vision and the benefits of purpose-driven programming. Once everyone is aligned, brief your creative department and continually motivate them to find the best ways to make sure it happens.

2.

Stop it from hitting the cutting room floor

Make sure that environmental messages and positive behaviours get from script to screen. Start by letting your team know the significance and be sure to defend its inclusion to critical editors. It can be as simple as sharing content from this site or even organising a team briefing with external climate experts to bring everyone up to speed (albert can help you with that). And then it’s about making sure that at crucial stages of the project, the message is still there. Do whatever it takes to champion sustainability and convince doubters of its relevance.

3.

Take it beyond the screen

Once you’ve done the work to get environmental sustainability on screen, find ways to extend the conversation afterwards. When it comes to your digital marketing, you could create a social media campaign that promotes positive environmental behaviours. Or provide merchandise that helps people live more sustainably. Think reusable coffee cups and refillable water bottles.

But remember…

Environmental sustainability issues are the stories of the 21st century with content opportunities like no other. They’re full of drama, conflict, compelling characters and controversies. However, some environmental-themed content falls at the first hurdle because it doesn’t meet the criteria for great, entertaining content. When you’re creating purposeful content, don’t let it distract you from what you do best:  telling a good story.

 

 

 

Ask yourself: does it pass The Planet Test?

A TV programme or Film would only pass The Planet Test if:

  1. It acknowledges the natural world actually exists
  2. Negative environmental behaviours are shown as negative character traits
  3. One person does something at least once to make the world a better place
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