Imagine walking on to location, silent except the sound of the crew. Imagine walking into the studio, lights ablaze but air fresh and cool. Imagine sitting in the production office, safe in the knowledge that the only impact of the activity co-ordinated is cultural. Imagine it, because it’s where we are heading – powered by the wind and the rays of the sun.
This version of the future is one we must realise with grave urgency as currently, the environmental impact of entertainment production is accelerating extinction. The average television programme produces tens of tonnes of carbon dioxide, a feature film is in the thousands. This is a public relations and moral conundrum that the industry must address, and one that we have precious few years in which to do so.
The pickle we are in is down to poor planning. No exit plan exists for the majority of materials and resources that enter our industry. Little consideration is given to the carbon emissions created from generators, or where beautifully crafted props spend the rest of their days. Fixing this is our principal challenge, and one that represents a great opportunity for service providers, studios and facility companies. For while production can create a swell of enthusiasm, only those who provide services can deliver infrastructure change on the scale that is required.
