How To Make Your Film Shoot More Sustainable

This guide takes you through some useful information that considers how to minimise the environmental impact of your activity, no matter the size of your shoot.

 

We are committed to minimising the negative environmental impact of the film sector and ask the filmmakers we support to contribute to this aim.

Poster for 'A Noble Truth', a BFI NETWORK South West Funded short

This is a task that takes sustained internal work, which we are also undertaking ourselves as a part of Watershed. We believe that through sharing resources and learnings, reducing what we can, and supporting filmmakers lower their emissions in production; we can make an impact.

Albert

Want to make greener productions but don’t know where to begin? This production handbook from Albert is full of tips, advice and case studies from your peers to help you make sustainable changes to the way you work. Albert are the authority on environmental sustainability for film + TV. This is the place to share, learn and act on our impact. Funded by the industry, their tools, training and resources totally free to use; there’s more on that here.

If you are more of an interactive learner – Albert have free courses and events which we also recommend.

For production, they have a directory of suppliers going the extra mile to be green whilst supporting the industry.

Safe and Sustainable

How We Made Our Sustainable Shoot COVID-Friendly’ is a behind the scenes blog from Bristol-based Enviral, an ethical and sustainable communication and consultancy agency. Read more to see how they put people and the planet first – checklist included!⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Julie’s Bicycle

For production, sustainability must hold its own with a long list of other competing priorities. With that in mind, the provided options work the way you do and will help you to continue making great art for less financial and environmental cost, far into the future.

Arts Council England partner Julies Bicycle are an amazing sustainable org and have put together a Sustainable Production Guide that includes case studies, useful tips and resources and you can download it here.

Consider your content…

Watch this talk, where artist John Akomfrah and Lisson Gallery Director Greg Hilty discuss the power of art to address issues of environmental injustice

See here

What to think about…

We put together this handy guide in 2020, with a quick checklist of what to consider when making a sustainable short film – read it now.

Further information

  • Guides & Resources for Filmmakers Read more
  • A Rough Guide to Animation Production Read more
  • A Short Guide to Music Licensing with PRSForMusic Read more
  • A Short Guide to Working With Music Supervisors and Composers Read more
  • A Talent Exec’s Guide to the Early Development Fund Read more
  • BFI guidance on bullying and harassment prevention for the screen industries Read more
  • BFI NETWORK South West Short Film Fund Roundtable: Meet the Producer Read more
  • BFI NETWORK South West: Short Film Fund Roundtable: Budgets 101 Read more
  • How To Make Your Film Shoot More Sustainable Read more
  • Intro to Immersive webinar Read more
  • Resource Directory Read more
  • Selling Your Idea: What Makes a Great Funding Application? Read more
  • Short Film Toolkit Read more
  • Spines: A Case Study in Working with Neurodiverse Talent and Crew Read more
  • Stories To Change The World Read more

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