SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: Els Rientjes, sustainability manager for the Dutch film
industry as facilitated by the Netherlands Film Fund, discusses the state of green
filmmaking and how crews can adjust their workflows to produce more eco-friendly
films.
Which countries are leading in the way of green filmmaking?
We are very happy to see that green filmmaking has truly landed in the film
industry and that Hollywood is setting an example for global developments in this
field. American blockbusters such as The Amazing Spider-Man 2
(2014), Noah (2014) and the movie musical Annie (2014)
were all produced green. In the United States Emellie O’Brien brings sustainability
to the big screen in a major way, as she works her way through eco managing top-
tier sets across New York, to the mantra of “Making Movies Without Making a Mess’.
O’Brien brings vitality and a fresh sense of ingenuity as well as resourcefulness to
often out-dated modes of media production.
Front running European countries are: The Netherlands, Germany, the United
Kingdom and Belgium. As of this year, The Netherlands Film Fund facilitates me as
a Sustainability Manager, which is considered an important step towards a greener
Dutch film industry. It is my goal to stimulate the sustainable production of projects
that receive production support from the Fund. I will also share relevant knowledge
on sustainable innovation within the (international) film industry with Dutch
filmmakers. Additionally I will co-ordinate with sustainable facility companies and
suppliers to the benefit of a multitude of projects.
How do you calculate a productions carbon footprint?
There are examples, for instance in Belgium they use a method to calculate a
production’s carbon footprint in a linear way. In The Netherlands we will use some
of their sheets, such as the sheet on reducing CO₂ on transport. But I prefer
developing a method in which you can use tools across every department, choosing
your crew and materials in a sustainable way. Working with a tool kit fits better in
a circular economy and can be adjusted to new innovations.
Why do you feel it is important for production companies to take this into
consideration?
Companies who cannot work flexibly and choose to stick to their old methods will
be out of business in 10 years. Producers who are forward thinking and work in a
circular economy will get the benefit of their way of working. At this moment it’s
your own choice to share your green choices. But the government and subsidies will
in the near future ask for transparency of companies and force them to show a
sustainable working process. If not, their subsidies could be refused or shortened.
What are some of the fears from filmmakers?
Working with Dutch filmmakers and producers, we help them in finding the next
“right’ step towards sustainability within the bustle of their everyday work. Some
“fears’ that filmmakers might have are that green filmmaking is complicated,
expensive and that it takes a lot of time. We believe that, based on the knowledge
that is already available, it becomes easier to take the next green steps together.
The film industry can continue to draw inspiration from sustainability entrepreneurs
in other industries as well.
How do you think going green can benefit filmmakers?
As with other industries that have been searching for the most innovative solutions
to sustainability, the film industry will benefit from the shift to green filmmaking.
We believe that there are massive opportunities and financial gains to be made for
film professionals taking on more sustainable methods. In the Hollywood model,
you can already see the standardised emergence of eco-consultants on set, as
additional heads of department. We can have that as a standard in The Netherlands
too. This work not only provides sustainability numbers to a set’s practice, but also
saves money.
What are some of the easiest ways for them to cut down on their carbon
footprint?
It’s important to bear in mind that it is possible to choose for a greener option in
every department. From catering to lighting. Every scrap counts! And on big
productions, it adds up. We noticed that the easiest wins are in transport, recycling
(costumes, decors) and camera/lighting. Using electric cars or recycling old decor
pieces is a green and cost effective way of cutting down your carbon footprint.
Stimulated by the Green Filmmaking Project, a Strawberry Earth
initiative, a great number of Dutch producers practiced their skills in producing their
short films as green as possible. The example of Emellie O Brien, working with a
sustainable runner on the set, has inspired Dutch short filmmakers to make a team
member responsible for this special task. This person, the sustainable production
coordinator, is involved from an early stage. He or she talks to all the heads of
department, asking them what they need to deliver for a more sustainable
production. That means that each crew member is aware that the film is produced
as green as possible. It starts with being open about this commitment. I stimulate
producers to organise special tests with the cameraman, director and gaffers
upfront. If producers facilitate more preparation time, they’ll benefit from it during
the filmmaking process. Also, in a recent workshop for Dutch filmmakers, we
connected producers and location managers together so they could discuss how they
can cooperate even better. As a result of that, producers ask the locations
managers different questions. They inform about the possibilities for green electrics
on set or ask for possibilities regarding leftovers from crew meals. Green
filmmaking does not mean you produce a more expensive movie, it asks a different
way of looking at things and adding efficiency to the equation.
What is the feedback from filmmakers who have experienced green
practices?
At the end of the day the filmmakers involved are proud that they could reduce
their footprint and get the entire crew involved in the process. How effective you
are has got to do with how you approach the team that you want to get involved in
green filmmaking. The one in charge of greening the film should be determined in
the face of resistance, without being too overbearing to a set and crew members
who may need some extra time to come around to the new, more sustainable ways
of doing things. This is key. It’s important to make on-set sustainability as easy,
effective, and fun as possible. In case there might be some resistance at the start
of the process, there later comes effective engagement.
