As a follow up to my Green Film Intro, I recently posted about the film Away We Go.  There is a bonus feature on the DVD that discusses the green initiatives that were implemented during production and gives a great overall perspective of what it means to film green.  In addition to the behind-the-scenes featurette, a comprehensive study was conducted over the course of production to assess ways in which productions can reduce their carbon emissions and other negative environmental impacts. This study and the resulting adjustments made on the set of Away We Go are a significant step forward for those working to green the film industry.

I highly recommend those that haven’t yet seen the bonus feature to do so – I also recommend you check out my post on the topic here to get the full story (with links to the study and additional resources):

Austin EcoNetwork: A Green Film Exposed

Filmmakers have a lot to worry about:  raising funds, figuring out the logistics of production and post, actually getting people to see their film… And now they’re also supposed to think about saving the environment along the way?

With the growing awareness of global warming and the need to protect Earth’s resources, there’s pressure on all industries to clean up their act.  It’s this awareness, along with the recognition that filmmakers already have enough on their plate that has spawned the green movement within the film industry.  This is a relatively new area that goes behind the scenes and analyzes the environmental impact of the filmmaking process.

Filming green means adjusting current practices to reduce consumption, waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore lower production’s carbon footprint.  The green film movement seeks to develop resources and guidelines to help make these changes possible.  With the right resources in place, filming green won’t add to a filmmaker’s worries, but will in fact lighten the load.

In blogs to come I’ll give more in depth information on everything relating to green filmmaking (how-to’s, resources, philosophical thoughts… you name it).  If you can’t wait for more details, you can read my longer introduction here:

http://austineconetwork.com/content/green-film-introduction

Perhaps one of the most important factors in successfully greening your movie project is effectively communicating its importance on your set. We suggest including a note on the call sheets about how the production is environmentally conscious, as well as mentioning it at the beginning of each shooting day.

When it all comes down to it, the key to being green is considering the full impact of your choices and making choices that are kind to the environment. Despite popular product marketing, greener options aren’t necessarily more expensive. Here are 25 tips to help you get started on the path to an earth-friendly production.

1 – Strike the lights when they are not in use. This includes lights in green room areas and bathrooms, as well as set lights.

2 – Try to use rechargeable batteries as often as possible. If you must use disposable batteries, remember they also can be recharged, although not as many times. Remember disposals are the enemy when it comes to greener choices. The less we throw away, the better. Do not throw batteries in the trash. Batteries contain chemicals that require safe disposal.

3 – Avoid individually packaged items, like foods and snacks, as well as products with excessive packaging. Purchasing in bulk reduces the amount of trash coming from your production.

4 – Try to schedule your productions during pleasant weather, rather than unbearable heat. Then you can eliminate the need for running extra air condition, between takes, of course. And you won’t need to provide a cooled space for cast and crew either. The average person puts out 400 BTUs of heat per hour.

5 – Carpool as much as possible. This one’s a no-brainer. Right guys?

6 – Plan exactly what equipment you will need and take only what you need. This will reduce the gas that you’ll need to move heavy equipment to and from locations. Good planning will also eliminate any extra trips to pick up that thing somebody forgot.

7 – When possible, choose location that offers ample natural light. Bounce cards and reflectors make great fill and require no electricity. If you must use light, try using low-wattage lights such as fluorescents or HMIs.

8 – When feeding people, avoid Styrofoam and purchasing food from caterers and restaurants that use styrofoam. Styrofoam is the worst because it cannot be recycled and takes extremely long to breakdown. Very bad for the environment. Be sure to ask the caterer/restaurant to change their ways.

9 – Avoid disposable plasticware. Instead bring dinnerware from home and assign a crew member to take it home and wash it each night. Also, try using reusable plastic dishes rather than disposable plastic plates or paper plates. Biodegradable cutlery is also an option.

10 – Be sure to include clearly marked receptacles for trash and recycling. It’s good idea to tell everyone that they are expected to put their trash and recycling in the appropriate bins. You might also want to remind them what can and cannot be recycled, as this has improved greatly over the past few years.

11 – Buy local as often as possible. Buying local, not puts money back into the local community, but also reduces the need for gas-guzzling shipping across country.

12 – Go digital. Processing film requires the use of certain chemicals that are not good for the environment. This is kind of a gray situation since there’s a lot of awful chemicals used in the creation of chips and computer equipment as well. If you must use film, there are some options that maximize the film by squeezing more frames onto the film.

13 – Provide 5 gallon dispensers of beverage and use masking tape and a marker to mark names on cups. Or ask everyone to bring their own unique plastic cup from home for drinks. Depending on the length of your shoot, it could actually be less expensive to provide personal thermoses with the project logo printed on them for the whole cast and crew.

14 – Don’t forget to save stuff for compost as much as possible. Coffee grinds, banana peels, and apple rinds are great for compost. Check for public compost locations in your area.

15 – Nix the bottled water completely. The biggest waste of all, bottled water is merely over-priced tap water that must be hauled long distances, using up precious fossil fuels and it’s actually not any better or safer than filtering the tap water from your faucet.

16 – Create a “smoking section” and provide a trash can for butts. This will encourage people to put them in the trash, instead of leaving them on the ground.

17 – Avoid make-up tested on animals. Try using things that do not include parabens. Natural ingredients are usually the most earth-friendly. And aerosol sprays aren’t good for the ozone either.

18 – Rather than printing call sheets for each day, send them via email. Ask your cast and crew to share documents digitally rather than printing everything. Try Google Docs and Celtx for hepful software, both free.

19 – Avoid excessive printing. Purchase 100% recycled paper. Print both sides of the page. Change your margins to a very narrow margin, rather than the default 1″. Choose paper that is light, low-pound, low-weight.

20 – Buy in bulk. And when purchasing produce, choose food that is in season and grown locally.

21 – Buy fair trade products. Some foods like chocolate, especially Hershey’s brand, as most cocoa farms are powered by slaves. And that’s never sweet.

22 – Use materials sparingly and reuse if possible. When using tape, gaff tape especially, use it sparingly. When removing tape, pull it carefully and try reusing it. It sticks pretty good for several more applications. You might want to keep piece of hard plastic for placing the tape between uses.

23 – When collecting costumes and props for the production, borrow from cast, crew, friends and family, rather than purchasing new. If you must purchase stuff, try shop second hand at resale and thrift stores first. This will cut down on your production expenses, as well as help save the environment.

24 – When building set pieces and props, look for reused, repurposed building materials and supplies. A lot can be done with paper mache using water, flour, old newspapers and old cardboard boxes for building the frame. Austin Resources: Habitat for Humanity Re-Store and Goodwill and thrift stores.

25 – Film is a powerful medium. The images that you create enter people’s brains in a way that is lasting. It matters what subliminal messages you are sending to the audience. So, make a difference in what the world thinks is cool by creating characters that recycle and are earth-conscious. Use your power to show how hip green actually is. Inject environmental consciousness into your film and write responsibly.

Resources:

California Film Commission Green Resource Guide

New Mexico Green Filmmaking Initiatives

Code of Best Practices for Sustainable Filmmaking

Environmental Film Festival – Learn About Green Filmmaking

Sunfiltered – Green Film Productions

Producers Guide Green Page

EMA Green Seal Program and Green Guidelines

Film Biz Recycling – Best Practices Resources

Special thanks to Marjorie Eber for her green expertise and help perfecting this list of 25 Tips. Happy Green Filmmaking!