Do you think that TV production has shifted - albeit perhaps temporarily - to some more environmentally friendly practices? I feel I've experienced this (e.g. far less travel than usual) and would love to know if anyone else feels the same way. Or has anyone experienced the opposite? E.g. a more wasteful production because of all the red tape?
Has the pandemic inadvertently created more sustainable practices in TV?
by Bethan Stacey on 15th Feb 2021 Answers
To add your answer, please
I've noticed everything has shifted towards disposable plastic a lot more, especially with water bottles. Cling film over bananas particularly frustrating - we still have an environment to look after :/
I've found the opposite. Much more wasteful - PPE which is unavoidable and everyone in their own car etc.
That's a shame to hear. I wonder if it's only on international productions that there are some positive side-effects. Two international shows I've worked on included far less travel. There was, of course, still all the extra PPE but, at some point, presumably that will reduce and even no longer be necessary. Will production companies look at continuing the trend of using more local crews on international projects and flying fewer people and less kit around the world, though?
I guess on the Footprints it has in some ways? less flying smaller crews.
But then there is the having to travel seperately, disposable everything (Toe prints)
Hopefully, people will have sustainability in mind! Bringing own cups, having reusable face masks etc.
Hi Bethan, for international wildlife docs our footprint has gone down in many cases due to having to use more in-country/remote crews. There is definitely a move to build capacity and use them more in future, both for reducing impact and increasing diversity. If you're involved/interested in wildlife TV there was a zoom session with Bristol Indies via Broadcast magazine which covers a few of these issues available on Youtube "Getting natural history back on track". There was a question relating to whether opportunities might be reduced for UK crews but general thoughts were along the lines of hybrid crews and that there was enough work for everyone in the current boom.
In case of interest, we've formed a grassroots group of wildlife filmmakers which looks at ways to collaborate on reducing our environmental impact and increasing our conservation impact. One of the things we're working on currently is a regular forum here in Bristol for production companies to share ideas/case studies etc. https://ffwildlife.org/about-us/
Hi Kristina. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm definitely going to watch that Youtube video and have just had a look at the Wildlife Filmmakers for Future website. It's great to see the initiative and that there are many other movements. In addition to your group, there seem to many for scripted productions but I haven't, as yet, come across a group that focuses on unscripted programming - covering all genres -, although there is of course Albert, which I'm doing some training on this week. If you (or anyone!) know of any other unscripted groups then I'd love to hear of them! I don't work in Natural History (although I certainly have an interest in doing so) but I'd like to be able to follow the ff wildlife group, if that would be ok. I'm sure that many ideas could be transferred to other genres.