Transcript author: Goethe-Universität Frankfurt Auto Transcriber

00:00:00:05 So , hello. Hi, everyone, my name is
BIRGIT HEIDSIEK, I'm from Germany, I'm a publish chief editor of Green Film Shooting magazine which is a magazine and a platform for sustainable film nd media production
00:00:16:17 And I'm also a producer of the magazine
00:00:20:16 Green Report which is group of film funds
00:00:28:19 We will talk later on with two members
00:00:36:17 And I'm also the Green consultant of the Federal Film Fund in Germany and I'm also the producer of the Green cinema headbook.
00:00:46:16 So I'm going to give you a brief overview of production, preproduction, postproduction and also cinema later on.
00:00:57:22 So everything in sustainability, of course, starts with awareness.
00:01:05:16 So we know that it's... we really have to change our actions and act to become more sustainable.
00:01:16:11 So every year is getting hotter and hotter.
00:01:20:12 And the problem is that all carbon emissions they do have impact on the weather of the world.
00:01:32:06 So the impact of climate change, is really damaging, and it's threatening our existence.
00:01:40:18 So what is it? What can we do in film production? So to reduce its impact? So, uh, an European feature film in an average production emmits between 650 and 1000 tons of carbon, but it's not a number that will tell us so much, but the impact is said that
00:02:10:05 one tone of carbon has the effect that six ground meters of ice are melting in the Arctic.
00:02:19:01 So, essentially, with one film production we are destroying ice of a size of a couple of soccer fields.
00:02:31:00 So this is really not a good saying and in the television productions,
00:02:39:23 which are not so big productions, of course, the impact it's a bit smaller.
00:02:44:22 But still the language is older numbers, yes, but to study.
00:02:50:21 So why wouldn't they calculate it about 200,000 tons of carbon emmissions for television production? There are a lot of carbon calculators.
00:03:01:22 Also for film productions and most of the emmissions that are generated in film are really made by energy; this is the hugest factor. Also transportation.
00:03:19:05 So therefore, it's really crucial if we want to go green in our films to communicate it to the crew.
00:03:29:00 A couple of years ago, it was still quite an event if a film was shot in a big city and it attracted many people,
00:03:40:00 And, so, everybody would saiy: " Oh!, there are stars shooting", But nowadays it has a little turned arround, and it has more the effect of film teams not being so welcomed because they make a lot of noise, they are polluting the air, they are making a making a mess.
00:03:57:00 So, to change that a little bit, If you want to produce a film in a more sustainable way, the first action is willing to talk to the crew, to informe them.
00:04:13:05 We really want to do it in a different way, in a better way.
00:04:16:00 So, there has to be one person always in charge of all these sustainable measures. This can be an eco consultant, it can be a production manager or somebody from the crew who is really in charge .
00:04:31:15 Then it's important to schedule meetings with different heads of department,
00:04:37:00 That everybody, all the different departments, can think about what can be done differently.
00:04:45:23 And, of course, it's crucial to send out email and really to send out a message to all the cast and crewmembers.
00:04:55:00 And, if it's possible, also there has to be a meeting with somebody maybe doing a presentation giving an outline and reminding that we really want to do things differently here.
00:05:12:08 So, it all starts with a production office. This is the importance of planning because in a preproduction stage is where you decide what kind of material you rent and acquire and buy and how you organize things.
00:05:32:16 So, in the office itself, is where you can do very simple measures saying that you can do other jobs that you can work at home, that you can reduce your paper consumption...
00:05:45:04 If you don't print so much, of you do it double side, you use,recycling paper, and it should be certified with maybe a label like "PEFC".
00:05:57:16 Screen savers, shutong down your computer, when you don't need it you shut out the light, the hitting when you leave through... but there are also things like, you know, every body is thinking that all the electric and electronic devices...
00:06:18:11 They still consume energy, even if you're not using them in the standby mode, like if you have a coffee machine or water boiler and it's plugged in all the time and even if you don't heat the water, the stand-by mode for hours is just consuming a tiny bit of energy.
00:06:42:15 So very small devices where you can even measures the amount of energy it's consuming.
00:06:53:01 And I mean, it's it's just very little but if you're doing it for 24 hours and everybody does it in the end, it's a lot of energy.
00:07:02:12 So this can be changed if we are just aware of this.
00:07:05:22 This, of course, like having saving some resources is also saving some money
00:07:12:13 Cleaning products should be biodegradle, and fare trade products.
00:07:39:00 People bringing their own coffee mogs, their own plastic bottle to avoid huge amount of plastic.
00:07:48:04 So, single use plastic would be banned and not all of it, unfortunately but...
00:07:56:00 UN regulations that by 2030 a lot of plastic cannot be sold anymore. So plastic will be banned partly, at least but not all te bottles, yet.
00:08:14:00 So, the most important factors in terms of carbon emissions is energy and transportation. And so, if you are planning a production, you can also plan what you should really shoot.
00:08:32:21 Where are the locations where you want to shoot? Are they located far from each other?
00:08:43:08 Maybe you can find places or you can use zones nearby for makeup and costumes.
00:08:54:09 You need to plan everything carefully if if you don't have so big distances between the different locations, then you save time and you save money and it is also much better for the crew.
00:09:11:09 So they don't have to travel all the time back and forth, and if you don't have a hotel nearby, maybe you can rent an appartment instead, where you can accommodate people.
00:09:26:13 So, Yo really have to rethink the process. What can be done, that you are a little bit more flexible.
00:09:35:05 This (image: Three days in Quiberon, by Emely Atef) is a movie which was in Berlinale competition in 2018, it was a German French coproduction about the life of Romy Schneider
00:09:45:20 Three days in Quiberon, by Emely Atef. What made this film really sustainable, was that the entire film was shot at one location, in an old kind of museum in the Baltics,
00:10:01:07 and so the actors they could really walk to the set, also the crew, of course. Therefore the production saved a lot of money, and only some background shots were taken in Quiberon.
00:10:21:20 So, in terms of transportation, if you don't have to go so far of course you can walk or you can go by train istead of taking a plane.
00:10:39:08 And if you can go by bike, it's also of course a very good action.
00:10:45:06 When it comes to cars it's still a question: What kind of cars are available, what kind of infrastructure we have a country?
00:10:57:09 And so on one hand there are hybrid cars, they run with gas or electric power. the problem is that after 30 or 40 Km, the electric power is gone
00:11:10:19 and then they switch back to normal gas so...
00:11:13:12 I guess for longer distances they're not so sustainable.
00:11:19:08 Then there are electric cars
00:11:21:12 And so right now electric cars are promoted as supersustainable but the question is their energy, where does it come from?
00:11:35:23 So, I come from Germany and we have more and more renewable energy, we have about 46% of renewable energy, but we still have more than 30% coal power.
00:11:52:01 We still have nuclear power.
00:12:05:05 So , it all depends how energy and electricity is generated.
00:12:09:00 If we power an electric car and the source of it is coal power then it is polluting, It's not sustainable at all.
00:12:18:14 And also, if we have to manufacture a new car, of course,this also costs a lot of resources, and the old cars are maybe sold to Eastern Europe or they are just thrown out.
00:12:35:06 So then there are other options like LPG which is Liquified Petrol Gas. This is better than petrol, but still fossil fuel.
00:12:45:00 Then there is CNG which is Compressed Natural Gas, which is more enviromental friendly, but also for that there is not a huge infrastructure which is needed for film production.
00:13:06:07 So it's always a question, what kind of of refill stations we have.
00:13:08:00
00:13:13:20 If there are not enough, nobody wants to buy a car and the other way around is that the equipment companies do not really want to have cars if there is not an infastructure of refill station.
00:13:29:01 So that's why it's kind of a hand and what's also happening.
00:13:36:14 A lot now comes off fuel cells sort Germany, Germany.
00:13:44:00 We have a lot off new energy from wind power stations, and so was that can produce going hydrogen, so hygiene can also be produced in graves.
00:14:00:01 If it comes comes here.
00:14:01:11 Mix can be produced if it's from coal power brown algae.
00:14:07:08 But green hydrogen is very good, sustainable.
00:14:11:20 And so right now CNET off wakeful stations will be really by decoration politics, but it's different in every country.
00:14:26:17 So if you're looking on set, it's always the best solution that takes the end.
00:14:36:12 And she forgot to wind instead.
00:14:38:13 Off losing generator because of generator is really very much polluting.
00:14:44:21 And if says another, directly access to the wind.
00:14:48:06 Sometimes it can be installed that use electric cabinets, which was and sweet for construction sites.
00:14:56:05 So even Wednesday, because it's a diesel generator, just a cheap solution.
00:15:03:18 But in some cities Germany, they allowed anymore our restricted because they really polluting.
00:15:16:09 There's also you in relation to you, Commission said.
00:15:24:11 It's inhuman generators which are built.
00:15:27:18 They have to fall to a new standard called Face Five.
00:15:33:12 So since generations here is this new type of diesel generators can come on the market but still allowed to sell the Lotto ineffectual to South 18.
00:15:48:12 But the problem is that most of the company's rental companies and very old diesel generators around for 50 years, and they're still walking and everybody can still operate.
00:16:04:09 That's no relation.
00:16:06:04 Toe forbid it.
00:16:07:11 And why would a company by a huge generator in West 200,000 use if they can? Went out the old one? So this is a problem.
00:16:21:03 So but also you solutions.
00:16:26:05 Stephen.
00:16:27:07 This is a mobile battery.
00:16:30:05 This is a pilot developed by German company.
00:16:34:16 So it is this trailer and it's it can be charged Quinn and only has said this was up.
00:16:44:14 So the Palace TV, so you'll be in our film set with it then another cos they develop Petaling, which can come up with better then was helping achievement even with scored a one time but a propensity better.
00:17:04:11 It's about 24 heavy, and they are also smaller.
00:17:10:21 Solutions is also fuel cell but power with medicine.
00:17:15:21 No soldiers, really.
00:17:17:20 For documentaries, you can set up a camera to plead to watch some of us, but meantime, there's also you being project.
00:17:26:14 But they are working on on a few cells, generators with drooping power with hydrogen.
00:17:34:08 And so this is going toe be introduced next year.
00:17:41:05 Their innovations around like this a caravan which has just some for what taiking it to generate some energy but innovation also company from the front off, together with the companies, they work out corn situation because they created a photo time foil and this fire is very sin and it is the same like so.
00:18:13:08 So for what? So I am actually advantage is you can put this is says, find anywhere to put it on a wall off buildings, and it can generate a lot off energies there, so it's much more flexible.
00:18:31:18 And also the advantage is it's much lighter because solar you know what you put a room.
00:18:39:02 It has an average.
00:18:40:14 If you also have to count the wait snow which come out, you have to couple in the room has to carry 25 kilos, just ground me and not every building and really hope so much weight and this'll ce innovation with this foil football high, it's it's completely news Factory has just built a couple of months ago and sew him some pilot projects.
00:19:13:00 But it has not bean sword yet, so I think anybody was already way out at lights which are efficient so they say, upto 70% off the energy.
00:19:26:21 It also felt production various relight see availability is in some regions and countries still 12.
00:19:37:17 But whenever you lights largest companies buying and he's also calculations said, in terms of equal designed to says to be done, there are also small practical solutions.
00:19:57:09 This is a carpet light solution for this very tiny ladies really put in, in effect, quick into saying it can be really bending and squeezed and put with tape anywhere toe out and thistle comes in Medicaid.
00:20:18:05 So it's so small and but it's also available in different sizes, starts upto really 6 to 6 media.
00:20:29:21 So this is a very good solution.
00:20:35:10 If you really wantto shoot quick and you can light a car with it and so on and off course, we can always go with available light.
00:20:47:17 This is how it started fast studios blessed studios like from Yes, and then it's also possible if you have time and you sings a lot that used reflectors.
00:21:03:03 Also, four years you can direct the light in in terms off production design.
00:21:13:16 It's it's crucial that you also think, How can you if you'll buy went Material Help day? We use play Graham.
00:21:24:11 So that means, like maybe you should use schools set off nails because easier to buy used furniture and, uh, it also to wind props and later on, don't exam art projects.
00:21:41:12 And in production design, there are solutions like still poor history.
00:21:47:20 I'm so States and Aziz tries have invented a solution, which is like an equal, still poor.
00:21:56:17 They're from from Leon to biology students and say, it's a made an invention invention that's I have side product from agriculture likes to our something.
00:22:10:00 And if you mix it with psyllium and you make it like hey and the clothes and goes after sweet issue, you heat it up and put it in the stuff and the then heaven in what kind of far clue they doing.
00:22:27:22 They started with soft bones, lands and small things.
00:22:33:00 Now they building William Walls.
00:22:35:21 So it's amazing and this can be the 100% composed.
00:22:41:15 Yet I have a question and it can be used to our production design.
00:22:54:01 I mean, you can do anything with it.
00:22:57:09 That tension waas Not particular to use it for a set designer, because the problem is you have to be that so you have to have a stove and so you would have to do with Grant.
00:23:10:14 But if you don't situation, you think about it.
00:23:14:00 Then you could use it and off course you can.
00:23:17:22 Also, we show it.
00:23:19:13 I mean, the singing about sustainability is also being really creative if there's enough time to do it, it's also possible that people can use send sales of crops and using it as a the possibilities for our project.
00:23:38:18 If their films seem off time, people might get interested.
00:23:45:07 But is this here probate? If you can also look it up, then we're talking about catering.
00:23:53:17 Catering is always something which is discussed very movingly because Phyllis or part for people on set, so they're really a lot of discussions.
00:24:05:15 Could we have a meeting state? Yes, or no should be go vegetarian or even Regan.
00:24:12:19 What the count? I think it's for foods and detained scoot.
00:24:17:15 And so what? Beat has caused a huge carbon footprint.
00:24:23:12 It's with all the supply chain and talks excite effects, so it has really even a bigger impact.
00:24:33:22 And then all the flights CMO me production and, uh um, it's a food should be released, purchased from the region or locally, any possible organ food.
00:24:51:05 But is this a bit more expensive? But you can do it if you save money in other departments and also one issue.
00:25:01:14 A lot of film sets have a lot of food that thrown out foodways is not sustainable at all.
00:25:09:00 So it's also a matter off calculating.
00:25:11:19 How much do we really need? How much do we really eat? And so also, do we really need a chocolate molesting? Maybe it's better to have food.
00:25:24:08 Maybe it's even also better for the bodies off.
00:25:29:05 The people on were guarding the discussion off sugary eat meat or not.
00:25:36:06 Last year as a bullet from Festival documentary, which was put execute, executive produced by James Cameron, movie was called Game Changers and watch a film about vegan people so that your department, they all week and now even a guy who's strongest man to go and live in a tight he is a league in, and then they also examine, ate the people and let your doctors.
00:26:06:23 And because on film sets there's always the argument of effort say, Well, I have preparing so much stuff.
00:26:15:03 That's why I need my meat.
00:26:16:21 It's really crucial.
00:26:18:15 But the film they proved that even the vegan diet gives people Mom.
00:26:24:04 I was eating meat, and they had made a very funny experiment.
00:26:28:19 So that sweet guys, that same age stuff, something one must put on no meat diets and one was vegetarian and sub off Williams.
00:26:40:02 On a couple of days, I went to a doctor.
00:26:43:03 He measured the night and then say, Found out, said the heating guy.
00:26:50:15 Wasthe loser, vegetarian, most video and a big guy.
00:26:55:05 So So it's It's my argument, baby.
00:26:59:23 For some, some defense.
00:27:02:14 So one set.
00:27:03:19 You also need energy.
00:27:05:11 You need to go get it to keep the food wall.
00:27:08:22 So it is also possible.
00:27:11:07 If you don't you don't have toe.
00:27:15:05 Let diesel generator just for coffee machine.
00:27:19:10 It's also possible to power with with guests that it's even guess coffee machines available and then off course.
00:27:30:07 What avoiding waste is the crucial point.
00:27:37:03 So no single use plastic should be used.
00:27:41:18 And so all the ways, of course, should be managed in.
00:27:47:14 The costume is designed.
00:27:50:13 That's also good.
00:27:52:23 If you can find used clothes and we sell, donate, indoor were pounding saints.
00:28:02:03 Profession industry has really also It's a tremendous foot print because it really leads to a lot of ways to pollution toe for station.
00:28:17:01 And that's a lot off tops toxicity in the manufacturing process.
00:28:22:02 And because off all this common fuel supply chain cost, a patient goes all over asses.
00:28:30:09 Instituting Ellen Think Asa Foundation.
00:28:33:03 This is Institute, which published a study that by 2050 we will have more plastic fish in the ocean, and they start also confession, with the result that every second travel off clothings voiced it.
00:28:52:19 And so the footprint of the fashion industry is one point toe billions a year.
00:29:01:17 So we're using closes, something which is crucial in production but also private lives.
00:29:09:00 So then off course, besides we using close it's going toe, wash them with biodegradable in the inmate.
00:29:24:13 It's also a question.
00:29:25:19 What is it? What? What kind of queen? Moment up.
00:29:28:21 People are putting on the skin because our body is really the house where we're living in our entire life.
00:29:37:17 And if we're using products which are really toxic that some queens even luckily says micro plastic in other toxic things and it's possible toe trek.
00:29:52:01 All that says a little platform called coat check.
00:29:56:17 So C O.
00:29:57:23 D and check.
00:29:59:06 And if you enter there, you really see what's in there.
00:30:03:10 So it shows you in yourself, which is green, which is, you know, which is great, what kind of four.
00:30:10:22 So in film production, it's also possible toe use acts with organic components for plants.
00:30:21:13 So but off course, it's also a discussion with you.
00:30:25:20 See, since everybody shooting for paying now requirement for Netflix, what kind of makeup can use and how safe is really a camera sees all issues that have to be a really discussed and yeah, terms off with management.
00:30:49:06 Also, regulations way all having your requirement Thio goto Supple economy in nature.
00:31:01:03 It's no ways everything can be really reused and we have toe come back to this point two.
00:31:10:15 That means a lot of old and higher reciting quotes.
00:31:16:06 So every region and country and sometimes every local community has different laws.
00:31:23:17 How paper, plastic metal, panic, Elektronik ways better ways should be titled, but way have to do it.
00:31:35:02 And so it really we cry us also toe to seek much more about what is really wasted, what can be used.
00:31:46:13 So what? For example, from a film, it can be really collected, but you just have to collect it.
00:31:55:00 If the waste is not managed, then it's more difficult to do the recycling process.
00:32:04:00 So talking about post production postproduction, requires much more time of productions and the production itself because it goes on for many, many months, often
00:32:18:17 The problem is also that film production is linked to financing and producers really go where the money is.
00:32:27:10 So in Switzerland, for example, a production manager told that they were shooting a film in Switzerland, but they did the sound in Berlin because it was cheaper there, so 20 times just flying back and forth traveling all the time just because saving money because flights are costing not so much so it was still cheaper to do this.
00:32:57:11 This is why it's crucial that we need a carbon tax.
00:33:02:18 Because if carbon costs a lot of money, flights price will go up.
00:33:08:02 And then things like this wouldn't be happening. We would have to set up rules that everything has to be more local.
00:33:15:06 Not only the production must be more local but also the postproduction. Of course, these are all political decisions.
00:33:24:19 What can be done in post production to be more energy efficient is you can use rendering power.
00:33:32:03 So, there is a studio in Paris that is heating the entire office just with the heat of the computers.
00:33:43:19 This system, which has bean then built up now 200 apartments in Paris just heated with rendering power of computers.
00:33:58:10 And there's another company just having a data center.
00:34:05:08 And with surrender power, they're heating a public swimming pool in Paris.
00:34:10:23 So this is really impressive and this is a company called DiMucci.
00:34:17:07 I told everybody, Where's the way center put off course, Do it then.
00:34:26:05 Of course, you can do do post production on set in a van and always eventually also on size, off production.
00:34:34:14 What are you gonna do with it.
00:34:36:11 You don't have the transportation.
00:34:39:07 And that is a product in Poland.
00:34:41:16 I called ceiling butts from university, where everything is in one of us.
00:34:47:15 But the pass is still running with a diesel, so they have mobile to change them.
00:34:53:07 But it's a project which is built.
00:34:57:08 Yeah, I think no way can have organization with our colleagues from my 20 no.

Credits:

Duration: 35m 10s

Recorded at: 15.11.2019

Videoconferència de Birgit Heidsiek amb:
Luca Ferrario, director del Trentino Film Fund and Commission
i

Pedro Barbadillo, director de Mallorca Film Commission.

Birgit Heidsiek és editora en cap de la revista Green Film Shooting, així como de la web que duu el mateix nom (fundada el 2012), dedicades a la sostenibilitat en el cinema i els mitjans. Com a investigadora i periodista fa més de trenta anys que treballa en la indústria del cinema. Birgit també és autora de Das grüne Kinohandbuch (Manual de cinema verd), publicat per l’FFA (Fons Federal de Cinema Alemany). Com a consultora de l’FFA, s’encarrega del lloc web www.grüneskino.de i assessora els exhibidors sobre el funcionament sostenible de les sales de cinema.

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