Solving A Blockbuster Carbon Problem: Sustainable Production Forum rallies film and television industry leaders to cut down carbon emissions
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Zena Harris, president of Green Spark Group, has worked with studios such as AppleTV, Amazon, Disney, Fox, and HBO to implement sustainable practices on film and TV shows. Photo credit: Kim Bellavance Photographe
This year, SPF22 is a hybrid format featuring premium virtual programming and in-person networking receptions in Vancouver on Oct. 1 and in Toronto on Oct. 6. Attendees of the Vancouver reception can look forward to Sustainability through an Indigenous Lens | A Vision for Land, Studios, and Connection, a fireside chat on sustainability with Indigenous leaders overseeing the building of new film production studios on a 40-acre parcel jointly owned by Musqueam Indian Band, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and Aquilini Development. Hosted and moderated by Squamish actor and producer Simon Baker, this conversation is an opportunity to learn about how sustainability is intrinsic to Indigenous culture.
“Indigenous communities around the world are experts in the sustainable management of resources. It’s vital for the film industry to center Indigenous voices and partnerships as it works to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint,” said Prem Gill, chief executive officer at Creative BC. “Creative BC is proud to support the vision and exchange of best practices at the annual Sustainable Production Forum, and we are committed to the ongoing national collaboration and work of Reel Green™, Canada’s motion picture climate action catalyst.”
The theme for SPF22 is the Art of Sustainability, and virtual programming will amplify effective, actionable solutions from industry and subject matter experts. Opening keynote speaker Elin Kelsey (PhD), author of Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We Think is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis, will draw on real world examples to show why evidence based hope is our most powerful response to the climate crisis.
“Many effective solutions already exist that we need to normalize and standardize as an industry because ‘business as usual’ no longer works. Investing in clean technology to reduce carbon emissions and prioritizing circularity are major steps in the right direction, and we need to do more. We must continue collaborating by sharing innovations and implementing creative solutions that advance sustainability,” said Harris.
MEDIA INQUIRIES - Kei Baritugo, BoldLove Communications E: kei@boldlove.ca P: +1.604.719.7423
SPF22 is made possible by the generous contribution of the following partners: Reel Green™ | Creative BC, MPPIA, MBS Canada, CBC/Radio-Canada, Telefilm Canada, Ontario Green Screen, William F. White International, IATSE Local 891, Independent Production Fund, Cream Productions, Netflix, Rolling Green, Canadian Media Producers Association, Directors Guild of Canada - National, Corus Entertainment, Vancouver Film Studios, Keep it Green Recycling, Bridge Studios, UBCP/ACTRA, ACFC West, Local 2020 Unifor, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, Vancouver Film Commission
References Close Up: Carbon Emissions of Film and Television Production Sustainable Production Resources Carbon Calculators: PEAR, albert
About Sustainable Production Forum | sustainableproductionforum.com
Sustainable Production Forum (SPF) is a global conference focused on accelerating sustainability in the motion picture industry. This annual conference features a wide-range of premium in-person and virtual programming from high profile keynotes and fireside chats to moderated panels and skill building. SPF gathers changemakers in the film and television industry, finance, government and nonprofit organizations who are committed to creating tangible results in the decarbonization of content creation. The conference is produced by Green Spark Group (GSG), a Vancouver-based full-service sustainability agency, leading the entertainment industry through its evolution towards sustainable practices. GSG works with major entertainment companies and influential film and television organizations such as HBO, MBSE, Green Production Guide, and CBC/Radio-Canada as well as productions such as X-Files (Fox), Succession (HBO), and the Mandalorian (Lucas Films, Disney).
About Creative BC | creativebc.com
Creative BC is an independent society created and supported by the Province to sustain and help grow British Columbia’s creative industries: motion picture, interactive and digital media, music and sound recording, and magazine and book publishing. The organization delivers a wide range of programs and services with a mandate to expand B.C.’s creative economy. These activities include: administration of the provincial government’s motion picture tax credit programs; delivery of program funding and export marketing support for the sector; and provincial film commission services. Combined, these activities serve to attract inward investment and market B.C. as a partner and destination of choice for domestic and international content creation. The society acts as an industry catalyst and ambassador to help B.C.’s creative sector reach its economic, social, environmental, and creative potential both at home and globally