IMPACT STUDY ON GREEN PRODUCTION IN THE FILM INDUSTRY
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This study, published by Ecoprod with the support of ADEME, the French ecological transition agency, focusses on the social, organizational, economic and environmental implications of setting up a green production based on the Ecoprod Label protocol in the film, TV and advertising industries. Ecoprod and a team of academic researchers analysed 44 productions that followed the Ecoprod Label protocol. |
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The study highlights several key findings about the impact of green production
The study underscores the urgency and complexity of steering the industry towards more sustainable practices. The ecological redirection of the film industry is imperative and presents an opportunity to reaffirm the essential role of culture and creation in building a sustainable future.
Through an in-depth analysis of 44 productions (films, series, documentaries, ads,...), the study highlights several key findings about the impact of green production:
- A green production does not inherently increase a film's budget, even though it creates new budget lines.
- Implementing the Ecoprod Label protocol effectively reduces the environmental impact of film and TV production: looking at the 4 main emission sources, implementing the Ecoprod Label reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 41%.
- Green production implies a reorganization of production processes and introduces new professions, such as the green manager, who play a decisive role in the success of greening these productions.
All 44 productions that were analysed followed the Ecoprod Label protocol. The Ecoprod Label was launched in December 2022, to recognize film productions which implemented ambitious green practices. It is based on a protocol of 80 actions to reduce the environmental impact of the production process of a film, serie,s TV program or advertising. The label rewards productions that meet a green score of 65% or more, fulfill the eight mandatory criteria and successfully pass an independent audit, conducted by an independent third party, AFNOR Certification.
To assess the social, economic, and environmental implications of implementing the Label, Ecoprod partnered with academic researchers from IRCAV (Institut de Recherche en Cinéma et Audiovisuel, Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle), LIED (Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Energies de Demain, Université Paris-Cité) and the Master of Science - Stratégie et Design pour l'anthropocène (ESC Clermont). Over eight months, the interdisciplinary consortium of researchers identified human, budgetary, organizational, technological, and logistical challenges and opportunities of green production.
The study confirms that following the label's guidelines diminishes the environmental impact of production
Looking at the 4 areas that have the biggest impact (transportation, energy on set, construction of set flats, and catering), implementing the Ecoprod label reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 41%. The study also identifies the easiest actions to implement, which can therefore be systematically implemented across all productions, along with the obstacles encountered for some criteria that are more difficult to follow. It also explores potential avenues for adopting even more ambitious environmental measures.
Green production doesn’t necessarily cost more, but it can alter the structure of a production budget.
This is especially true when hiring a green production manager, which on the one hand adds a new budget line but can on the other hand facilitate savings in other areas. Overall, green production can require initial investments that can however be amortized over the long term. Committing to green production involves reevaluating needs and discovering less impactful alternatives, often leading to cost reductions through innovation and careful planning.
An emerging profession: the green production manager.
The green production manager is vital to the success of a green production, from the planning stage through post-production. Their role is to implement a comprehensive environmental strategy, support teams, and compile data. However, a green manager has little authority to act without the production’s determination and team commitment, making green production a truly collaborative process. The working conditions of the green production manager are central to the success of the process, and establishing a defined professional status and framework would facilitate their mission.
Green production implies a reorganization of production processes. It represents a shift towards more sustainable practices, requiring enhanced skills, time, involvement, and creativity from industry professionals. Because it implies an overall reorganization of the entire production process, it cannot proceed without a systemic reorganization involving all team members, service providers, and the industry as a whole.
Methodology
The study is based on research conducted from January to August 2023 with 44 French productions that used the Ecoprod Label and obtained a green score enabling them to certify their green production. External data were also used, particularly from Carbon'Clap, providing an overview of the main greenhouse gas emission items, and from a survey entitled "Towards a green management profession", conducted among 76 film industry professionals in France between September 2023 and March 2024. This survey targeted both those who had been in charge of green production and those who had recruited for these positions, enabling us to offer a richer and more comprehensive context on the impact and perception of green production.
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ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE STUDY
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This study released in 2020 combines different solutions and analysis to provide stakeholders in the film, TV and advertising industries with a better understanding of their impact on the environment. The study reveals the economic, regulatory and climatic necessity of adapting to environmental challenges. It provides an in-depth analysis of the carbon footprint of the French film and TV industry from production to distribution. |
The film and TV industries are indirectly impacted by national and international climate targets :
- The Paris Agreement requires all sectors of our economy to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) in order to limit temperature rises to between 1.5° and 2°C.
- Europe is stepping up its regulations in this direction, and its Green Deal calls for all economic sectors to contribute to climate neutrality.
- France has set a target of -40% GHG emissions by 2030 (compared with 1990) and carbon neutrality by 2050.
For the French film and TV industry, this means reducing emissions by 2.16% per year up to 2030, then by 3.7% up to 2050.
Although the audiovisual sector (including streaming video distribution, cinema, advertising, television, archiving and screenings) is considered to have less impact, with 1.7 million tons of carbon equivalent emitted each year, it will nevertheless have to follow this reduction trajectory.
At a time when digital technology is revolutionizing the audiovisual sector, the growing use of equipment that consumes large quantities of critical materials, and the rise in energy consumption linked to the increase in services and uses (e.g. 8K broadcasting requires 32 times more data to process than High Definition) are likely to increase the sector's ecological footprint.
Adopting more sustainable production methods is also an economical necessity since we can expect the price of this equipment to rise, given the scarcity and predicted shortages of certain raw materials.
Taking these issues into account is a necessity, but above all a real opportunity for the sector to organize its resilience and to set up a form of sobriety - technical, organizational and behavioral.
In this detailed study, Ecoprod takes stock of the current situation, and offers concrete solutions for moving forward: improved energy efficiency of equipment, prolongation and reuse of materials, optimization of systems and spaces, reduction of waste and transport.
EXTERNAL RESOURCES
