NAB
No one
should need to have the importance of sustainability explained so film and TV
studios should welcome the chance to benchmark their business with the Studio
Sustainability Standard.
article here
Organized by the UK’s BAFTA through its albert scheme, this is a
voluntary, global standard for studio facilities. With the first year under its
belt involving 12 studios, the program is keen to enlist more studios and
suggests that not doing so will be detrimental to a studio’s brand reputation.
“This commitment to sustainability builds a positive brand image,
attracting environmentally conscious partners, investors who want to support
sustainable productions and meeting audience demands for more sustainability on
and off screen,” says albert Project Lead Steve Smith.
Research published in 2020 found that the average tentpole film
production — a film with a budget of more than $70 million — generates 2,840
tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
In response, albert worked with a range of film industry stakeholders
and Arup as technical partner, to develop the Standard.
It has three primary aims: to guide studios in the practical steps they
can make to become more sustainable; to act as an incentive for studios to
clean up their acts, encouraging studios to collect data on their own
sustainability progress; and to bring that data together to create a picture of
the progress of the industry as a whole.
The dozen studios that participated in the first year were all from the
UK with the exception of Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.
Others included 3 Mills Studios, BBC Studioworks (which came out on top),
Elstree Studios, Maidstone Studios, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, and Wolf
Studios Wales.
Results of the 2022 Studio Sustainability Standard 2022/23 Report. Cr:
albert/Arup
While commending the 12 for getting involved, Smith somewhat icily notes
that dozens of others have so far failed to engage.
“In a world grappling with the urgency of climate change, 12 studios
have stepped up to the plate, embracing their responsibility and driving a
transformative shift towards sustainable practices in a commitment to align
with net-zero pathways. This report celebrates the studio trailblazers who are
helping to redefine what it means to be an environmentally conscious industry.”
In this first year, five studios were awarded with the rating of “Very
Good” — not the highest grade possible but that is to be expected, particularly
when many older studios have legacy buildings with inefficient energy
insulation.
More significant than the rating, according to albert, “is the fact that
12 leading studios committed to measuring and reducing their environmental
impacts.”
As sustainability rises up the agenda, these studios will be able to use
their albert certifications to gain an edge over competitors when booking
business. Quite how much the sustainability of a studio facility plays into the
thinking of executives when budgeting and planning to locate shows is another
matter. Anecdotally, reports suggest that this depends production to production
with some film and TV clients keen to show corporate and social leadership
(Netflix is often cited) and others paying mere lip service.
Carys Taylor, director of BAFTA albert, says, “The Studio Sustainability
Standard ratings badges allows studios to show off the progress they’ve already
made and benchmark the progress yet to come. And productions will know where to
go to get support for their own sustainability missions.”
Highlights from the 2022 Studio Sustainability Standard 2022/23 Report.
Cr: albert/Arup
This idea of competitive edge is being used as the carrot to entice more
studios to join up for the second round of the report.
The performance rating of the next round is valid for 12 months from the
date it is issued (April 1, 2024).
Studios failing to reach the minimum standard, will be awarded a
“participated” badge for that year.
Submissions are processed by an experienced team of data analysts at
albert and Arup. The standard itself will be updated every two years following
input from a steering group of experienced studio facility operators, trade
bodies and producers.
The cost for a studio to be involved is dependent on the square footage
of its sound stages.
Among factors taken into account are electricity consumption, reliance
on diesel generators, waste disposal, water efficiency and transport emissions.
The scorecard prioritizes more impactful measures including the use of
LED lighting across the studio, incentivizing productions to utilize LED
lighting providers and ensuring the studio has achieved 100% renewable
electricity sourcing.
Credits can also be gained for on-site renewable energy generation which
could include solar or wind turbines and zero plastics use.
“For studios that participated in 2022, the response was overwhelmingly
positive in terms of the quality of submissions and the performance that it
revealed,” Smith said.
“We hope that studios will reflect on their feedback and seek out ways
to be even better in 2023. In many cases it was clear from submissions that
studios are already on an improving trajectory with additional measures in the
pipeline. We hope that studios will take confidence from initiatives that
others have in place to make further improvements.”
Studios wanting to get involved in next round of the report need to
submit before the end of November 2023.
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