Thanks to support from Nordisk Film Fonden, we have been working with green transition as part of our education since 2020, among other things by introducing environmental criteria in the annual film productions. The guide is based on our experience with green film production and existing knowledge in the field.
At Super16, our annual film productions are subject to low budgets as a condition of the programme. The Green Commandments are therefore targeted at low-budget and school productions, but our hope is that everyone will find The Green Commandments relevant and inspiring.
We also hope that The Green Commandments will give sustainability a broader perspective in the film industry. A perspective that focuses just as much on the people behind it. It is hard to find the energy for change and green initiatives if you are stressed and burnt out. We want to manifest a grassroots movement of young, emerging filmmakers who will define the film productions of tomorrow and make sustainable workflows the default in the film industry.
Any green change can only happen too slowly. The Green Commandments should be a reminder to everyone to keep insisting and fighting for change.
May we never get stuck in discouragement, old beliefs or bad habits.
Set and implement sustainability goals as early as possible in production.
For some, making eco-friendly choices is easy, for others it's hard. Listen, talk, learn and motivate each other to think and act green.
Make sure to always sort waste. In offices, locations and at post-production facilities. Bring mobile waste sorting bins on location and communicate the need for everyone to sort.
Buy recycled materials, products, clothing, furniture, etc. Put things back into circulation after the shoot is over. Use rental companies for production design and costumes.
Plan all transport well in advance. Can more people travel together, fewer times? Can the transport be done by bike, (electric) cargo bike, public transport or electric car?
Cut out the meat and only offer vegetarian or vegan food on set. Make sure the green food is varied and high in protein. Take home any leftovers and avoid waste.
Avoid single-use plastic! Give everyone reusable thermos cups for coffee and water jugs for cold drinks. Use reusable tableware at meals and prioritise caterers that use reusable - or minimal - packaging
Avoid spending money on new items just because something got lost in the clutter. Instead, register your inventory and keep track of production boxes and miscellaneous storage in all departments of your team.
The idea of sustainability should extend all the way into the day-to-day running of a film. A poor working environment characterised by stress will quickly de-prioritise new initiatives. Take care of yourselves and each other, mostly for your own sake, but also so we can lift the green work together.
The plastic we sort today is the same plastic we will enjoy tomorrow. The team that returns positive from shooting today will be more likely to say yes again in the future. By thinking circularly, we avoid the use-and-throw-away culture - both in terms of resources and relationships.
CO2 calculator
In collaboration with Climaider, Super16 has developed a CO2 calculator with a special focus on emerging and low-budget films, free to use for everyone:
Hvorfor beregne CO2?
The purpose of a carbon calculator is to be able to read the carbon footprint of each film production. This way we can become aware of how and where we emit the most, and learn how we can further reduce our footprint from one production to the next.
It is also an ambition to allocate money for climate compensation, compensating for all or part of the total carbon footprint calculated.
There are also other calculators out there. Eureca, for instance, which is used in the film industry in Denmark and internationally. And probably the most well-developed one, Green Producers Tool, which you can subscribe to for an annual fee.
