Filmmakers have a fetish for being wasteful
By Joseph Archer “I just want to make films that have big sets, big lights, the largest crew I can get and a Craft table that is ten metres long,” one producer told me when I asked what type of films they want to make. This decadent ambition for cinematic opulence seemed to take precedence […]
From a Galaxy Near You: Star Wars on Location
Rebecca Harrison, EIF Principal Investigator Since 1976, when production began on the film that would become A New Hope (1977), Star Wars crews have filmed on location in three of the four UK nations. The saga features disused airfields like Cardington and Bovingdon (now themselves turned into film studios), sites of mineral or fossil extraction […]
EIF project launch event – watch the video!
Rebecca Harrison, EIF Project Lead On a very warm September afternoon (as if further proof was needed that we needto address the climate emergency), the Environmental Impact of Filmmaking teamofficially launched the project and our initial findings. Held at BFI Stephen Street onSeptember 7, 2023, the event hosted guests from across the screen sectors,including film […]
The Significance of Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) for Green Screen, Props, and Costumes
Siti Syuhaida Mohamed Yunus, EIF Project Research Associate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an essential tool in the film industry in efforts to improve sustainability. LCAs can help filmmakers evaluate the environmental impacts of different aspects of production, including green screen technology, and prop and costume making (for more information on how a life cycle […]
Greener Green Screen: Paving the Way for a Sustainable Filmmaking Industry
Siti Syuhaida Mohamed Yunus, EIF Project Research Associate Priorities in screen production are constantly evolving, as demonstrated by a trend over the past decade for greater attention to, and accountability regarding, environmental sustainability. Trade union Equity’s ‘Green Rider’ campaign, for example, contributes to the industry’s collective efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by asking […]
Flora, Fauna and The Force
To understand the negative impact Star Wars’production has had on Skellig and why this franchise, in particular, is a cause for concern amongst environmental agencies and advocates, we need to look at several specifics of the productions and consider the films’ use as advertising for Skellig Michael as a tourist destination.
Why Study Star Wars?
Analysts estimate that Star Wars retail accounts for around $2-3billion in revenue for Disney every year.[ii] But while its designs are pervasive in popular culture, it’s not the only example of a multimedia franchise producing recognisable props and costumes.
So what makes Star Wars worthy of attention from the EIF project?
Life Cycle Assessments: What, How and Why
A life cycle assessment (LCA) is the systematic analysis of a product or service’s potential environmental impacts. It typically involves calculating carbon emissions at different stages of a product’s build and use, for example, cradle-to-gate, which covers production to consumer delivery, or cradle-to-grave, which measures from manufacture to disposal.