Circular economy (CE) initiatives can help the film industry in reducing the waste and material-related environmental burden of audiovisual productions.
What is so new about circular economy? Instead of traditional linear or recycling economies, circular systems focus on prevention, reuse, sharing, refurbishing and recycling of products. The aim is to close so called local material loops and limiting the use of resources, waste creation and related carbon emissions. CE initiatives can be found in many different sectors, ranging from building infrastructure, textiles, lighting of public buildings, …
Knowing that 28 % of the average carbon impact of a Flemish film production is related to waste and materials usage, VAF decided broadening its sustainability focus to circular solutions. Bridging the policy domains sustainable film production and CE has several advantages:
- It helps VAF to showcase CE companies that could help filmmakers
- It allows VAF to improve the existing sustainable coaching
- It allows for additional funding for VAF’s sustainability work.
- It initiates new scientific research domains (academic partner helps VAF to quantify the environmental impact of materials and waste and the savings of CE initiatives.
Resources needed
Circular Economy is about another mind set: can alternative consumption patterns fulfil your needs as filmmaker? The initial investment is time to look for local CE stakeholders and potential partners.
Evidence of success
Within the framework of the Green Screen project VAF organized a staff exchange in June 2019. Approx. 60 representatives from the AV industry, regional stakeholders and project partners attended the event.
VAF successfully brought together representatives of the policy agencies (OVAM - Flemish Waste Agency and Flanders Circular), film institutions (Cine Regio, EFAD), film professionals and SME’s active in the field of CE.
Potential for learning or transfer
CE proves to be a successful pathway towards a more sustainable film production:
- As a result of the Green Screen staff exchange, VAF successfully submitted the SCIFI project, focussing on listing relevant CE solutions, updating the VAF approach with focus on CE and experimenting with high potential CE SME’s. The project and its partners are a direct result of the staff exchange.
- MODs, one of the represented Flemish SME’s, was invited by Green Screen partner Film PAris Region / Ecoprod and their local stakeholder ‘MAD (Métiers Associés du Décor de Cinéma et de l’audiovisuel) to exhibit its circular innovation at the 2020 Production Forum in Paris.
- Green Screen partner Slovak Film Commission started partnerships with the Slovak Ministry of Environment of Slovak Republic and with Incien, the regional Circular Economy Institute.
Tags: Circular economy
