How to be sustainable when planning and producing video content

In today’s world, video plays a crucial role in attracting people to your business – whether it’s customers or potential employees. While most people only see the finished content, a lot goes into the video production process, and it isn’t always as sustainable as it could be. From pre-production to post production, careful thought should be given to the carbon footprint your processes leave behind to avoid unnecessary emissions.

In this article, we’ll break down some ways you can improve the sustainability of your content creation, as well as explain some basic climate science and industry goals behind these efforts.

Video production industry impact on the climate

To inform what needs to change, it’s helpful to first understand the current impact that the industry and its processes have on the world. The following information is a basic, simplified version of climate science and how it applies to this industry – there is, of course, much more nuance in reality.

Scientists agree that to avoid catastrophic consequences, the atmospheric temperature must not increase by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. To achieve this, we need to halve our emissions by 2030, halve them again by 2040, and reach Net Zero by 2050 – no easy feat, and this is why it’s vital to consider sustainability in all aspects of business.

For the video production industry, these targets are particularly pressing. According to data by AdGreen, an organisation dedicated to helping the creative industry reduce its environmental impact, the average video project generates 6.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Among the factors contributing to these emissions, travel is the biggest culprit, often accounting for roughly 72% of the total. Energy use falls somewhere in the middle, significantly smaller than travel but still notable, while waste disposal is relatively minor in comparison.

Sphere of influence

Each person involved in a production can only do so much to influence it, as overall it’s a collaborative effort. Making a project more sustainable is no different.

Imagine your video production process as a series of circles, or ‘spheres’ radiating out from a central point. Each sphere represents a different area where you can have an impact. The closer the sphere is to the centre, the more direct and immediate your influence is. As you move outward, your influence becomes more indirect but still important.

Understanding spheres of influence helps you see where you can start making changes and how you can expand your impact over time. As you can see from the illustration above, the more you put into each stage, the wider impact you can have on making a difference. It starts with what you can control directly and moves outward to broader areas where you can influence others and eventually drive industry-wide changes.

By focusing on each sphere, you can gradually increase the sustainability of your video production process:

Start with simple personal actions you can take immediately.
Encourage and collaborate with your team to adopt sustainable practices.
Advocate for organisational changes that promote sustainability.
Share your knowledge and experiences to influence the wider industry.

Activity areas

When it comes to content production and managing our environmental impact, it’s handy to think of all activities falling into one of four activity areas. Each area tends to contribute different amounts to a project’s carbon footprint, but despite their rankings they should all be considered.

Travel and transport – this includes not only getting people to/from location, but also transporting equipment and having items delivered.

Spaces – this largely comes down to power in all filming and non-filming locations, as well as post production spaces. Energy will be needed to run and charge the equipment in them.

Materials – this can be any resource used in the production, including set construction, props, water, hard drives, catering, batteries, clothing, and makeup.

Disposal – reducing and then correctly disposing of waste is essential. Think about recycling, composting, and energy recovery.

Steps to create a greener production process

Clearly there’s a lot to consider here, so let’s break it down. The content creation process can be broken down into three steps: pre-production, production, and post production. Each of these three steps will have activity areas to be conscious of with various ways to reduce their environmental impact.

Pre Production

Perhaps unsurprisingly, most factors can be considered in the pre-production (planning) stage of a project.

If you’re part of the production team, consider:

The script

Develop a narrative that can be shot locally or remotely to cut down on travel emissions. Also avoid using excessive materials (and therefore waste). Consider using minimal props and when it’s unavoidable, explore sustainably sourced materials. ALBERT has a list of approved sustainable suppliers which could be a useful starting point but remember to consider sourcing locally to avoid excessive transport emissions.

Consideration can also be given to creating elements in CG/VFX instead of practically, which will cut down on waste. However, this option could increase energy consumption, so weigh up which option would likely produce the least amount of impact.

In a nutshell, dial it down. From the scale of your sets to the number of props and equipment you use, aim to simplify wherever possible. Smaller, more efficient setups not only reduce emissions but also streamline your production process, saving you time, costs, and headaches down the line.

Location

There are several choices which can be made to reduce environmental impact even once the script has been finalised.

If it’s necessary to carry out a recce (location scouting) but the place is far way, could you use a local crew that can send you images or videos instead of travelling there yourself? Similarly, could that local crew be used for the filming, then footage could be shared with you, cutting travel even more?

Even though travel has been reduced to a minimum, there might still be some required. Encourage non-essential attendees to join remotely and encourage others to travel together or use public transport. Likewise, look to hire local cast and crew to reduce travel further.

When it comes to location, consider places that run off renewable energy and use mains power and rechargeable batteries where possible. Even small changes such as using low energy lighting and turning things off when not in use can help to reduce waste and energy consumption.

Props and materials

Costuming and wardrobe choices also have environmental impacts. Opt for durable clothing that can be reused in multiple productions. If things break, try to repair and reuse what you already have. This not only saves money but also reduces the environmental impact associated with manufacturing and shipping new items.

When you do need something new, try to source it from sustainable suppliers or hire them instead.

Meals

Rethink crew meals and plan carefully to minimise waste and consider incorporating more vegetarian options. Meat production has a high carbon footprint, so reducing the amount of meat in your catering can make a noticeable difference.

Production

Now things have been planned, it’s time for production to get underway. As everyone in the industry will know, despite best intentions, things will change. Unfortunately, these changes could have an impact on the sustainable measures put in place during pre-production.

Here are some on-the-job things to consider to prevent increasing your carbon footprint where possible:

1. Have a laptop, tablet, or smart phone to view documents digitally instead of printing countless sheets of paper – especially if they’re likely to need updating.

2. If driving, avoid idling the vehicle when stationary.

3. Only charge items when required and turn off chargers when done – shoots overrun and batteries drain, so be mindful to limit energy consumption.

4. Sort waste appropriately so as much as possible can be recycled.

5. Use reusable bottles and coffee cups – it’s important to keep yourself and the crew charged too.

Post Production

The shoot is done and now it’s time for the magic to happen, taking all that footage and crafting the finished masterpiece that viewers will see.

It’s easy to think that the production’s sustainability journey ends here too, but there are still some elements to consider – mainly how the studio is operated.

The post production process can be quite energy intensive. Among other things, computers will be operating for hours as footage is collected, the editor works, files are exported, and videos are sent and uploaded.

Think about the energy sources being used. Switching to renewable energy providers or installing solar panels on the studio premises can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Remember, every piece of equipment that needs charging or every machine that needs powering can be a source of emissions if the energy comes from fossil fuels.

On top of this, the workspace will have the same waste factors as on location, with the post production crew needing to review scripts and briefs, as well as eat and drink while they work. Similar to the points mentioned earlier, look at ways to address this such as viewing documents digitally instead of printing and using reusable cups.

Your business

Putting aside the production process for a moment, consider the wider picture. As well as thinking from project to project, you will also need to address the sustainability of your business – whether you’re a freelancer, SME, or large production house.

UMi has a handy article that takes you through how to reduce the carbon footprint of your business. The article explains how businesses can measure and reduce their environmental impact as a complete entity, which is crucial for achieving net zero.

Remember, it’s not all on you – achieving net zero is a collaborative effort. The clients of a creative agency or freelancer also have a role to play in the sustainability of a production as ultimately, it’s their needs and wants that will drive the project.

Use your voice as the video production expert to have conversations with clients that explain why decisions are being made to encourage a sustainable production. If they’re on board, the entire process is far more likely to achieve its sustainability goals.

These approaches might seem restrictive, and of course the demand of some projects will dictate how flexible you can be. However, in this industry creativity flourishes when working within constraints, so why not make low carbon production part of the brief and embrace the challenge?

Carbon offsetting

In an ideal world, every project and business would have a carbon footprint of zero. But until we get to a point where this is both technically and financially possible, investing in carbon reduction projects is going to be one of the best ways to tackle those unavoidable emissions.

Simply put, carbon offsetting is the process of reducing/removing CO2 from the atmosphere, either directly or indirectly, to offset the greenhouse gases (GHG) you and your business have put into it. There are many ways to offset, but the key thing is that you do not use it as a way to continue business as usual. We can’t offset our way out of the climate crisis.

You can find a more comprehensive look into carbon offsetting and how it can benefit your business here.

Adgreen has a very useful Carbon Calculator which allows you to input all the elements of your production mentioned previously. It advises you on how to reduce the environmental impact as much as possible, then helps offset the remaining unavoidable emissions.

The video production industry has a significant impact on the environment, but there are many ways to reduce this impact by adopting more sustainable practices. From minimising travel to using renewable energy and reducing waste, every step counts.

By making conscious choices throughout the production process, you can help ensure that your work not only attracts and engages your audience but also contributes to a healthier planet. Remember, sustainability is a journey, and every small change can lead to significant progress over time.

Next steps…

Continue your sustainability journey by taking a look at the sustainability in business bundle.
Check out Adgreen and ALBERT to see how they can support you in creating a greener video production process.
Measure your overall business carbon footprint by answering a few questions, get tailored actions, and start building a plan to reduce your emissions from Carbon Planner by NatWest

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