Blogue SHIFT

By Mariana Liz

“One average tentpole film production – a film with a budget of over US$70m – generates 2,840 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent amount absorbed by 3,709 acres of forest in a year.” This is the damaging conclusion that guides the Screen New Deal report, published in September 2020. Although commissioned before the pandemic, the report already hints at new ways of working on set and on location in the era of Covid-19. 2020 has been characterized by massive changes in the film industry, from production to distribution, and particularly, exhibition. The coronavirus pandemic has seen fewer people travel by air, which is very positive in terms of carbon emissions. For instance, there have been accounts of scenes directed through Microsoft Teams and other online platforms. Several pre- and post-production activities can be done remotely, from scouting to casting, editing and special effects, and this should be encouraged as a practice even after the end of travelling restrictions.