Whitetail

Whitetail (2024) is a small-budget feature film produced by Circle Films, Kaap Holland Film, Keeper Pictures and Savage Film and filmed in Kenmare, Co. Kerry. The Dutch / Irish / Belgian co-production, led by Irish Producers Katie Holly and Evan Horan from Keeper Pictures, Line Producer Lyndzi Doyle and Sustainability Advisor Alexandra de Valera from Ecoscope, set out to embed sustainable filmmaking practices from the earliest stages of pre-production. The project aimed not only to reduce its own carbon footprint but also to contribute valuable data and precedents for smaller, regionally based productions, which are often underrepresented in industry-wide sustainability studies.

The production actively managed its footprint with the albert carbon calculator, achieving a 3-Star albert rating and recording total emissions of 66.91 tonnes CO₂e. Given its size and regional context, this was a notable achievement, demonstrating that smaller productions outside of the Dublin/Wicklow hub can achieve meaningful sustainability results.

Whitetail was also in receipt of the Screen Ireland Sustainability Innovation Fund, which enabled the production to pilot and test specific initiatives in the areas of Energy Efficiency (use of HVO fuel, adoption of LED and battery-powered lighting) and the Circular Economy (food donation scheme and support for a props reuse initiative in the South of Ireland). These initiatives allowed the production not only to reduce emissions directly but also to pioneer new approaches with long-term benefits for the wider industry.

The production’s strategy was built around Ecoscope’s five core pillars: Communication and Engagement, Waste Management, Sustainable Catering, Energy and Travel, and Materials. Within these areas, Whitetail trialled a range of measures — from compostable catering and crew engagement newsletters to LED lighting trials and food redistribution — that together shaped a model for how sustainability can be embedded in smaller productions.

Whitetail’s Sustainability Strategy was designed to address both its direct carbon footprint taking into account wider industry practices. Initiatives were grouped into five areas:

Communication & Engagement

• A Sustainability Plan and departmental policies were prepared by Sustainability Advisor Alexandra de Valera (Ecoscope Ltd.) in collaboration with Producers. These were distributed to all Heads of Department prior to filming.
• A Sustainability Crew Memo was attached to the Call Sheet, clearly communicating production goals.
• Weekly crew newsletters reinforced sustainability messaging in an engaging way, linking sustainability principles to on-set compliance, local knowledge, the production’s friendly furry friends and even on-set competitions.

Waste Management

• Partnered with Higgins Waste, which operates a zero-waste-to-landfill policy, using a three-bin segregation system.
• Food and compost went to a commercial facility, recycling to a Material Recovery Facility, and residual waste to incineration for energy recovery.
• Reusable water bottles and coffee cups were encouraged, with water drums replacing single-use plastics.

Sustainable Catering

• Vegan meals offered daily to encourage reduced meat consumption.
• Food sourced locally and seasonally; palm oil avoided.
• 100% compostable catering ware used.
• Bulk condiments replaced single-use packaging.
• Through the Innovation Fund, Caterflix introduced a food donation system, redistributing surplus meals to Vincent de Paul and the Kenmare Garda Station.

Energy & Travel

• A strict no-idling policy applied to all vehicles.
• Equipment was unplugged when not in use, and efficiency was prioritised in procurement.
• Through Innovation Fund support, the production trialled HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) fuel, which reduces emissions by up to 90%.
• Collaboration with Teach Solais expanded the use of LED and battery-powered lighting, reducing generator reliance and encouraging wider industry capacity-building.

Materials & Circular Economy

• Departments prioritised renting and second-hand sourcing over new purchases.
• Where new purchases were unavoidable, sustainable sourcing and end-of-life reuse/donation plans were implemented.
• No VOC paints, adhesives, or sprays were used.
• Props Buyer Jack Prendergast initiated a crew-led props reuse scheme, supported by the Innovation Fund, inspired by Dublin’s Props 360. This initiative lays the foundation for a stock-hire model in the South of Ireland, extending circular economy practices beyond established hubs.

Learnings

Crew Engagement: Despite many crew working with albert certification for the first time, uptake was highly positive. Newsletters and on-set communication helped normalise sustainability practices.

Catering Practices: Caterflix’s adoption of 100% compostables as standard practice — now applied across its operations — demonstrates how production-driven initiatives can lead to systemic supplier change.

Innovation Fund Projects:

• HVO Fuel use
• LED/battery lighting reduced generator demand and modelled future procurement best practices.
• Food donations provided ~250 meals, avoiding ~0.45 tonnes CO₂e while benefitting the local community.
• Props reuse initiative created foundations for regional circular economy practices.

HVO Supply: Fuel availability was inconsistent, highlighting supply chain challenges.

Transport Emissions: Travel remained the largest emissions category (over 60%) which is in line with industry averages however there were limited transport alternatives for regional projects.

Recommendations

Support Caterers in integrating donation practices as a standard service.

Expand Circular Economy Initiatives like Props 360 nationwide, supported by funding.

Lighting Hire Companies should offer energy-efficient kit as default, incentivised through funding and procurement standards.

Regional Infrastructure (waste and energy services) must be improved to give productions equal access to sustainable options outside Dublin/Wicklow.

Early Engagement: Sustainability kick-off meetings in pre-production are essential to secure buy-in and embed practices.

Whitetail demonstrates that meaningful sustainability outcomes are achievable even on small budgets and in regional locations, provided sustainability is integrated from the outset and supported with targeted innovation funding. By piloting HVO fuel, energy-efficient lighting, food donations, and props reuse, the production reduced its emissions while also setting precedents that can scale across the Irish screen industry.

The case of Whitetail underscores three key lessons:

1. Leadership matters: Producer and Line Producer engagement from pre-production was critical to success.
2. Suppliers can lead change: Caterflix’s compostable-only policy and Teach Solais’s willingness to trial LEDs show how vendor practices can shift industry norms.
3. Innovation Fund support is catalytic: Without it, small productions would struggle to afford the “green premium” of sustainable alternatives.

• Production Company: Keeper Pictures, Circe Films, Kaap Holland Film, Savage Film
• Producer: Katie Holly, Evan Horan, Stienette Bosklopper, Maarten Swart, Bart van Langendonck
• Line Producer: Lyndzi Doyle
• Sustainability Advisor: Alexandra de Valera, Ecoscope Ltd.
• Key Partners: Caterflix (Catering), Teach Solais (Lighting), Higgins Waste (Waste Management), Vincent de Paul, Kenmare (Charity Partner).