New Sustainability Initiative Future Ready Film Launched to Encourage & Develop Practical Green Production Supports
Posted: 23rd January 2023
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland (Screen Ireland) is delighted to launch a programme of consultation, support and practical guidance to enhance and accelerate the implementation of sustainability measures across the Irish screen industry. Future Ready Film is a new innovative project, managed by Climate Innovation with the support of Screen Ireland, to accelerate the uptake of green production skills across Ireland’s screen industry.
Funded as part of Screen Ireland’s Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme, Future Ready Film is an initiative designed to engage with key stakeholders across the live action film and television industry to understand the current barriers and opportunities related to sustainable production. The key aim is to develop practical guidance and supports to help production companies, studios, crew and key suppliers as the industry works together to reduce its carbon footprint.
For Screen Ireland, the project is part of the implementation of its 2022 Sustainability Plan which committed to developing a clear understanding of the current environmental impact of the Irish screen industry. The Future Ready Film project will provide a qualitative, ‘ground-up’ view of these gaps and opportunities across the sector.
Later this year, Screen Ireland plans to launch a parallel project to quantitatively analyse the carbon footprint of the industry. The insights gained from both initiatives will enable Screen Ireland to provide targeted support to the industry in setting and achieving these ambitious environmental targets.
Commenting on the new programme Gareth Lee, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Head of Skills and Professional Development said:
We’re delighted to support the launch of Future Ready Film today, an incredibly positive step forward for Screen Ireland’s Sustainability Plan in partnership with the wider screen sector. Climate Innovation has a breadth of experience across film production and practical green production practices. We’re looking forward to their engagement with stakeholders across the Irish screen sector and seeing the industry come together to reduce our carbon footprint, ensuring the further development of a more responsible, sustainable industry overall.
Stan Nangle, Climate Innovation said:
We've come a very long way since 2015 when Vikings was the first Irish production to employ a sustainability advisor, and since 2019 when Young Offenders became the first Irish production to be awarded a 3 Star albert certification by BAFTA. On these productions, and others since, crew engagement with sustainability measures was a critical part of their success. In 2023, we will take it up another gear starting with this engagement with stakeholders to understand the detail of the challenges and opportunities that face us and to figure out creative solutions. The Screen Ireland Sustainability Plan set out ambitious targets for the sector and we are delighted to have their support to roll out this initiative to raise awareness and build engagement across the industry to make change happen from the ground up.
The work undertaken by Climate Innovation will result in the development of a sustainability toolkit and training resources based on the input received from stakeholders, that will support immediate and ongoing emissions reduction on the ground across the industry. Stan Nangle of Climate Innovation will be reaching out to stakeholders and productions across the industry in the coming weeks.