Sustainability in the Media Industry: A series
V. 1
Sustainability is a word that’s thrown around a lot these days. From legitimate, actionable plans that companies and agencies are undergoing to try and change their practices, to blatant greenwashing, it’s difficult to discern which strategies actually work, and which just look good on paper. In addition, “sustainability” can mean a lot of different things to different people. It is, in essence, a very open-ended word that encapsulates a lot of both concrete and vague concepts.
Typically sustainability is broken down into 3 different columns: economic, social and environmental. For the purposes of this site and all AITW Media LLC business dealings we define “sustainability” as the following:
“Utilizing business practices in a way that benefits and gives back to the communities wherein productions are conducted.”
By following this principal we strive to not only incorporate the local communities in our productions, but also utilize a “no trace” mentality when working in nature. This is not an easy task to achieve, especially when companies have in-house teams or are used to conducting business in certain ways. It can also be difficult to find the balance between sustainable decisions and economical ones. Although a full examination of individual brand or company production practices is too complex and specific to break down into a single blog post, we’ve put together a “quick start” guide and check list to help production teams get some ideas of how to make their next production a little more sustainable.
Let’s break these concepts down a bit further. Please note that these are broad suggestions and may need to be refined depending on the type of production you are conducting, but can still be applied in cohesion to your brand-selling ideas. The more we as an industry reframe the mentality behind media production from “creating and selling commodities” to “telling stories and serving the community”, the more authentic and valuable the resulting engagement will be.
In fact, a survey conducted by Forbes in 2022 regarding sustainability in retail found that the consumers across generations (from Baby Boomers through Gen Z) are increasingly more likely to purchase products that come from ethical and production-transparent brands (up to 90% more likely in fact). It stands to reason that consumers would be just as likely to encourage and support companies who’s sustainability practices extend into their photo and video-shoots. So how do we, as an industry, get to that place of truly sustainable media campaigns and production?
Source your Talent and Crew Locally
We all prefer working with folks we’ve worked with before - this is completely understandable. We trust in their skills and know that they will deliver. It might also sometimes be more economical to source someone “known” rather than looking or casting for an “unknown” when going on location with a shoot.
We’re not suggesting that you give up utilizing loyalty, preference or economical solutions within your talent and crew selections, but rather that you utilize a 75-25 approach to each on-location production. If in-house crews need to be sent on location, we suggest that you keep them at around 25% of the total number of people on the production. The remaining 75% should be cast and sourced locally as much as possible.
The reasoning behind this is that :
It serves the community where you’re shooting by employing locals.
You benefit from local knowledge and connections - making casting and scouting easier, less time consuming and less expensive.
Local knowledge will enable you and your team to choose more sustainable locations - ones that are easily accessible and require less travel time and emissions.
You build a broader network of industry folks to work with in the future
By sourcing on-location talent and crew in the 75-25 approach you ensure that the campaign actually serves the community where it’s being shot, versus simply utilizing scenery and resources without contributing to the community.
2. Research the Local Culture and History
Audiences and consumers respond to authenticity and accountability. If you’re shooting on-location and know nothing about the culture, people and history of the place where you’re shooting, you inevitably end up losing out in an authentic through-tone to your finished campaign. Even if the shoot has nothing to do with blatantly showing or describing the history or culture of the location, the location itself is often showcased in the final work, and every production team can benefit from having the entire team do some research about the place they’ll be visiting and working.
The reasoning behind this is that :
The visiting crew and talent will have better empathy and understanding towards the local crew and talent.
By seeking to understand the culture and history of the on-location places, the stories you tell with your imagery or videography will inevitably do better justice in portraying the location in your final work.
Having a collaborative, learning mindset when traveling for a production is key to discovering new ideas, new angles and new stories to tell.
Learning about the culture and history of campaign locations will help steer brands away from accidental appropriation and work towards cultural appreciation. Combined with utilizing a primarily local crew, the brand and final messaging and storyline will be richer, more authentic and sit better with your target audience.
By researching and striving to understand the culture and history of new shooting locations, your production will increase its’ capacity to tell authentic stories through its’ work, and result in a richer, more layered and more authentic final product.
3. Encourage Reusable Alternatives to Classic, Disposable Solutions
It’s not a “sustainable practices” list without mentioning the incredibly wasteful, current practices employed by many productions globally. From single-use, plastic water bottles, to a lack of proper garbage containment, to utilizing toxic hair, skin and makeup products close to waterways, to keeping vehicles running in excess during productions…the list, unfortunately, goes on.
However, there is definitely hope on the horizon in terms of rectifying many of the aforementioned, wasteful practices. Many solutions even end up saving the brands and companies money at the end of the production day, and most of them simply involve better planning in the pre-production stages.
Some easy changes you and your team can make in pre-production and during the shoot itself include:
Choosing fewer and more eco-friendly transportation options when available. We know that some locations need more rugged vehicles than others, but opt for carpool, public transport, electric or hybrid vehicle options whenever possible. Make sure all vehicles are turned off when on location if they are not in use.
Switch all paperwork over to digital copies. Permits, call sheets, scripts, releases and contracts are all readily available as PDFs these days and are easy to edit, share and sign on location with the use of tablets or laptops. Opt for more environmentally conscious electronic versions en lieu of traditional paper copies of these documents.
Try Renting or Reusing Production Equipment. By repurposing or reusing props, costumes and set pieces used on previous productions, your team would not only save on the cost of new items, but also reduce waste and resources required in fabricating new equipment and pieces. The same effect may be achieved by renting camera gear as it potentially, over time, limits the amount of gear production necessary within the industry.
Choosing sustainability-focused MUAs and Stylists. Choosing team members who are knowledgeable in sustainability practices always adds value to your production, but in this case it also adds to the health and wellbeing of your talent, crew and environment. Many traditional makeup, skincare and clothing brands utilize toxic ingredients and materials. When used liberally and often on location, these ingredients can have a negative effect on the health of both the talent and the ecosystem. Opt for stylists utilizing natural-fabric, ethical brands, and choose MUAs who opt for natural, eco- and ocean-friendly makeup and hair styling products.
Preparing sustainable waste reduction methods. Depending on how remote your location is, utilize rigorous recycling methods to separate all waste as it is created. In addition, choose biodegradable and compostable alternatives for catering and crafty. Encourage talent and crew to bring their own water and reusable bottles to set, and set up refill stations throughout the production zone.
There are many more ways to create more sustainable practices within your productions, but these five are great starting off points if you and your team are not already implementing them. It’s true that these solutions require more planning and a little more logistical shuffling, but the net-positive result towards environmental impact is better for the entire industry in the long term. Where will we all shoot campaigns once the natural beauty of our favorite locations has been ruined by poor stewardship and practices?
4. Tell Local Stories and Highlight Environmental and Social Efforts
Storyboarding and concepts for shoots are often born far away from the actual shoot locations, and by the time they are completed, the location becomes nothing more than an almost inter-changeable backdrop to the products or experiences being sold in the campaign. By switching story development to include more on-location producers, location scouts and casting directors, you will end up with more imaginative and impactful stories in your campaign.
We know some brands thrive on creating content in their own backyards, but most brands try and source imagery and spectacular views from around the world. We’ve often been on productions, however, that simply utilize the beauty of a location without telling the stories of the the people found there. We don’t mean simply casting local talent or researching the local culture and history, but rather actually allowing the local creators and team to weave elements of their culture and background into your brands campaign.
By allowing the local team members to tell the stories of their location, interviewing elders within the on-location communities, and re-imagining true diversity in campaigns in regard to race, gender, age and creed, the throughline of your campaigns will be significantly more interesting, culturally richer and resonate with a wider audience.
To take it a step further, consider featuring locally-led environmental or social efforts conducted by individuals, non-profits or government groups. Any concept can be woven aesthetically to fit into your brand pillars and style, so by choosing to highlight important work being done within the communities where your production takes place, you will be choosing a more ethical and sustainable approach to delivering your message and achieving your marketing goals.
We hope that you found this list and guide useful and that it inspired you to think more sustainably about your next video or still production. If you need more suggestions or help, you can always send us an email to schedule a consultation.
