A Cinematographer and their role in the environmental permacrisis

Abstract

Film Production is a major contributor to global greenhouse emissions. ‘A Screen New Deal’, published by the BFI in 2020 outlines that;

‘Data analysis shows that one average tentpole film production – a film with a budget of over US$70m – generates 2,840 tones of CO2e, the equivalent amount absorbed by 3,709 acres of forest in a year. Within this, transport accounts for approximately 51% of carbon emissions, mains electricity and gas use accounts for around 34%, and diesel generators for the remaining 15%.’ (BFI, 2020)

It is, therefore, vital that a key creative on a film project, the cinematographer, becomes part of the solution instead of continuing to be part of the problem. The Cinematography department is key to any production and one that is not spoken about within this context enough. Instead, the talk is about removing generators and changing fixtures to LED, rather than discussing the cinematographer’s practice itself. 

At a time when the US industry seeks to promote natural light as evidenced by Nomadland's BAFTA and Oscar wins, but where major carbon emissions continue to be generated by cinematographic practices, my work seeks to develop replicable working methods that can substantially reduce the environmental harms of cinematography department and therefore act on the environmental permacrisis.

In this paper, I will ask how I, as a practicing cinematographer, can introduce change through my own practice. With reference and case study to my practice in the feature films Mind-Set (Murray, 2022) and How You Look At Me (Gonzalez, 2019).