When a film wraps and throws away the same custom-built timber sets as a three-day trade show, we’re not looking at two different industries; we’re looking at a failure in resource management that applies to both temporary systems.

Within film, this often shows up as a kind of “circus mindset”, where productions arrive, build what they need, and move on just as quickly. The focus is on delivering what is required in the moment, with far less attention given to what happens afterwards. Sets and materials are treated as temporary by default, rather than as part of an ongoing lifecycle.

At the surface level, a high-end film production and a global corporate conference and exhibition don’t have much in common. Beautiful moving images are being chased by one, and product and service sales are chased by the other. But behind the scenes, there’s a similar pattern; idling generators, crew catering, location selection, production schedules, prop building and a long list of suppliers transporting AV kit, clothing crew and pieces of set. And within all this are inevitably items which end up being single-use, sometimes through no fault of the teams and sometimes through poor planning. Assets that are considered waste once the cameras stop rolling or the conference centre doors close.

In many cases, this is not a deliberate choice but a reflection of how productions operate. Crews work under pressure, timelines are tight, and sustainability is not always something people have the time to fully engage with. Without a clear understanding of its value, it is easy to assume that more sustainable approaches will add complexity or cost, and so familiar ways of working tend to prevail. The secret lies in shifting to a circular mindset from the start; it’s better for production and better for the planet. If you are planning for a strike from the beginning, then you are designing your sets in a way that it’s easier to strike them - different material, modular set build, etc; this enables the construction company to disassemble it quickly. That’s important for the production, as often location agreements and studio costs dictate a super-fast turnaround time, so if this is tackled from the beginning, there’s no rush at the end to just ‘chuck it on a roll-on’ to be able to ‘get out on time’.

Both industries currently tackle sustainability in silo thinking their set-up is different from that of an event, but when the equipment and logistics are laid out without the shows on top, the industries look very much the same. A generator on set is the same as one powering a tent in a field at a festival.

There is also an underlying issue of knowledge and confidence. In a fast-paced environment like film, people rely on established practices, and change can feel risky. This is where external guidance becomes important. Sustainability specialists can support productions in understanding how decisions connect across departments, and how early adjustments can reduce impact without disrupting the process. They can also provide resources and knowledge from previous instances, speed up the process and ease the daunting step of going down a ‘new’ path.

As with most things in life, the film and event industries have far more in common than that which divides them. Whether it’s a 72-hour event or a 6-month shoot, the core sustainability elements, transport, energy use, materials, and logistics, apply across all creative work. By treating these as isolated fields, we miss the chance to share the solutions that are already working.

In film, however, these elements are often only addressed once production is already underway. Whether sustainability succeeds or fails is usually determined at the point a project is greenlit. Decisions around budget, suppliers, locations, and materials are made early, and if sustainability is not part of those conversations, it becomes much harder to introduce it later in a meaningful way. When it is built in from the beginning, it can carry through far more effectively.

Temporary worlds, shared structures

Both industries are masters of building temporary production worlds. We create film sets, stages, and installations that exist for a heartbeat but require substantial resources to build and operate.

While the timelines differ, events are a high-speed sprint while film is a marathon; the operational components are identical. We both manage mobile crews, large-scale catering, complex lighting, and temporary infrastructure under tight deadlines. These parallels mean that a sustainability strategy developed for a film set can often be mapped directly onto an event.

One area that still feels underdeveloped in film is what happens after a production finishes. In the event space, there is often more emphasis on storing and reusing materials. Film, by comparison, tends to start from scratch each time. Yet many sets and builds could be adapted, reused, or passed on with relatively little effort. With the right structures in place, there is clear potential to extend the life of these resources. However, it requires a shift in mindset, in design, in asset and IP management - there are multiple layers to this, which, if considered early on, are really worth adopting.

Connecting the dots across the industries

Because the underlying challenges are so similar, there is an opportunity for shared practices. Sustainability coordinators are in a unique position to help connect those practices. For example:

• Diesel-free blueprints: Successes in diesel-free film production offer a roadmap for greenfield event sites to eliminate fossil fuel generators. Leverage Point Entertainment achieved 95.6% diesel-free operations on a recent production, providing a practical model for both industries.

• Preventative procurement practices: Event Cycle has worked with major events to track purchasing decisions right from the beginning to follow the lifecycle of every asset, ensuring reuse opportunities can be identified before doors open to the audience.

• Asset afterlife: In 5 years of business, Event Cycle has converted over £3.2 million in surplus event materials into social value. This Asset Dissolution doesn’t just work at events; it’s the perfect solution for film wraps looking to avoid the skip and create a local social legacy instead. In our productions, we ensure sets, props, and materials find a second home through donation, giving assets continued life beyond wrap.

• Story-led data: We’ve learned that tonnes of CO2 is too abstract. By visualising impact with stories from charities supported, we give both film producers and event organisers a story they can share with their audience.

What is notably absent is a consistent approach to sharing resources across productions. Materials are often held within a single project and rarely circulate beyond it. Introducing systems for internal donation or reuse within the industry could significantly reduce waste. While this would require coordination and clear processes, the benefit of reusing existing builds rather than repeatedly creating new ones is difficult to ignore.

The opportunity for Innovation

The creative sector influences culture and behaviour. When we rethink how productions are designed and delivered, we are doing more than lowering our carbon footprint; we are providing the foundation to shape industry standards and inspire our audiences.

If we can solve the sustainability problems for a 48-hour event de-rig, we can solve it for a complex film wrap, too. The logistics are comparable, the community need is identical, and the potential for innovation is endless.

There are also wider implications for the industry. Sustainability is increasingly linked to funding, partnerships, and long-term resilience. Productions that do not adapt may find themselves at a disadvantage, not only environmentally but commercially. Expectations are shifting, and sustainability is beginning to sit less as an added consideration and more as a baseline requirement.

Sustainability isn’t a department within your industry; it’s a shared standard across the entire creative sector. By breaking down the barriers between film and events, we can stop reinventing the wheel and start sharing the solutions instead.

Top tip: The next time you’re planning a production, don’t just look at your own industry’s guidelines. The solution to your biggest sustainability challenge has likely already been solved by a colleague in another field.

The opportunity lies in moving beyond recognising these overlaps and beginning to act on them more consistently. Many of the solutions already exist across both industries. The challenge is to apply them earlier, share them more openly, and embed them as part of standard practice rather than treating them as secondary considerations.

Get in touch with us:

Looking for sustainability support for your event, production, or film project?

Event Cycle: hello@eventcycle.org

Leverage Point Entertainment: greenlight@leveragepointent.com

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We’re excited to announce a new partnership with Natural Bounce Solutions (NBS), a modular, sustainable bounce system developed by people who actually work on set.

If you’ve ever tried to create natural-looking reflections in a fast-moving production environment, you’ll know the usual challenges: too much kit, too many compromises, and results that still don’t quite feel true to the world you’re trying to create. Natural Bounce Solutions addresses that problem directly.

From the outset, the use case is clear. NBS allows crews to create better, more natural light with less equipment, less power, and less waste. This partnership is about giving filmmakers, DoPs, gaffers, production designers, art supervisors, and rental companies a tool that integrates seamlessly into real workflows, while supporting a more sustainable way of working.

What Natural Bounce Solutions Actually Solve

Natural Bounce Solutions is a modular butterfly frame material system developed on the back of many years of on-set experience as a DP–gaffers trio. The goal was simple: create a solution that genuinely improves day-to-day lighting workflows.

The system combines several base frame options with a range of carefully developed reflective surfaces. What makes it unique is how freely these elements can be combined. Multiple surfaces can be attached to a selected base using Velcro and swapped out in seconds. This allows for extremely fast adaptation in environments where conditions change constantly, whether that’s shifting daylight, weather, or creative direction.

Just as important as speed is the colour palette. NBS actively pursued natural colours that mimic real environments, producing high-quality, homogeneous reflections. These are tones that often exist naturally in the world but have historically been difficult to achieve convincingly with traditional bounce materials.

The result is a simple, adaptable, and straightforward system that delivers believable light and happens to be sustainable by design.

Use Case Examples

Locations

In exterior locations - whether in nature or in urban settings - NBS materials allow crews to reflect sunlight from the selected base material and overlay in a controlled and natural way. Rather than relying only on traditional white or off-white bounce surfaces, the system makes it possible to introduce colour into the scene without using additional lamps.

This helps create reflections that feel true to the surroundings, whether that means a city street or a more natural outdoor environment. In many cases, this can be achieved with little to no power use at all, reducing the need for generators and lowering overall environmental impact.

Studio and Stage Work

Studio environments are another area where NBS can make a strong creative difference. In controlled studio conditions, the materials make it easier to build the right colour world and atmosphere directly into the set.

They can create consistent reflections that feel visually present and expressive without becoming overpowering. This makes it easier to recreate the kind of exterior reflections that might naturally fall into an interior, whether that is a city apartment or a countryside house. The system can also be used effectively in combination with strong incoming sunlight.

Because the reflection is even and highly homogeneous, it integrates smoothly with other lighting sources and reduces the need for additional diffusion, correction, or supplementary fixtures. The result is a cleaner setup and a more believable image.

Designing with Light from the Start

NBS delivers the greatest benefit when it’s part of the creative conversation early on. When art directors and production designers consider these materials during conceptualisation, they can design sets with reflected light and shadow behaviour in mind from the very beginning. Walls, materials, and colour palettes can be chosen to work in harmony with natural bounce rather than fighting against it. This often reduces the amount of set build materials and lighting equipment usually required to achieve similar results.

If the use of NBS materials becomes part of the design concept itself, the selection of furniture, props, and other set elements can further reinforce the desired reflections, allowing the intended atmosphere to become more visually dominant in a natural and controlled way.

By aligning lighting and production design early on, departments work more cohesively, the final image feels more intentional, and the result is grounded rather than constructed. It’s a smarter way of working that strengthens both the creative outcome and the efficiency of the production as a whole.

A Practical Approach to Sustainable Lighting

Sustainability in production isn’t about compromise; it’s about smarter decisions.

Natural Bounce Solutions materials compensate for light rather than overpowering it. They allow crews to do more with fewer fixtures, lower power requirements, and reduced logistical complexity. This is especially valuable in natural and remote locations, where lightweight setups and minimal energy use make a tangible difference.

Some of the most effective sustainable ideas don’t come from top-down policies. They come from the experts within the departments themselves. NBS is a strong example of a practical, department-led solution that improves efficiency, image quality, and environmental impact at the same time.

A Practical Approach to Sustainability in Post-Production

One of the key advantages of Natural Bounce Solutions is the quality of light it delivers in-camera. By reflecting natural, environment-based tones with consistency and homogeneity, scenes feel grounded and balanced from the outset.

That means less corrective work later. When colour and reflections are achieved physically on set, there’s far less need for heavy grading or fixing inconsistencies in post.

It’s a simple principle: it’s always better to get it right in production than to repair it afterwards. Better natural light on set leads to a cleaner grade, fewer adjustments, and a more efficient - and sustainable - post-production process.

What We’re Saying

“This partnership made immediate sense for us. Natural Bounce Solutions isn’t a theoretical product; it’s a response to real, everyday challenges on set. We are proud to support great ideas originated by crew members who know their craft like the back of their hand.”

- Zsofia Szemeredy, Founder, Leverage Point Entertainment

“We developed Natural Bounce Solutions based on our own on-set experience as a DP–gaffer team. We wanted a system that could adapt instantly and produce reflections that genuinely exist in real environments. Sustainability wasn’t a separate goal - it was a natural result of simplifying and refining the workflow.”

- Daniel Szekrenyi, Co-Founder, Natural Bounce Solutions

Availability and Next Steps

Natural Bounce Solutions materials are primarily intended for sale, with rental options also available. New specifications and surfaces are added regularly as the system continues to evolve.

We’re keen to spread the word internationally. If this approach resonates with you, please consider sharing it with fellow DoPs, gaffers, production designers, art supervisors, and rental companies. You’re also welcome to pass on contact details, and the NBS team will be happy to get in touch directly.

This partnership is about better light, better collaboration, and more sustainable outcomes, without adding complexity on set.

🎁 Exclusive discount for our community - EMAIL US FOR THE CODE: Use code at checkout for 10% off your NBS order.

Let’s connect! 🌱 chat link below

Get in Touch

Film and television productions have a large carbon footprint, and there is a growing need to lower costs while reducing their environmental impact. Traditional location scouting and blocking often require repeated travel, moving crews and equipment between sites, generating significant CO₂ emissions, adding transport costs, and consuming valuable time. Technological advancements like reality capture and 3D scanning provide a sustainable alternative, if used well, digitising real-world locations for virtual exploration, pre-visualisation, and even full virtual shoots can have tangible environmental benefits.

This technology not only streamlines production workflows but also helps reduce the carbon footprint of filmmaking. However, it is not a catch-all solution; it is something to be used with consideration and with bespoke attention to production needs. The overall environmental benefits are yet to be further analysed on a case-by-case basis to provide reliable industry benchmark data for more general use cases.

"Our mission is to modernize the production pipeline, not only by making it more efficient but by keeping sustainability at the forefront. Our partnership with Leverage Point is crucial because it allows us to validate our workflows against rigorous environmental standards. Their input helps us optimize our solutions, ensuring we deliver the maximum possible reduction in carbon emissions while unlocking critical efficiencies and reducing production risks.” - Barnabas Csutak, Producer and Growth Director at District Cinema

Henceforth, we are thrilled to announce that Leverage Point Entertainment is partnering with District Cinema to bring these innovations to productions worldwide. District Cinema, a Creative Technology Studio with bases in Tampa, Florida, and Los Angeles, California, combines engineering and creative expertise to push the boundaries of Virtual Production, XR, and immersive storytelling. The District Cinema team, experienced in large-scale event activations, interactive festival platforms, and full-room immersion systems, operates through a network spanning more than 40 countries, making advanced virtual production tools accessible to both studios and independent productions.

Leverage Point Entertainment complements this technical expertise with strategic sustainability consultancy, operating across the UK and Europe. They work closely with production teams, studios, financiers, broadcasters, and suppliers to embed environmental thinking into every stage of the filmmaking process, from script development to on-set operations. By combining big-picture sustainability with cutting-edge virtual production tools, this partnership not only streamlines production but also creates a tangible positive impact on the environment.

“I’m utterly fascinated by this project. When Barney came to me, I was taken aback. It has been a recurring question how to cut down on more energy consumption and how to streamline production even more than they are already, and I see boundless possibilities with this collaboration. Imagine you have a production in one corner of the world, but you’d like to shoot in another corner - as you do. Now, you can get the confirmed locations scanned with great accuracy without the need for everyone to go over. It helps your prep period so much, I can’t even express it in words; it’s not just the travel and money you save, but time.

This is what I see in this collaboration: saving time for everyone on all fronts. In my view, time is our most precious commodity in production - time is the hardest to buy! When we waste time, we waste carbon. I know efficiency may mean something else for different people, but this is the cornerstone of my philosophy - being efficient, that’s the way to really reduce carbon footprints on a grand scale!” - Zsofia Szemeredy, Founder and MD at Leverage Point Entertainment

Reality capture can help productions reduce emissions, save time, and unlock new creative possibilities. For example, a traditional international recce involving five crew members would typically generate approximately 1.97 tCO₂e per person for a long-haul flight (Los Angeles–London), amounting to a total of 9.85 tCO₂e (Albert Carbon Calculator).

By responsibly using reality capture and avoiding these flights entirely, those emissions could be largely eliminated, accounting only for the significantly lower ground emissions of one or two technical crew members scanning the location, as well as the energy required for rendering.

‍This is a simplified example, intended to illustrate the underlying logic of the approach and the broader ambition of the partnership: to accurately measure, model, and reduce production-related emissions through real-world case studies in future.

How energy challenges became a production crisis

Across the global screen industry, diesel generators have become the default power source for on-location film, television, and event production. This sometimes unnecessary reliance on fossil-fuelled temporary power contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and inefficiency. Diesel generators can account for up to 30% of a production’s total carbon footprint, depending on scale and location. Some productions consume over 20,000 litres of diesel, emitting more than 50 tonnes of CO₂e¹, figures that underscore the pressing need for cleaner alternatives. Mobile Power Units (MPUs) within London’s supplier fleet alone produce 64,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases (CO2e) every year². Similarly, in the U.S,. it was found that big-budget films emit around 2,996 metric tonnes of CO₂ each, with fuel use mainly from generators and transportation. This accounted for around 48–56% of total emissions in films and up to 58% in scripted TV dramas³.

There is a significant global demand to address the need for more efficient power solutions, yet substantial hurdles remain. Compressed pre-production periods and complex stakeholder relationships continue to obstruct the implementation of alternative power solutions. The path forward requires standardised guidance, industry-wide alignment, and robust funding mechanisms to support greener, more resilient power infrastructure for the creative industries. This is not a peripheral concern, as clean energy and its accessibility will be fundamental for the industry’s operation in the case of a limited energy future. We are seeing anti-pollution, noise, and weight regulations coming in across the board, and while welcome, they will make our current way of working impossible; thus, it’s essential to be ahead of the curve.

1. BAFTA albert

2. The Shift Report from The Fuel Project, a collaboration between Creative Zero and Film London

3. Sustainable Production Alliance

‍How our initiative started

As sustainability professionals committed to driving change, Roxy Erickson (Creative Zero), Dörte Schneider Garcia (Green Consultants de Portugal), and the team at Leverage Point Entertainment, led by Zsófia Szemerédy, initiated a global collaboration. What began as informal conversations within a group chat evolved into a session focused on sharing best practices and supporting the industry’s transition to cleaner power solutions.

To gather insights and a better understanding of current procedures elsewhere, Dörte posed a simple question to the group: How does temporary grid access work in your country? Initially, the response was modest, but it soon evolved into a lively exchange, with many expressing interest and a willingness to collaborate, which Dörte, Roxy and Zsofia (the grid team) agreed to organise.

How it took root

All contributions have been recorded as provided by participants. No independent verification or fact-checking of the statements, opinions, or data supplied has been undertaken.

To better understand the challenges and opportunities, an informal survey was conducted that received responses from 26 industry professionals, including representatives from film funds, sustainability specialists, and technical crew members from across the sector and globe. The results revealed significant experience with temporary power access and highlighted persistent barriers.

Survey Results: How does temporary grid access work in your country?

This table presents a broad overview of responses from individuals with “boots on the ground” experience, from specific locations/regions, reflecting varying stages of engagement and data availability. In some cases, columns are blank due to limited data.

How’s it going

Drawing on case studies from Argentina, Canada, France, Hungary, and the United Kingdom, and with a goal to accelerate the transition to grid-based energy and advocate for stronger policy support, the grid team curated a knowledge-sharing session which brought together over 50 industry professionals to explore both the persistent challenges and scalable strategies for creating easy grid access across the globe. Discussions took place via an open-floor format, and key learnings from the session are detailed below.

Special thank you to our panelists; Flor Nates, Katharine Pavoni, Joanna Gallardo, Gergő Balika, Louise Marie Smith, Neil Ashton

Argentina

• National grid powered by hydro, thermal, solar, and nuclear (low emissions: 0.23 tCO₂/MWh).

• Temporary connections are easy to secure via local providers and are billed by usage.

• Supportive provincial film commissions streamline access across Córdoba and Buenos Aires.

Canada (Vancouver)

• Clean hydro grid; challenges remain for ad hoc connections.

• A Clean Energy Committee developed a grid tie-in map, diesel hotspot tracking, and cost calculators. https://reelgreen.ca/reel-green-grid-power-access-map/

• Five film power kiosks have been installed, although ongoing bureaucratic challenges remain. A film kiosk typically functions as a local power hub or power distribution point on a production set or base camp. It receives electricity, often through a tie-in to the local grid and distributes it safely and efficiently to lighting, cameras, trailers, and other electrical equipment. Proper placement of these kiosks is therefore essential to enable greener, grid-connected power solutions and to advance sustainable production practices.

• Emphasis on municipal collaboration and global resource sharing.

France (Paris Region)

• Strong grid, but historically slow administrative responses have hindered access.

• A new centralised request system and district-specific technical site visits have improved efficiency.

• A complementary mix of green technologies is emerging, supported by regulations and carbon reporting, but increasingly tight production schedules hinder proper planning and decision-making for sustainability.

• Olympic infrastructure upgrades are being adapted for film use.

• Collaboration with Enedis and EDF supports a low-emissions strategy under Ecoprod principles.

Hungary (Budapest)

• Fragmented municipal structures and slow national utility processes are a challenge.

• Specialised electrical contractors have improved timelines (8–10 days average).

• Diesel generators are still prevalent, though grid use is increasing due to cost/environmental benefits.

• Emerging trend: retaining infrastructure at recurring locations for future use.

Spain

• Bureaucratic complexity and unclear responsibilities around grid connections slow progress, while social behaviours such as overspending on excess and non-essential items, alongside ongoing cost concerns, remain barriers.

• Greater public awareness and clearer operational guidance are needed.

United Kingdom (Southern England)

• Victoria Park Case Study:
  

  • A permanent grid cabinet saved over 50,000 litres of diesel and 140 tonnes of CO₂e in one year.

  • Data revealed consistent overestimation of power needs.

  • Administrative and heritage site barriers persist.

• Telemetry Innovation:
  

  • Fox Power tracks real-time energy use to reduce generator reliance.

  • Enabled full electrification of major productions and reduced fuel use at Glastonbury Music Festival by two-thirds.

  • Promotes data-led planning and collaboration as the path to scalable clean power.

Nonetheless, pioneering efforts, such as Vancouver’s film power kiosks, demonstrate tangible environmental and economic gains, effectively dispelling the myth that sustainable solutions are too costly. Argentina’s adaptable ‘plug and play’ grid infrastructure further emerged as a promising model that other regions might emulate to achieve similar results.

Open to the Floor: Key Takeaways‍

After the specific case studies were presented, the floor was opened to contributions from all professionals in the session. The following summarises some of the key takeaways from the discussion.

Strategic Energy Planning and Infrastructure

• A range of diverse and complementary technical solutions is required to achieve sustainable power provision; no single approach is sufficient.

• Strategically locating power supplies in areas with concentrated power needs, like spaces that are used for community events and as a film locations, optimises energy use, reduces excessive cable runs, and enhances overall efficiency on set.

• Data collection can identify high-demand zones and indicate where the power kiosks, or the temporary and semi-permanent distribution units, should be placed and from where power should be distributed.

• Power planning helps prevent the overestimation of power requirements, thereby minimising unnecessary fuel consumption and equipment rental.

• Accurate data from production is necessary to strategise for near-future industry energy use.

Regional and Structural Challenges

• There are pronounced regional disparities and complex local dynamics that continue to hinder the broader adoption of low-carbon energy infrastructure.

• Aligning key stakeholders - such as government authorities, screen agencies, production executives from independent to broadcast, studio level - ensuring a coherent understanding across all parties, is a significant challenge. Misalignment among these groups can delay logistics and disrupt the implementation of sustainable practices. Developing resources and protocols to support their participation would likely improve access and efficiency in implementing grid tie-ins and infrastructure upgrades.

Communication and Coordination

• Productions benefit significantly from centralised coordination of power, which streamlines communication, improves access to the grid and power-use efficiency.

• Addressing the gap between sustainability advice and the knowledge of the crew can limit obstacles. Establishing straightforward guidance can help bridge communication challenges between sustainability teams and location owners that persist, ensuring that critical data is shared transparently rather than filtered through multiple departments. This approach would support smoother adoption of sustainable power and other environmentally responsible measures on set.

Technology and Energy Alternatives

• Many diesel generator suppliers now offer electric battery units (Battery Energy Storage System “BESS” systems) as alternatives.

• Batteries, hybrids and grid tie-ins should be preferred for low-noise, cleaner operations and economic savings, in the long term.

• Generator usage prevails in short productions due to its perceived ease and affordability.

Budgeting and Labour Considerations

• Labour is the primary financial factor for grid connections; cables and consumables are relatively low in cost. Grid power itself is often cheaper than generator rental.

• While grid tie-ins shift labour from physical tasks to planning, overall crew employment levels likely remain stable.

• Production budgeting needs to acknowledge fuel use as part of the rental costs of traditional generators for like-for-like comparisons.

How the industry can combat energy challenges.

The diversity of experiences shared by panellists and participants highlights a shared challenge: while grid-based energy solutions exist across global production hubs, their implementation remains uneven due to regulation, logistics, and knowledge gaps. Momentum is building, with scalable models emerging from permanent infrastructure in the UK to public-private partnerships in Canada.

However, true change requires power planning to be integrated from the script stage through to production wrap. This includes location recces that assess not only grid access but also the proportion of renewable energy in the local national grid, a critical factor in reducing carbon impact.

Production budgeting must prioritise fuel efficiency as a cost-saving imperative, recognising that investing upfront in sustainable power reduces ongoing fuel and rental expenses. Equally important is ensuring productions have a power-literate crew capable of managing energy use effectively on set.

Cross-sector collaboration is essential to maximise the impact of grid connections.

Ultimately, a sustainable energy transition in production power demands early planning, data-driven decisions, strong communication, and industry-wide coordination. Producers, crew, suppliers, commissioners and industry and governmental policymakers must act decisively and often collectively to align goals and secure a cleaner, more efficient future for film and TV production.

Now is the moment for industry leaders to align and lead a just, sustainable transition to fossil-free production power, one that is, in the words of IPCC author scientists, swift and urgent.

The broader question of grid tie-ins

Relevant to sister sectors such as music, events, and culture, Grid Tie-Ins does not only relate to the film and TV industry, thus making it a shared interest for the wider creative community to explore viable solutions, in key.

Through shared commitment and technical knowledge exchange, we can achieve a cleaner, more efficient future for all productions. Prioritising grid-based power in film, television, and events is no longer just a technical goal but an environmental, economic, and ethical necessity.

Continue to engage with the organisers’ insights by watching the full podcast discussion here: The Tie-In: S2, E29: Special “Grid Survey” Panel Episode

Resources

• ‍BAFTA albert. Sustainability in the Screen Industries.

• Creative Zero and Film London (2024). The Shift Report: Clean Energy for the Creative Industries.

• Creative Zero. Power Planning in Film & TV‍

• Sustainable Production Alliance ‍

• Global Temporary Grid Connections (2025). Survey and Panel Discussion

Acknowledgements

We extend our sincere thanks to the panellists whose insight and contributions were central to this initiative: Flor Nates, Katharine Pavoni, Joanna Gallardo, Gergő Balika, Louise Marie Smith, and Neil Ashton. And all the panel participants who shared their thoughts and concerns.

Special thanks are also due to the individuals who played a key role in organising and supporting this work: Zsófia Szemerédy, Roxy Erickson, Dörte Schneider Garcia and .

GLOBAL RESOURCES