For a green world, concrete projects and personal change are required. Have you ever wondered how you can also be green in a film production? Or in the festival you are organizing? Or in the event you have been preparing for some time?
How to organise your documentary production for a greener world
There are many small concrete actions that can be taken to respect the environment in a film production. And the main ones take place in the preparation phase. For example, in the theme: even if the main theme is not the environment, you can include some links as a cross-cutting theme.
When constructing the script or the structure of the documentary, you can study the locations and try to reduce the number of trips. You can start with a lighter crew, organising the work better. If you have the choice between shooting from a helicopter and a drone, better the drone. If possible it is better to shoot with natural light, you will avoid the exaggerated consumption of headlights.
During filming, how can you improve while respecting the environment?
For a green world, the style of the crew during filming can make a difference. It is known that it is important to drink a lot of water during filming: so, recycle bottles, use glass ones when possible, drink tap water. The separate collection of rubbish at the end of the day is essential, even if you are exhausted. The use of rechargeable batteries should always be favoured. For meals, try to pack bags of food, preferably from 0 km. Give preference to typical products, and the shots will be better.
The choice of Aurora Vision Ecolifestyle
For three years now, our production company, Aurora Vision, has been called ‘Ecolifestyle’. It was an important choice, which committed us to being more conscious. When Andrea Morghen organizes a trip, or a shoot, he plans everything as sustainably as possible. We have tried to include environmental protection in all our recent productions, and in particular we have made ‘Amazonia, la Loma Santa’. It’s a documentary set in the Bolivian Amazon where Father Fabio Garbari works with the St Ignatius Foundation. Land and water have a very profound value for the indigenous peoples and can teach us a lot.
Buddhist monk’s project in Thailand for a greener world
To make a film, it is almost impossible to avoid an airplane flight. So what do we do? We can choose to “offset the CO2” used in our air travel by supporting a reforestation project somewhere in the world. By now, the data can be found at the bottom of every airline ticket.
We are raising funds to support the project of a great Buddhist monk, helped by the Sisters of Providence, in the Golden Triangle. The monk, Chwat, is reforesting entire areas of northern Thailand, planting native trees of older species. We met him while filming the documentary Tears&Dreams. For the next two years, our CO2 offsets will go to support him.
Picnic the Art of Living and Laudato Si’
Can a book also help for a greener world? “Picnic the Art of Living” proposes important environmental choices. In the book’s preface, Rev. Dr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam Sdb, Coordinator of the Ecology Sector Dicastery for Integral Human Development of the Holy See, writes:
“At a time when food and water tend to be treated only as market products, it is important to promote conscious lifestyles based on the essentiality and truth of gestures. From the encyclical Laudato Si'(112): “It is possible, however, to widen one’s gaze again, and human freedom is capable of limiting technology, of directing it, and of placing it at the service of another kind of progress, one that is healthier, more human, more social and more integral.” Laudato Si’ invites everyone to make their own contribution, at all levels, political and community, each with their own talents. And the many ideas for picnics fit into this path.”
