Interview: Laura Torenbeek
Sustainable filmmaking is the future. Filmmaker Laura Torenbeek is leading the way on climate-friendly production practices.
In this interview, Torenbeek discusses her background in film and sustainability on set.
Sydney Bollinger: Tell me a bit about yourself and what led to your interest in sustainable filmmaking?
Laura Torenbeek: I always had an interest in storytelling and a love for animals and nature. In my late teens I decided I wanted to get into filmmaking and did my BA in Audiovisual Media. I then moved to Leeds to do my MA in directing and producing at the Northern Film School. To be honest, when I was working on my own projects at that time, I didn’t realise the amount of waste that we produced. It wasn’t until I started working at the film school and supervised student projects that I noticed how much waste was generated. I guess seeing a project from a distance makes you notice these things. That’s where my interest in sustainable filmmaking began.
SB: What does sustainability actually mean in filmmaking? How do you approach sustainability as a filmmaker?
LT: I think the best approach to sustainable filmmaking is taking sustainability into account with everything you do. It’s not always easy, but making a film doesn’t give you the right to pollute the environment and you should keep sustainability in mind with every decision you make for your project. Make sure that every department is aware that your production is green and ask all HOD’s to think of the best ways to implement sustainability. It’s a creative process in itself and a lot of the time you will save money too.
SB: You have our own company, Green Film Productions. Where did you get the idea for Green Film Productions?
LT: I wanted to set up my own production company and wanted to make the sustainability part just as important as the filmmaking part. The aim is to not only make our productions carbon neutral but carbon positive. We offset our emissions and plant a tree for each production, but are also thinking about other ways to make a positive impact on the environment.
SB: What was the first film you worked on using sustainable practices? What was that experience like?
LT: The first one I did through Green Film Productions was a short called Candy Floss. It was the first time I implemented sustainable film practices and I learned a lot throughout that whole process. We did things like using reusable cups and plates, carpooling and mostly eating vegetarian food. What I knew about sustainable filmmaking was quite limited but we all tried our best. It is a learning process I feel much more confident in making projects sustainable now.
SB: What do you see as the connection between filmmaking, sustainability, and climate change?
LT: Media is a very powerful tool in spreading the message of the danger of climate change and raising awareness. It is also a great way to inspire positive behaviours. If you have your characters use reusable bags and recycle or if they talk about climate change, then it becomes more normalised. Albert (the environmental organisation for tv and film in the UK) calls this Planet Placement and I think it is a great way of bringing the environment into storytelling.
SB: Tell me about what you see as the future of sustainable filmmaking. Do you think more filmmakers will turn to sustainable practices? How can moviegoers and fans advocate for sustainable filmmaking?
LT: In the UK some funders make it mandatory for filmmakers who receive that fund to work with Albert to make their production sustainable. I think that’s great, but we have to make sure it doesn’t only become about ticking boxes either. So one of the best ways is educating people and planet placement can be a really good way to do that. I personally also think that film productions should be open about their carbon footprint, but I don’t think that will happen anytime soon.
SB: What advice do you have for a filmmaker interested in sustainability in film production?
LT: There are roles in the film industry for sustainability consultants, managers or production runners, so if you want to work in film and sustainability that might be a good job for you. If you are in any other role and working on a sustainable production, keep being critical. If a production advertises themselves as being green but they have very unsustainable practices, mention it. If you’re working on a production that isn’t sustainable at all, then maybe offer to come up with ideas to make it more sustainable.
SB: Feel free to add any in final thoughts/things you think I missed.
LT: There are many resources out there about green filmmaking. So if you’re not sure where or how to start, just read up on what other productions have done. And remember that no production is perfect.
