We are proud to publish our first Carbon Report based on a project that we worked on last year with DDB Remedy UK and Juvéderm. Our mantra is SharedNotSecret and by publishing our learnings, we hope to inspire conversation and to stimulate positive change within our industry.
Our intention for Perma has always been to build a next generation production company with sustainability at its core. We challenged ourselves to work differently, to monitor our processes and to evolve our work flows to have a lesser impact on the environment.
First and foremost this is a journey and every aspect of the process is a learning. It takes time and it takes investment to find alternative solutions, however we soon realised we are not walking alone. We have a network keen to learn, adapt and evolve and we have a collective who are already making positive changes to their services, to help us align with industry targets.
“The more actions we take – however small at the beginning – the more likely we are to engage in the bigger, necessary efforts”.
Inspired by the brilliant book, Three Things by Ana Santi and Company, we are highlighting three behavioural changes that helped us to reduce the impact of our shoot. These changes were to Casting, Styling and Streaming.
Client: DDB Remedy
Project: Juvéderm / 07th – 10th Sept 2021
Photographer: Heather Favell / LGA
Full shoot production, 4 day shoot, 11 talent, stills and moving image, UK studio location.
Virtual Casting
Traditional methods of casting requires a lot of people to travel. Travel = emissions. Using tech not only acts as an efficient filter, It is also more efficient on people’s time. We used a hybrid approach on this project, blending both virtual and live casting processes. We shortlisted 36 talent from 500 applicants for 11 roles. Shortlisted candidates located close to the casting studio were recalled for a live casting, and those located further afield were invited to a Zoom based casting.
The pandemic pushed us towards remote and virtual approaches, which in the case of casting are also more sustainable. For this shoot we worked with a hybrid approach. Virtual in the earlier stages, and then in person, only when we reached the shortlist stage.
We worked with Kate and Lou + Ro Casting, who facilitated this way of working and helped us to find circa 500 applicants for 11 roles via a ‘street cast’ method. These were then reduced down to a shortlist of 3 per role, using headshots and self tapes. Shortlisted candidates located close to the casting studio were recalled for a live casting, and those located further afield were invited to a Zoom based casting. Remote viewing of the casting was available to all that required input and a WIP document was shared with the agency and with our client enabling live updates throughout.
This hybrid approach worked well for all involved and not only successfully reduced the carbon footprint of this part of the shoot but also provided a safer way of working during the pandemic. Not to mention it reduced costs, with less transport, studio time and catering being required.
Digitised Styling
Traditionally stylists over-source wardrobe and decisions are made on the day of the shoot when everyone is in the room. Our approach is to allow more prep time and to use Live WIP moodboards. Wardrobe is pre-agreed and only items approved are purchased. This is a more efficient process and reduces the amount of waste created from our shoots.
The fashion industry accounts for nearly 10% of global carbon emissions, nearly 20% of wastewater and uses more energy than aviation and shipping combined. In the UK 350,000 tonnes of clothes end up in landfill each year. [4]
According to new research, it is suggested that items bought and returned online end up in landfill because of the costs involved with sorting and redistributing the returns. It is economically cheaper and easier for brands to waste the stock and to make and supply new garments.
With styling accounting for around one third of the carbon footprint of a shoot, it’s an area we were keen to transform.
We partnered with stylist Sasha Barrie to focus on our intention. She came to us having heard we were prioritising reduction of the environmental impact of our shoots, which aligned with her own outlook and she was keen to work with us.
The focus of change was reduction of the quantity of sourced garments, along with finding better ways of sourcing, reducing transport and returning to store or reusing as much as possible post shoot. Traditionally stylists over- source wardrobe to provide more options on set because there isn’t the time beforehand to refine and make decisions.
We flipped this on its head and gave Sasha time to virtually source and edit alongside the client, until choices were signed off. Both Sasha and the client worked with a live WIP styling deck which allowed Sasha to share suggestions and links and get direct feedback. The process was effectively digitised, with open communication flowing both ways. As a result far less was purchased and related transport was reduced, as was the time it took to return these items upon reconcile. So where Sasha had required more time beforehand, she required less post shoot.
Digitising styling successfully reduced the carbon footprint of this shoot, was more efficient for all involved and ended up costing less as fewer purchases were made and transported.
On-Set Live Streaming
‘On Set Live Streaming’ is a service that was widely used as a result of the pandemic and the need for clients and agency to review and input into productions whilst remaining offsite. On Set Live Streaming is also a great solution to reducing your emissions total. Less people on set = less travel to and from the location, less catering required as fewer mouths to feed and less waste generated.
The number of people on set directly affects the environmental impact of the shoot. Facilitating virtual attendance via ‘on set live streaming’ means that only those who need to be physically present attend. Therefore ensuring travel, catering and on set waste are additionally kept to a minimum.
On this shoot, we partnered with Laimonas of LS Digi. Laimonas is a very capable Digi and DIT who has cultivated his skills, invested in hardware and remodelled the way he works to suit the limitations of the pandemic, providing clients with live streaming and on set review services.
Laimonas fulfilled four roles on set. He was our DIT, our Playback Operator, he provided all our onset review tech and he managed our online streaming service. He worked from one central hub and created our review network. Those on set could review imagery as captured and those working remotely could review via a live feed.
Laimonas’s involvement brought lots of efficiency to both the shoot and to our budgets. This not only meant we needed less crew on set (as he took on multiple roles) but also allowed agency and Juvéderm teams to work collaboratively remotely.
By cutting numbers on set, we reduced our carbon footprint with respect to travel, catering and produced waste. In addition embracing tighter Covid related restrictions.
Carbon Saved
The average total carbon emissions for a UK based studio, stills and moving image shoot is 2.7 tonnes. This means that by making changes to the way we work, we were able to save around 0.46 tonnes of CO2e on this project.