Stevie Gray was a member of the second cohort of our Sustainability Communication certificate program. We are excited to take a peek behind the curtain at his new job at the Producers Guild of America, where he is the Outreach and Community Manager for PGA Sustainability. What made the certificate program worthwhile for him? And what is the future of sustainable film and television production? Stevie shares his insights below.

             – Allison Agsten, Director, Center for Climate Journalism and Communication

 

Tell us a little bit about your professional background and why you decided it was the right time to enroll in an executive education program.

I’ve worked at the intersection of entertainment and sustainability for the majority of my career. Most of my roles have required me to communicate sustainable strategies to people who aren’t aware of how climate impacts their work and their lives, while also aiding in the creation of educational spaces and tools to bring the voices of sustainability experts to new audiences. 

My academic background is in film production and communication, and although I had learned many climate fundamentals through my work, I knew that I had a lot to gain by specifically furthering my education in climate communication. 

 

What surprised you about the certificate program?

I was surprised to learn how much research has been conducted on climate communication strategies. Most of what I had learned previously was from firsthand successes or failures, and had I known about the data earlier, I may have tried different strategies sooner.  

 

Have you engaged in other professional development or education programs? How is this one different?

I’ve engaged in professional development specifically tailored to my field (entertainment and sustainability), but this program was different due to its structure through a university and its focus on communication. I greatly valued the diversity of guest speakers, the depth of topics covered, and the thorough assigned readings.

 

Is there a particular fact or approach that really stuck with you?

While it’s easy to say that many of the topics, approaches, and readings stuck with me, I would say that the most valuable and relevant learnings were those focused on tailored messaging. 

Specifically, in my work, I have to communicate with professionals across multiple trades and skills (producers, crafts, transportation, culinary professionals, creatives, etc). Each of those audiences requires a different framing. 

 

What did you learn in the program that you apply to your job today?

In the program, we practiced different approaches to climate communication based on things like geographic backgrounds, age, political leanings, and more. My learnings from the program have continued to be very relevant for how I approach my work today. 

The film industry is global, and like many global industries, it’s a combination of “micro-industries.” For that reason, integrating sustainability into best practices looks different for every role. 

Most people have entered the conversation with completely different experiences, perspectives, and goals, and that requires me to meet everyone where they are and workshop solutions that are role-specific.

Photo credit: Jim Stoddard

What do you believe are the key facets of the future of more sustainable film and television production?

Personally, I like to break the facets of sustainability in the entertainment industry into two big buckets: waste and energy. 

Within the bucket of waste, you have to consider things like food, textiles (like costumes and set dressing), lumber, plastics, metals, liquids, paint, and more. Every day on set generates waste in every single department, from catering to construction. Solutions require very intentional logistics for donating food and materials, while also implementing streamlined waste sorting in order to divert as much waste from landfills as possible.  

I believe that waste is one of the most tangible ways to get cast and crew to engage with sustainability. From my previous work, I have seen the immense impact that food donations and composting have on the culture of a set. Those impact points are gateways to other conversations focused on climate. 

Within the bucket of energy, you have to consider how you’re powering everything on set, and of course, how you’re getting everything there. Many projects use fossil fuel-powered generators for lighting scenes and powering on set equipment, and many of those generators are left idling throughout the day. Similarly, for larger-budget projects, vehicles like box trucks are used to move materials to the set. The majority of the time, these vehicles are powered by fossil fuels. If the project is filming around the world, you also have to consider the fossil fuels consumed for the cast and crew’s travel.

When breaking down these two buckets by their carbon footprints, energy is always the majority of emissions. So, from a climate perspective, energy is often a priority. There are a number of large-scale solutions currently being adopted by the industry as a whole (grid tie-ins, solar and battery-powered generators, sustainable studio infrastructure, etc), but these solutions are not always accessible. 

The film industry is oftentimes compared to a travelling circus. Every day can look completely different depending on where you’re filming. There may not be grid tie-in options, composting services, or large-scale material donation services near your set. For those reasons and many more, it can be extremely difficult to implement sustainable solutions without dedicated roles and a sustainability-focused strategy from the very beginning.

As someone who worked in what was effectively the “eco department” on a vast array of projects for nearly 3 years, I saw what was possible when a team of individuals with unique skill sets strategized and implemented solutions on large-scale film productions. Some of those skills included material donations, carbon and waste data management, education strategy, on set coordination, and more. And, even with a dedicated team, the work was often challenging due to a combination of changing variables that were unique to each day.

I believe the future of sustainability in film and television requires, in tandem, a shift in culture and the implementation of dedicated sustainability roles across the industry. 

And, more importantly, because entertainment is effectively multiple industries wearing a trench coat, I believe film and television is the perfect litmus test industry for the success of adopting sustainable strategies.