R educing a production’s carbon footprint no longer has to be a shot in the dark for the screen industry.

CBC released the “biggest report of its kind” on Canada’s carbon emissions on Nov. 7, titled the Preliminary Industry Report on Production Carbon Emissions, using data from 64 of its original productions to provide a snapshot of the Canadian screen industry’s carbon footprint.

The report shows that travel and transport account for nearly half of a production’s carbon emissions, followed by filming spaces at 22%. That data aligns with insights from the 2021 Sustainable Production Alliance (SPA) report, and 2020’s Screen New Deal by albert, the British Film Institute and advisory group Arup, which suggests that reducing fossil fuel inputs on productions should be a top priority for the industry.

Zena Harris, president of the Green Spark Group and founder of the Sustainable Production Forum (SPF), says fuel consumption is a top contributor to the carbon footprint of Canadian productions.

And, according to albert, switching to electric generators (e-generators) – which is among CBC’s recommendations in the report – can potentially help reduce a production’s impact by 15%.

“When we didn’t have this data [from the reports], we were focusing on things that we could see, like waste and water bottles,” Harris tells Playback. “But once we started collecting data and aggregating data and seeing clear industry trends, we know more specifically where to focus attention.”

E-generators are a space where companies like Vancouver-based Portable Electric have been quietly leading the charge.

Portable Electric makes e-generators called Voltstack, which the company says provide silent, emissions-free power, cut costs and time around cabling, and also allow for greater maneuverability on set. Crucially, they help in reducing the film industry’s reliance on diesel-powered generators.

The company’s CEO Keith Marett says for an industry “accustomed to the rumble” of traditional, fuel-powered generators, these alternatives were initially a “challenging sell.”

However, the numbers speak for themselves. In a case study cited by the company, a Voltstack 30k was deployed to replace 20kW diesel generator on an unnamed set in L.A. The generator avoided 9,000 lbs of CO2 emissions and led to US$8,750 in fuel savings.

Productions powered by Voltstack to date include X-Files, No Time to Die, The Matrix Resurrections, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, Deadpool and Jurassic World, among others.

Its Voltstack 5ks can be deployed on small sets and difficult locations like elevators and heritage buildings, according to the company. It can be charged via a power grid or the company’s solar panels.

There are also tools such as the emissions and generator usage calculator developed by Directors Guild of Canada to give productions a predictive analysis of what their impact would look in the planning stage.

Melanie Windle, executive producer of the SPF and executive director of the Sustainable Entertainment Society, says the tool – spearheaded by producer and SPF advisor, Clara George – “really helps production managers, gaffers and lighting directors come forward with a strong understanding when they are developing their package, and developing their power plan.”

This story originally appeared in Playback’s Winter 2023 issue

Pictured: The Voltstack 5k on set for Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man; photo by Jason Fitzgerald (Hollywood Portable Power)