Is the Production Process Getting More Sustainable?

Is the production process really becoming more sustainable, or are we just better at talking about it?

For veterans of production, the transformation is striking. Elizabeth Woods, head of production at OLIVER, recalls a time when pre-production meant lugging around bound books and seeing new scripts printed daily on colour-coded paper. “My producers now don’t even know what a ‘pre-pro book’ is, because they’ve never seen one,” she says. “So, has there been a change? Yes, absolutely. But are we there yet? Absolutely not.”

That tension between progress and frustration is shared across the industry. David Chamberlain, global sustainability lead at Momentum Worldwide, sees signs of a real shift: sustainable materials with faster lead times, and a surge in client briefs asking specifically for sustainability credentials. For an industry that prides itself on craft, speed and scale, the pressure to prove sustainability is no longer peripheral – it’s a client expectation. Meanwhile, non-profit Green The Bid has found that most of its members now have policies in place or in development – and brands are increasingly the ones pushing for greener approaches.

But the reality on the ground is more uneven. Summer Griffiths, executive producer at Spark & Riot, argues that “sustainable production is no longer optional; it’s essential.” She notes real wins in waste diversion, local crew hiring, LED rigs and paperless workflows, but adds a warning: “While these steps have an impact, the adoption is inconsistent. Unfortunately without early planning, sustainability efforts can feel superficial.”

For others, the issue is urgency. “Sustainability in production isn’t optional. It’s a challenge our industry must face head-on, and while there’s been progress, it’s not fast enough,” says Laura Taylor, associate production director at Born Social. And as Seen Presents’ production director Joshua Chadwick points out, some of the biggest culprits remain untouched: “Large-scale live events, in particular, continue to generate significant emissions from travel, temporary builds, material waste, and energy use.”

Where Are Sustainable Practices Making Real Impact?

If the first challenge is recognising the need for change, the second is proving that sustainable practices can work at every level of production. One shift has been the rise of sustainability consultants. As Green The Bid’s Jessie Nagel notes, companies that invest in these specialists see the greatest success: “The consultant’s responsibility is to implement and oversee practices, communicate and coordinate with all of the production departments, coordinate re-use and donations, and provide thorough reporting.” The fact that their numbers have “grown exponentially over the last five years” is one of the clearest signals of progress.

Some agencies are embedding sustainability into their processes from top to bottom. Momentum Worldwide’s chief experience design officer David Chamberlain explains: “Sustainability is the thread that runs through the entire creative process: from concept to design, in the way we create, the partners we choose, how we transport and even the energy we consume.” That commitment is reinforced through staff training and a company-wide Make It Matter day dedicated to education and inspiration.

On the ground, the evidence of greener practices is becoming harder to ignore. “On paper, the production industry is greener than ever,” says Wonderhood Studios’ head of integrated production Natasha Johnson, pointing to AdGreen’s carbon calculator, Albert certification, renewable energy in post facilities and even vegetarian-only catering as signs of progress. “These changes do add up. Less power usage, less waste going into landfill, with more mindful efforts to redistribute unwanted wardrobe and props to charities and community projects.”

For many, the most impactful change starts before a camera is even switched on. Yonder founder Adam Bagger insists that “the most meaningful impact starts in pre-production,” whether that means leaner crews, sourcing locally or enforcing a “leave no trace” ethos on location. Yonder has also embraced portable battery systems and solar charging as alternatives to diesel generators, as well as remote collaboration tools and cloud-based workflows to cut down on unnecessary travel and hard-drive shipping.

Travel remains one of the toughest nuts to crack. “Flying people across borders, even for short shoots, creates a footprint that’s impossible to ignore,” says Laura Taylor, associate production director at Born Social. The agency has leaned on virtual production to make shoots smarter and cleaner. “At Born, we cut a three-day, four-location shoot (including overseas) down to just two days in a London VP studio. No flights, no long transfers, just a smarter, cleaner way of delivering the same creative impact.”

Design choices are another area where progress is visible. Joshua points to modular, adaptable build systems that can be reused across multiple activations, such as TikTok’s Showtime Roadshow, which travelled to 14 agencies across the UK using the same kit. For Volvo’s EX30 launch, his team opted for ethical B-matrix walls and biodegradable packaging, while at Cannes Lions with Netflix they designed sets to be reused year after year.

Internationally, success stories are emerging too. In Colombia, VGBND worked with Green Stage to overhaul every aspect of its Dunkin’ Refreshers campaign. Over just three days, the production cut single-use plastics by 80%, recirculated 626kg of waste, slashed paper consumption by 82% and reduced its meal carbon footprint by 20% with meat-free menus. Surplus plants were donated to conservation projects and transport was optimised to encourage hybrid vehicles. The result was a shoot where sustainability wasn’t an add-on, but baked into every department.

Not every impact comes from large-scale interventions. Spark & Riot’s EP Summer Griffiths stresses the importance of integrating sustainability into everyday planning, from donating leftover wardrobe and props to local nonprofits to ensuring catering doesn’t go to waste. “These commitments are integrated into pre-production planning so they flow naturally through production and wrap, rather than becoming an afterthought,” she says.

Technology is also helping. Conero Film + ADV’s founder Mattia Fiumani highlights how cloud workflows and renewable energy in post pipelines are cutting waste, while the smaller everyday choices still matter: “Recycling sets and costumes, planning transport with electric vehicles, switching to greener catering. These changes might look minor in isolation, but together they have a real impact.”

And as Poppet production assistant Anna King points out, the conversation must evolve alongside new tools. “When we talk about sustainability in production, the obvious answers are reusable bottles and cups on set, fewer printouts, donating wardrobe and props instead of letting them go to waste. And yes, all of that matters. But in this new age of AI, the conversation has to go deeper.”

For Laura, even the small decisions count: “Plant-based catering is standard on all our shoots. We source from sustainable suppliers and donate or recycle items afterwards through some of London’s brilliant schemes. Nothing wasted, nothing forgotten.” Multiplied across hundreds of shoots, those seemingly minor adjustments start to shift the dial on the industry’s footprint.

What’s Changing?

The biggest shift is that sustainability has moved from being a side issue to a central expectation. Teams are talking about it in every pre-production call, and clients are more willing to back changes that reduce carbon. As OLIVER’s Elizabeth Woods puts it, “every time we bring up our best practices in kick-off and pre-pro calls, everyone listens and contributes… Our clients in particular are really keen to do everything they can to do better on our carbon footprint.”

That cultural momentum matters, but so does making it stick. At Momentum Worldwide, sustainability is reinforced through regular training and tracked against impact, so it becomes second nature to staff. For David Chamberlain, “sustainability isn’t a one-off effort or a marketing tagline, it must be at the core of everything you do.”

Starting early makes a difference too. At Seen Presents, sustainability is built into the briefing stage, which makes it easier to choose reusable materials, modular builds and smarter transport plans. Joshua says the most impactful results come “when brands are open to these conversations early, allowing us to deliver more creative, efficient, and future-proof experiences.”

Decentralisation is another change with tangible benefits. By shooting closer to locations, using local crews and involving communities directly, productions not only cut down travel but also boost local economies. “Sustainability in production isn’t just about ticking a box anymore,” argues Mattia. “It’s about rethinking how we actually work, day to day.”

For Adam , this shift is real but fragile. He believes sustainability has gone “from afterthought to expectation,” but warns that the challenge is ensuring solutions are authentic, measurable and properly embedded – not just good intentions on paper.

What’s Still Falling Short?

For all the progress being made, major obstacles remain. Budgets too often push sustainability down the priority list unless it’s built in from the outset. Joshua warns that the rising demand for “global, immersive, and connected experiences” makes it increasingly complex to deliver without compromising on impact. He argues the industry needs firmer frameworks to measure materials, travel, energy and supplier chains, and to tackle waste head-on: from reducing landfill-bound giveaways to challenging traditional timelines and materials.

The absence of consistent regulation is another barrier. “We are an industry that has a significant environmental impact. There is no regulation in Colombia or globally for this type of project. There are no set standards, so it is our ethical and moral responsibility to minimise our impact,” says Luis Miguel Estela, CEO of Green Stage in an interview with VGBND. For him, even simple actions like waste separation can make a difference, provided they’re treated as more than box-ticking.

Volume is perhaps the most uncomfortable truth. Natasha Johnson feels that every additional shoot day, version, edit or asset render carries its own energy and travel footprint. “The sustainability wins are undoubtedly real,” she says, “but without volume discipline and addressing the incredibly thirsty demands of the increased server, hosting and streaming we need, I fear we’re going to plateau or could even backslide into something worse.” In an age of endless assets, even the greenest set is only as sustainable as the client’s appetite for versions and deliverables.

New technologies bring their own contradictions. While AI and virtual production can cut waste on individual projects, they also make it faster and cheaper to produce more – cancelling out the gains.  “Training and running large AI models is energy intensive, and the environmental footprint is often overlooked,” says Anna. “Sustainability isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about asking not just can we do this faster? But should we?”

Others fear the real danger lies in human nature. For Laura, “the pace of change in people’s attitudes is insufficient. To truly lead, we must exhibit greater courage, accelerate our actions, and ensure accountability across the industry to a consistent standard.” And for Elizabeth, complacency is the threat to guard against: “Taking our foot off the gas on sustainability because we are too concerned with short-term economic factors, or relying on a single point of data to congratulate ourselves – because our industry loves a rosy narrative… We have to continue pushing harder to do better.”

What’s Genuinely Reducing Environmental Footprint?

Within the complexity of sustainable production, it’s projects making good use of hard data that cut through. VGBND’s recent Dunkin’ Refreshers shoot in Bogotá proved what happens when sustainability is embedded from the start. Over just three days, the team composted 422kg of organic waste, reduced single-use plastics by 80%, cut paper consumption by 82% through digital workflows, and recorded a carbon footprint of 3.16 TonCO2e that was actively mitigated. Even catering was designed to make a difference, with vegetarian and vegan menus lowering the meal carbon load by 20%.

“Sustainability in production may not always make headlines,” says Summer. “But consistent, thoughtful practices, from reducing emissions to supporting local communities, create meaningful change. It’s this steady dedication that shifts the industry from ‘nice-to-have’ gestures toward real, measurable impact.”

The key is to consistently work sustainability like a muscle, rather than wear it as a badge of good intent. “Lasting change only happens when sustainability isn’t a checkbox,” says David. “But a continuous, measurable and ingrained way of working.”

“Sustainability isn’t just environmental, it’s also social,” concludes Mattia. “Giving space to local talent and younger professionals doesn’t just make a project more responsible, it makes it more original. At the end of the day, this is as much about a shift in mindset as it is about adopting new tools.”