The system got its first proper outing on Sky Studios’ Mr Bigstuff, the Danny Dyer-starring comedy due for release in Spring 2024. Below, Mandy Cayford (Responsible Production Lead, Sky Studios), Crispin Hardy (MD, Location One), Olly Hatcher (Unit Manager, Mr Bigstuff) and Paul Jones (Facilities Captain, ADF) talk us through the first outing for the new EcoBase system, as well as the hope for a sustainable future for the industry.
Crispin: One of ADF and Location One’s North Stars is zero-emissions and zero-waste at unit base. We wanted to create a ‘here and now’ practical response to this longer-term aspiration, so we reviewed all our products and services at unit base and designed them to be as sustainable as possible within the parameters of ‘today’. If you have a spare 4 minutes, watch this animation, which brings the system’s current features to life. For now, think hybrid power to reduce reliance on diesel-run generators, renewable HVO where diesel is necessary, hybrid tower lights, energy efficient trailers, circular economy for waste and wastewater and a lot of collaboration.
Mandy: Mr Bigstuff is one of Sky Studios’ key in-house productions, and my ambition was to make the production as sustainable as possible. Engagement with Heads of Department and suppliers to plan low carbon initiatives before decisions are made is crucial. Involving Location One in early prep for an all-hands meeting, maximised the opportunity for everyone to understand how the EcoBase would work, and get people excited about working with new tech and facilities, rather than putting up barriers. During filming, our Responsible Production Co-ordinator, Charlotte Dunning, ensured all cast and crew were aware of initiatives such as the Recycling Hub and the hybrid battery/HVO generator trial. During a set visit, Crispin showed me how the EcoPod efficiently sorts the waste streams, as well as explaining the journey of food waste going to an anaerobic digestion plant. Impressive circularity! Location One provided regular progress reports detailing the percentage breakdown of recycling, composting, compared to landfill, as well as carbon emissions savings, which were of huge benefit to our learnings and reporting.
Paul: The fact that everyone was on board made it easy. Olly and I worked together well, we both wanted it to be a success. The hybrid system went down at one stage (due to water ingress in one of the electrical circuits), but I had a hotline to my power team and within minutes we were up and running again. The Production Manager loved the hybrid set-up and would often ask me ‘how long until the battery takes over?’. And that’s what mattered to me, really, that production was happy and feeling the benefits.
Olly: In some ways it made running the base easier. When the hybrid was in place, there were less fuel deliveries, which was helpful because our first base was small and awkward to access for a fuel tanker. We also got used to the silence and with less fumes belching out, it was a much nicer environment. At our first base, we had no choice but to position the Production Office next to the generator. This would normally have frustrated people because the Production Office needs to be nice and quiet for meetings but, because we were running off the battery most of the time, it wasn’t so much of an issue.
I have to say having a Responsible Production Coordinator on site was a big deal too. Charlotte was instrumental, especially around training the crew to use the Recycling Hubs correctly.
Mandy: I think the unit base power monitoring was extremely helpful, as we know that over speccing generators is one of the biggest challenges on productions. The ability to track and measure peak power, compare HVO fuel and electricity consumption at various times of day, night and weekends, contributed to invaluable learnings. The production could have potentially downsized from a 100kVA generator to a 60kva, with the benefit of saving both emissions and budget.
Hearing how the entire crew engaged with sustainable initiatives was a huge achievement, as they will go on to take the learnings through to their next productions.
Crispin: I remember one of the make-up artists leaned out of her trailer and shouted, ‘can you turn the generator off please?’. Whilst we had been obsessing over CO2 emissions, we hadn’t realised the extent to which noise and local pollutants impact the crew’s wellbeing. I hope that as EcoBase evolves further, we’ll see it deliver greater improvement to the crew’s wellbeing because this isn’t just about tackling climate change.
I was also really excited about the waste and recycling figures. I know that waste makes up a small part of the EcoBase footprint, but I love the fact that the results are down to production, crew and suppliers working closely together. We had ADF setting out the recycling hubs, Doing Good Catering buying local to reduce waste and eliminate non-recyclable packaging, the cast and crew using the hubs and feeding back if signage wasn’t clear enough. We at Location One then processed the materials using our EcoPod service, recycling the separated streams with our partners and posting reports ‘real-time’ on the EcoBase WhatsApp Group. And having Mandy from Sky Studios on this group was huge. It kept us all on our toes!
Olly: I didn’t want to give the battery back after the trial period had ended! Also, personally, I think seeing the power and recycling reports come through on the WhatsApp group was really motivating. It felt like none of our efforts were in vain.
Crispin: There is so much happening in the technology space. Zero-emission mobile power is evolving quickly, and we are doing some exciting projects with GeoPura at unit bases right now. Facilities companies like ADF are designing trailers that are super energy efficient with smart controls and extensive solar PV arrays. For me, the next real area of focus needs to be on vehicle movement emissions. The Fuel Project is conducting a big study that will help with a roadmap for reducing these and as an industry we should be proud because, I am told that more than 70 companies handed over their data to the team for analysis. I don’t see that we are a million miles away from zero-emissions and zero-waste providing productions, crew and suppliers keep talking to each other and testing new ways of working.
Mandy: I’m keen to explore future tech that might support reduction of unit base power emissions, such as thermostats for trailers, which could be operated remotely, to save heating being kept on low overnight. The other big challenge right now is EVs, particularly charging. If there was a viable solution for mobile charging units, which might incentivise productions and crew using more EV unit vehicles and trucks, that would make a huge difference.
Read more about Facilities by ADF and Location One’s EcoBase HERE.
