Green Rider: Equity launch campaign to make film and TV production greener
More than 100 actors are backing calls for a Green Rider – an environmentally friendly contract between performers and film and TV production companies.
Stars including Bella Ramsey, Stephen Fry and Natalie Dormer all signed a statement created by Equity For A Green New Deal setting out proposals to improve sustainability in the UK’s film and TV industry.
Riders are a set of clauses that actors can add to their contract – often before a job is accepted – detailing their requirements on set.
However, they are perhaps most infamously known for being used by high-profile talent to make demands, with stories of stars asking for all-white furniture, cute puppies and kittens on arrival, or the use of a private jet.
In contrast, the Green Rider would insert commitments to eco-friendly practices into the contracts of the stars, with suggested clauses including:
• Artists avoiding large trailers, private air travel, or fossil-fuel powered road vehicles
• Producers providing low carbon transport options such as trains and electric vehicles
• Artists considering the carbon/environmental cost of additional food or comfort requests that require runners to go off site, and reducing them accordingly
• Artists sharing trailers and dressing rooms to reduce energy use
• Producers providing the artist with their carbon reduction plan
The Last Of Us star Ramsey, 19, called the Green Rider a “practical route to positive change” in the film and television industry.
They said: “We can make all the films in the world about climate change but unless we are environmentally conscious in the process of making them, our efforts are superficial”.
The average big-budget movie production produces 2,840 tonnes of CO2
Is it hypocritical?
However, some will greet the proposed contracts with scepticism, with the film and TV industry known for transporting both casts and crews around the world for filming, as well as many non-sustainable practices around costumes, props and promotional events.
According to a report created by BAFTA’s albert (an environmental organisation aiming to encourage the TV and film production industry to reduce waste and its carbon footprint) the average big-budget movie production produces 2,840 tonnes of CO2.
Meanwhile many celebrities have taken flack for contradictory behaviour with regards to their climate credentials. In 2019, actress Emma Thompson faced a backlash after taking a 5,400-mile flight from Los Angeles to London to join climate protests in London.
Celebrities themselves have noted the problematic nature of high-profile performers – who by their very nature have high carbon lives and work in industries with a huge carbon footprint – fronting climate change movements.
The same year as Thompson’s flight faux pas, more than 100 celebrities, including actor Jude Law, and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, called themselves “hypocrites” in an open letter backing climate change protesters Extinction Rebellion and urging the government to “tell the public the truth” about the climate crisis.
Equity says that it is currently discussing a scheme with the BBC, ITV Studios and Sky Studios to pilot the Green Rider in upcoming productions, with a view to it becoming part of future collective agreements.
The UK government says it wants to produce net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The campaign will be considered further at an Edinburgh TV Festival panel on Tuesday called The Green Rider: Actor/Industry Collaboration Towards Sustainability.
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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