Manitoba Film and Music Launches Green Initiative For Film Sector

Manitoba Film & Music is proud to announce that it is introducing Reel Green to promote and help implement best practices for film productions to reduce their environmental impacts.

The provincial agency is taking a “best practices” approach to the initiative by licensing a program developed by Creative BC, which has adapted a suite of tools to serve the Canadian motion picture industry. These tools are already proving successful in the UK where they were designed originally as the “albert” suite of tools by the British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA).

Manitoba Film & Music is the first provincial agency to sublicense the Reel Green program from Creative BC and is pleased to join its western colleagues in helping to pioneer best practices across the country.

The cornerstones of Reel Green include Education, Engagement, Communication and Resources. The program will include carbon literacy training, access to a collection of local ‘green’ vendors, cost analysis services for sustainable productions and training on sustainability reporting practices.

“Manitoba recognizes environmental sustainability is not only important to corporate stewardship but is a great business decision. As a world-class destination for international production, our clients are increasingly aware of their carbon footprint, and this program will help our industry bring best practices to production,” said CEO and Film Commissioner Rachel Rusen Margolis.

“We’re proud to be at the forefront on this issue. It’s clear that environmentally sustainable filmmaking practices are needed to help address the challenges of climate change, and having this resource here in our province will have positive impacts at the local, national and global level” Rusen Margolis adds.

“Creative BC is proud to partner with Manitoba Film and Music on this timely and significant initiative,” said Prem Gill, CEO of Creative BC. “Productions in British Columbia are demonstrating that the deliberate implementation of even the simplest green practices is core to reducing environmental costs in filmmaking, and it can also contribute to support the financial bottom line. The momentum that is building behind the scenes through Reel Green™ is powerful in B.C. and it is exciting to see Manitoba choose to collaborate, commit and champion the same objectives and results in their jurisdiction.”

Reel Green’s mission is to promote sustainable practices in the motion picture industry by advancing an ambitious, non-political vision for sustainable production. The program will be implemented in phases, with carbon literacy training for production crews expected to be offered in Manitoba by this spring.

Manitoba Film and Music is generously supported by the Government of Manitoba through the Department of Sport, Culture and Heritage.