Eco-Easter Eggs: Production Design and Climate Change
This thesis titled Eco-easter eggs, completed in 2022, uses concepts of climate change, sustainability, environmental ethics, zoomorphism and cognitive theory to ascertain whether it is possible to produce new forms of environmental awareness, evoke eco-conscious debate, inspire biocentric mindsets and provoke climate change innovation through fantasy films’ production design alterations, additions and enhancement. The study will explore potential new modes of eco-cinema by firstly discussing the fundamentals of climate change, along with the negative impact of the Anthropocene, and whether a biocentric transformation might positively speak to the climate crisis. These concepts will then be applied to various aspects of sustainability within film production workflow patterns. Secondly, a discussion on eco-cinema and the potential for subtextual and even explicit environmental awareness being embedded within a film, as inspirations for audiences’ eco-conscious change. These discussions will specifically be applied to the production design of film. Interpreting whether specific design elements of film, such as the design contrast highlighted in Lord of the Rings, recycling within Harry Potter and upcycling seashells in Pirates of the Caribbean, could constitute a new form of eco-cinema analysis, in communicating environmental awareness, eco-conscious perspectives and biocentric lifestyles. The thesis attempts to analyse the broad-ranging opinions of 57 global film industry members to help support a range of conclusions regarding sustainable production design and facing up to climate change. In summary, the thesis will initially investigate how the film industry and filmmaking help contribute to and mitigate climate change and in particular, explore how production design can assist in provoking effective media content which foregrounds climate change debate and innovation. The research seeks to actively address film workflows and filmmakers' mindsets as they take on the challenge of using the power of film to help change audience behaviour and play its part in helping to save our planet.
Burnt Toast: The Film Industry and Climate Change
This research report titled Burnt Toast, written in 2019, uses environmental ethics theory and climate change realities to form a thorough investigation between the relationship of the film industry and climate change, mainly focusing on the filmmaking process and how it influences climate change. This report includes an examination of how climate change impacts the film industry. Extreme weather and temperature changes along with other issues we face today, is a result of climate change and can have severe implications. Environmental ethics tells us how to treat the environment and our surroundings fair whilst creating the idea that everything is connected. Sustainability is discussed in depth to give an alternative in order to decrease the contribution towards climate change and the concept of eco-cinema is used as a tool for filmmakers to create awareness. A series of interviews, with filmmakers all over the world, will give opinions and experiences around this subject. These interviews conjoined with a questionnaire will be used as data to support the research question and sub-questions. In conclusion, this research report aims to change the way filmmakers think and act towards saving our planet.