These future filmmakers have been recognised for their sustainable efforts

Published on 28, January, 2025

Students from the University of Sunderland are amongst some of the first in the UK to have received a new sustainability accreditation for their film.

As part of BAFTA albert’s Education Partnership, Media Production students have received an accreditation for the end of their films after proving they were sustainably made.

To show that their film, The Snakebite Anthology, was produced sustainably, students had to consider their carbon footprint and demonstrate their efforts.

Morgan Williams, Producer, Writer and Co-Director of The Snakebite Anthology, said: "I am so incredibly proud of the group for this achievement of being one of the first in the country to become certified as a BAFTA Albert Education Partnership Production.

"As the Producer for both of these projects, it was absolutely integral from day one to ensure we were doing everything in our power to be a sustainable production, from adopting paperless practices to limiting our travel and fuel consumption.

"Even the smallest changes to the way in which we make films can go a long way in achieving a net zero goal.

"I hope our achievements can help encourage other student filmmakers to adopt similar practices. While helping the environment, filmmakers will also find their productions are more economically friendly as well as easier to manage through actions to move over to use more digital resources."

Nikta Moeinfaraz, co-director and writer of the Snakebite Anthology who studies MA Media Production, said: “It is such a great achievement that we are among the first student films to have received BAFTA albert’s Education Partnership.

“We have taken a step both for ourselves and the industry to get closer to our sustainability goals and that is something to be proud of.

“A lot of things we do on a daily basis with regards to sustainability are just habits that can in fact be changed. And that applies to film production as well.

“My future career aspiration is to keep telling stories as a writer and director, and I hope to be able to do that in the most sustainable way possible and feel safe in the knowledge that the work I have created wasn’t at the expense of our environment.”

Gary Stubbs, Senior Lecturer in Media Production at the University, said: "Integrating BAFTA albert into education for film and TV is essential; it empowers the next generation of creatives to produce inspiring stories while understanding their responsibility to the planet.

“BAFTA albert initiative encourages a culture where sustainable practices from pre-production to post-production are second nature. It equips aspiring filmmakers with the knowledge and tools to innovate responsibly, ensuring their artistic vision aligns with ecological responsibility paving the way for a greener, more sustainable future in the industry.”

BAFTA albert helps support the film and TV industry to reduce its environmental impact to create a sustainable future. Its Education Partnership offers students the chance to gain green skills to integrate sustainability into their filmmaking and careers.

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Daisy Leigh-Phippard, Education and Training Officer at albert, said: “Empowering students with vital sustainability understanding, confidence and problem-solving skills as they enter their careers is the ultimate goal of the BAFTA albert Education Partnership.

“The screen industries are adapting to the increasingly important need for climate conscious storytelling and action on and off screen, and our partnered institutions are ensuring that the future’s workforce can tackle these challenges from day one.

“From the delivery of industry-leading knowledge and skills development, to interviewing students and celebrating their work, we’re incredibly proud of the talented albert grads that come out of our partnered institutions, as well as the hardworking education practitioners who work to get them there.”

This is part of a greater drive to integrate sustainability through all aspects of the University including its campuses and curriculum.

Laura Middlemass, Sustainability Manager at the University, said: “Universities as a whole have a huge role to play in meeting the environmental challenges the world is facing, and one of our greatest impacts will be the positive changes our students go on to make throughout their lives and careers long after they have left us. 

“It is so important that we ensure sustainability skills for the future are included throughout all our faculties, right across the curriculum, and it is great to see the MA programme for Film and Media Production doing this with real enthusiasm and in a way that genuinely adds value to the student experience and benefits the planet.”

If you are interested in studying MA Media Production (Film and Television) at the University of Sunderland, find out more here.

Find out more about the sustainability action the University is taking here.