As you pass the popcorn or settle in to binge a new series, the carbon footprint of the on-screen world is unlikely to be at the front of your mind. But the reality is that, like many industries, film and television production can be startlingly resource-hungry. Part army, part circus, freelance film crews mobilize to set up base after little more than a few phone calls. They swiftly begin sourcing and building everything they need to realize the script—be it camera rigs, prosthetic noses, virtual environments or, increasingly, AI assets.
The unseen environmental cost of a fleeting film set
