Decarbonizing the Motion Picture Industry with Lena Welch
Lena is Next Earth's Owner and Principal Consultant, a consulting firm aimed at decarbonizing the motion picture industry. She has held various roles in tv and film production, where she began seeing the solutions the entertainment industry can offer society. This realization eventually led her to incorporate sustainability into her work, where, most recently, she became the Regional Sustainability Advisor for Netflix Productions.
We are excited to share this fascinating conversation with Lena, where she discusses her journey, what sustainability in entertainment means to her, and how every one of us can make an impact. Read below in another one of our EMA exclusives.
First off, tell me a little about your journey. How did you come into the sustainability space? Why the entertainment industry?
I studied design while in college. What initially felt like a big departure feels beneficial in being able to be highly systematic about things. Architects design buildings around human systems of living and working, and I still enjoy the ability to tell a story about human behavior while affecting film sets. Every system we create in sustainability has to come in a way that is full circle. It has to serve the benefit of the crew, productions, and earth– ideally, a combination of all three. I took those ideals to heart and brought them with me when I first came out to Hollywood.
I was on set working as a production assistant (PA), and I always felt like I needed to learn more about the logistical systems to do the job productively! There are many nuances in production; you must know what you are doing and WHY you are doing it. When you know why you are doing things, you can do something much better. I'd say I served as a production assistant for about five years when I realized there are ways to make things less wasteful and better for human health. I wanted to do things holistically and design with nature in mind, but I found that opportunity later. When I saw my first opening for an Eco-PA, I jumped on it!
It's really exciting to bring five years of observations while being a PA to the sustainability department to make a real change in the industry. As someone who has always been hard-working in whatever job I had, I now see my work ethic amplified as the additional responsibility of saving the world! I want to do what I do perfectly, not just for myself but for the planet. It has been challenging at times but led me down my career path, which I love.
All things started to shift when I began working with the Green Spark Group. I was no longer that unknown person sorting the trash on a production set but was the one meeting with department heads. I now enjoy having others see how everything comes full circle to join me in understanding why we are doing this. Eventually, I began supervising other Eco-PAs and continued falling in love with the work. Finally, I decided to found my firm, and Next Earth was born.
Where do you see the state of sustainability in the film and media space today? Has there been much progress following the Pandemic, such as integrating clean tech into production fleets?
What Covid did for us is show us that we can make changes quickly and effectively. The show must go on! We are all doing our part to make the infection prevention portion of the shoot work. We allocated budgets to accommodate the impacts of Covid. Interestingly, a colleague shared that, on her show, 10% or so was dedicated to covid and prevention/remediation while only .14% was dedicated to sustainability. That's all to say the money is there when it's determined necessary.
I like to mention that productions were still done and done well despite the Pandemic, which shows that it is possible to weather the disasters brought on by global health crises. From this experience, we will move forward faster concerning sustainability. We are now seeing an influx of professionals with medical knowledge brought onto a film set for the first time. It makes me more hopeful that we can do the same for sustainability goals, like bringing someone with a cleantech background on film sets.
We will need some really sharp minds. Every department needs to have one person addressing sustainability concerns.
We need someone who understands the WHY of the department to resolve the issues existing within.
How can sustainability goals be placed to fit any workplace?
Whoever is the ambassador for the workplace needs to be supported from the top down. In addition, they need to be compensated ethically for the work as this is another layer of responsibility to execute. Realistically, it will take a lot of adjustments from an organizational level, but at a personal level does need to be respected and taken seriously.
Executives have huge buy-in in getting the team members to open themselves up to sustainability concepts and goals. Hence, people need to understand that it's important and WHY before they do it. I can't stress enough the importance of collaboration as we can't handle things the "old way" anymore. Anything new will have kinks, but the concerns causing resistance will always be solvable.
We hear this a lot in the film industry, "making the impossible possible," and it really does apply so much to sustainability and film professionals.
You've worked with big studio names throughout your career. How is it different now that you operate your consultancy?
I used to work for a consultancy that was typically hired by a production. Initially, I had no touchpoints with the studio. The production needed to be more relaxed getting the project done, which made it difficult to get them excited about sustainability amid execution. Today, it is very different. Now I can be hired by the studio and work with them directly, looking at projects on a broader basis and less in the nitty-gritty details of the day-to-day. It's gratifying that I see people on a studio level getting excited about this sort of work, believing this is the future, and wanting to get involved. At the studio level, they take in information like a sponge and distribute that to other productions. I am honored to be joined by upper management who want to accompany me for walk-throughs or come by for demos.
What advice would you give young professionals and activists looking to inspire sustainability in their community and workplace? What does that mean to you?
Always engage co-workers. Explain to them the WHY and BE THE EXAMPLE.
Sneak it into the conversation. Most people don't think twice about certain things because it's not in their frame of mind or background. Within the workplace or other circles, find the things that are easy to do and do them! It doesn't matter if it's just recycling or composting; others will take notice, follow and eventually support it. I've seen it myself.
At EMA, we strive to bridge the gap between science and communication. What benefit do you see that storytelling can bring to the movement for positive change?
Storytelling is unique and incredible because it allows us to normalize sustainable behavior and make it lighthearted!
One time I pitched to a production a story where the youngest daughter wants to start a worm farm, and the mother initially doesn't want her to do it because she thinks it's gross. The older sister is thrilled not to have to take out the heavy, stink trash anymore. Through good humor, life lessons, and a family dynamic, she eventually gives in and supports the ambition by throwing a piece of burnt toast to the worms. She's caught the bug! Pun intended.
Results will happen when others see our necessary changes can be lighthearted and fun. It's not a task. Make it seem like this person is doing something weird but fun; others will do it too. We do it every day, and it is working!
Thank you so much, Lena!
Learn more about how the entertainment industry is reducing its carbon emissions.
Written by Demitri Fierro, ISSP-SEA (MBA Candidate in Sustainable Management)