EMA Green Seal for Students Spotlight: Shane Dolman-Smith and William Priems
The EMA Green Seal is not reserved for large industry film production companies; instead, it is awarded to films of any origin that meet its sustainability requirements. Shane Dolman-Smith and William Priems, two recent graduates of Humber Polytechnic’s Film and Television Production Advanced Diploma Program, played key roles in enabling the film Sinn Seanmhair to receive the Green Seal. With a passion for environmentalism, Shane became the Sustainability Coordinator for the film, taking on the challenge of staying within the crew’s $30 sustainability budget. William worked as a producer, supporting Shane in making the carbon footprint of Sinn Seanmhair as low as possible.
Sinn Seanmhair was written and directed by Addie Ogilvie, who took inspiration from a personal story with his great-grandfather. So far this year, Sinn Seanmhair is one of five film productions by the Humber Polytechnic Film and Television students to be awarded the Green Seal, showcasing the effectiveness of incorporating a Sustainability Coordinator role into production. We enjoyed speaking with two upcoming filmmakers about their experiences in making a sustainable film.
First, congratulations to you and everyone involved in the project on earning our EMA Green Seal. What motivated you and your colleagues to pursue the certification?
William: Initially, we were confused about how having a sustainability coordinator would affect our film. Yet, everyone on the crew wanted to do as much as they could to help Shane successfully make the film as sustainable as possible.
Shane: We wanted to go above and beyond regarding our environmental responsibilities because I felt there was a need to incorporate sustainability into the film industry. Our crew contributed a lot to the sustainability of this film, from production design to online call sheets.
What were some elements you found challenging to implement, and what were some that were easier than you expected?
William: The most challenging part was getting everyone on board. A big worry for some people was that sustainability would get in the way of film-making, but things moved just as smoothly through Shane and some of our Production Assistants. It’s such a clean integration into film.
Typically, film production is so intense and fast-paced that people might forget simple things like recycling or composting. Shane’s role as Sustainability Coordinator made remembering these simple things much easier. At the end of filming, we only had one bag of garbage, while typically, we would have had a truck full. It was really impressive to see a change like that happen so quickly with the implementation of one role.
Shane: The biggest challenge was encouraging people to be open to change. Whether it’s film production or another industry, we often have this mindset: "This is how we’ve always done it, we’re not going to change.” It is hard to push people because, at the end of the day, it is their choice. It was challenging at times to convince the team to try eco-friendly practices. The more minor changes, using reusable water bottles, LED lighting, renting and reusing equipment, etc., were easier. I would post daily electronic memos on how the sustainable elements of production work and why they are essential to help educate the crew and increase everyone’s comfort with the changes. This year, our college assigned a Sustainability Coordinator for every production, and every crew had a $30 sustainability budget. To save money, all the crews purchased things together to share amongst the productions. Collaborating and communicating between teams became a big strength.
Did you have any difficulties getting everyone to contribute to the goal of sustainability?
Shane: One big obstacle was shifting people's mindsets; many people didn't care about sustainability and assumed that it would add more work. Explaining how sustainability will impact this film and how we will do something good for the environment changed the crew’s mindsets, encouraging them to implement sustainability in their productions in the future.
Why is it so crucial for artists to consider the environmental impact of their work?
Shane: Positivity is so important. Sustainability is growing through time, so we should use it to our advantage. Sustainability did help us save a lot of money compared to other productions.
William: I think sustainability has become one of the most important aspects of filmmaking because it is so easy to implement, and I don’t see a reason for it to go away anytime soon. Sustainability will quickly become the norm on larger sets, but indie films may be slower because they have fewer resources. Our college, Humber Polytechnic, had the money and resources to maximize sustainability. Still, indie spaces are self-funded and may be more likely to prioritize a better film outcome over sustainability.
Finally, how can people watch and support your film, and what do you have on the horizon?
William: Our film’s Instagram page (@sinnseanmhair) is active with updates. It may eventually be in film festivals, but watch the trailer and stay tuned! I am open to working in film production.
Shane: I am also open to working in production or as a sound assistant. Although it is harder to specialize in film sustainability, I am still pursuing a certification in carbon footprint calculations.
Credit for the creation of Sinn Seanmhair goes to:
Writer/Director- Addie Ogilvie
Producer - William Priems
Sustainability Coordinator - Shane Dolman-Smith
Director of Photography - Lily Chiasson
Production Designer - Gavin Taylor
Editor - Shakailah Allison
1st Assistant Director - Eileen Cahill
Location owner - Laura Brown
View a list of our EMA Green Seal for Students recipients here!
Written by Sabrina Sugg