Education Partnership Spotlight: A Washed-Up Pop Star and a Switched-On Producer

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University of Salford film student Holly Bellack set out to make her final project more than just a compelling story – she aimed to produce it sustainably. With a fast-moving crew and a production that grew larger than expected, she took on the role of sustainability lead entirely on her own.

Despite the challenges, Holly stayed committed to integrating green practices across all areas of the shoot. The production eventually involved more than 45 people on set, including a live-audience scene with 30 extras. The scale of the project demanded constant problem-solving. “It was more responsibility than I’d anticipated,” she said. “Some days we had 45 people on set, and I had to manage sustainability mostly on my own.”

To help guide the team, Holly created a Green Memo that was shared with each call sheet. It laid out clear expectations: no single-use plastics, public transport encouraged, and reusable items preferred. Still, implementation proved tricky—on the first day, some crew members arrived with plastic water bottles. In hindsight, Holly noted ‘I should’ve added photos to the memo!”.

She introduced a daily check-in form where crew could log travel choices, food waste, and sustainable swaps. It wasn’t just about rules – it was about building awareness. One of the most successful efforts was in production design. Everything for a chat show set was reused, repurposed, or donated. The only waste came from items like food wrappers and tape, which couldn’t be reused. Holly also helped the art department source local materials and returned unused items to charity shops once filming wrapped.

Transport was the toughest challenge. While a few cast members were based nearby, others traveled from further afield, such as Macclesfield or Preston, and public transport wasn’t always viable. Holly had to weigh environmental considerations against the director’s needs. “I had to weigh up the greater good for the environment against what the director felt was essential for performance,” she explained. Ultimately, travel contributed the most to the final carbon footprint – far more than Holly had planned in her draft. “It jumped massively. Everything else was steady, but the miles really added up,” she said.

Printing was another area Holly tackled head-on. The production went fully paperless, with scripts, call sheets, and release forms all handled digitally. Even when dozens of extras arrived needing forms, a borrowed laptop helped them avoid printing altogether. “We refused to print,” she said, determined to stick to her goals.

Lighting was entirely LED, and four filming locations were selected with walkability in mind. Many crew members were able to walk or use some of Manchester’s electric buses. In one case, the team combined two scenes into a single location by reworking the blocking, saving both time and transport emissions. A few half-days, either by design or due to unexpected efficiency, also helped reduce energy use.

Now in post-production, Holly reflects on the effort involved and the wins she’s taken from the experience. Encouragingly, going green didn’t strain the budget. The team had projected a spend of £40 and came in around £45. Sustainable practices, Holly found, actually helped keep costs down by reducing waste and reusing resources.

Sustainability wasn’t part of the film’s storyline, but Holly hopes the behind-the-scenes work speaks for itself. “You won’t see a character cycle to work or recycle onscreen, but we built a low-impact production. That matters.”

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