Scrapper (2023)
The BFI-backed debut from writer/director Charlotte Regan brings a story of community, resilience, and belonging to life on screen. Scrapper premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, taking home the Grand Jury Prize for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. The film follows 12-year-old Georgie, living alone in an east London flat, as she navigates a new reality when her estranged father returns – resisting his attempts to connect while learning to adjust to their changed circumstances.
Behind the scenes, the production team approached sustainability with the same care, focusing on high-impact areas to shrink their footprint while letting subtle environmental messages emerge naturally within the story.
Behind the scenes, the production team approached sustainability with the same care, focusing on high-impact areas to shrink their footprint while letting subtle environmental messages emerge naturally within the story.
Small Indie, Big Sustainable Impact
The BFI-backed debut from writer/director Charlotte Regan brings a story of community, resilience, and belonging to life on screen. Scrapper premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, taking home the Grand Jury Prize for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. The film follows 12-year-old Georgie, living alone in an east London flat, as she navigates a new reality when her estranged father returns – resisting his attempts to connect while learning to adjust to their changed circumstances.
Behind the scenes, the production team approached sustainability with the same care, focusing on high-impact areas to shrink their footprint while letting subtle environmental messages emerge naturally within the story.
Behind the scenes, the production team approached sustainability with the same care, focusing on high-impact areas to shrink their footprint while letting subtle environmental messages emerge naturally within the story.
Scrapper’s story didn’t need overt environmental messages. But the team found that even small editorial touches during development could highlight sustainable behaviour and reinforce the film’s authenticity.
“When we came to examine the script with that sustainability lens that we realised there were lots of things that could be portrayed on screen to demonstrate sustainable behaviour.”
– Jennifer Monks, Co-Producer
Bikes, public transport, and frequent repurposing of materials appear naturally throughout the story. A sustainability analysis early in development revealed these messages were already embedded, waiting to be celebrated.
“I’d say to producers – and all the creative team – that doing that kind of script sustainability pass early on can be quite refreshing, and it avoids a daunting task once everyone’s busy in prep. Quite often there are behaviours that can be shown on screen that don’t need a heavy hand but are sustainable in their own right. It’s thinking about how the character behaves or what they do”
– Jennifer Monks, Co-Producer
Making the Most of Locations and Local Communities
The shoot took over a council estate during summer holidays, with unused or abandoned spaces serving as sets. Local buildings were used as unit bases instead of bringing in facility vehicles.
“If you’re basing yourself in an urban area, especially an estate where you’re really relying on that community, then think about not bringing everything in – it has a great environmental and cost benefits and means you’re working more holistically with the existing buildings and spaces that are part of that community.”
– Jennifer Monks, Co-Producer
Transport was carefully managed: departments shared vans, encouraged public transport, and selected hotels with eco-credentials. Local crew were hired, reducing travel emissions and tapping into insider knowledge.
“As a regional producer, I’m a big fan of deploying regional knowledge. The importance of a good local location manager and local crew can’t be stressed enough. That even extends to newer entrants to the industry who may not have all the experience you need, but they can make up for that by awareness of the local area.”
– Jennifer Monks, Co-Producer
Changing Supply Chains and Catering
In London, the team leveraged hybrid and electric vehicles for taxis, couriers, and production errands. Even a tracking shot was done on an e-bike. Suppliers were encouraged to sign up for albert, boosting both sustainability and employability.
“We also encouraged suppliers we were working with to sign up for Albert, because at the end of the day it makes them more employable. For example, on other productions I’ve heard unit drivers realise that it could be a marketing advantage for them.”
– Jennifer Monks, Co-Producer
Catering shifted to more plant-based options, with vegan meals eventually outnumbering meat options.
“I’ve found that caterers have sometimes come to me and said, ‘You’ve got a lot more vegans than you think, we’ve been running out’ and it’s because the non-vegans saw that it looked good and wanted to try it! So don’t assume that vegan and veggie options should be for the minority if it’s so good that everyone wants it”
– Jennifer Monks, Co-Producer
Green Memos and Greener Heroes
The production sent out a green memo at the start of filming and introduced a weekly Green Hero award to recognise crew sustainability efforts.
Art and construction teams were awarded for creating a key tower prop using scrap metal and junkyard finds.
A runner was recognised for donating leftover food to a local foodbank.
Costume department received praise for using second-hand clothing, hires, and repurposed costumes.
“Getting your green memo out there and engaging with HODs early is key. It’s about building up that culture from the first stages in prep. We thought the earlier that was introduced, the more people could get on board with it, such as making suggestions of actions to take. The earlier people understand the ethos of the production, that you care about the environment and the planet, the better the chances of them engaging.”
– Jennifer Monks, Co-Producer
This case study was undertaken with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery, as part of the Sustainable Screen Fund to support all BFI National Lottery awardees in building environmental understanding and action on positive environmental change.