Newsletter #2, July 2020
Welcome to Cut It.
The crew-led initiative for the climate crisis.
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Cut It. is growing!
When Cut It began six months ago, we never anticipated that we would grow so fast, but with Covid-19 putting the brakes on filming, crew are using their time to change our industry for the better.
Cut It has 90 active members across many departments. We passed 500 newsletter subscribers and our social media is being transformed, approaching 1000 followers on Instagram, a new Twitter account, and Facebook page.
Our 45-minute Zoom Intros are key to our growth. Email info@cutit.org.uk with INTRODUCE ME for details. 8pm every Monday.
Crew engagement is fantastic news. The threat of the climate crisis is hard to overstate, yet seemingly easy to ignore. Our industry has done poorly in responding but we can change this together: our excellence at innovation and adaptability is second to none. Let’s do what we’re good at and transform our industry together.
Help us spread the word. Subscribe. Follow. Join our intro sessions. Instagram @cutitorg Twitter @cutitiorg Facebook @CutItOrg
Across the Irish Sea…
Cut It’s regional off-shoot ‘Sustainable Filmmaking Northern Ireland’ has over 300 members. The region’s industry is heavily reliant on air travel which is both environmentally problematic and places the industry under a potential existential threat if CO2 regulations are introduced. The group have successfully convinced Northern Ireland Screen to make changes, and are developing an environmental infrastructure in the region.
If you wish to join this or create you own regional group, get in touch.
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Intersectional Environmentalism:
We Stand With Black Lives Matter
‘In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be antiracist.’
– Angela Davis
Cut It stands firmly against racism. Just as we must learn about the climate crisis, we must also learn about racism, and how to be good allies to BIPOC communities. People of colour suffer disproportionately from the effects of climate change, with communities in the global south being most impacted.
Without racial justice, a green and peaceful future is impossible.
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Cut It. Campaign: The Green Agreement
When BAFTA Albert launched their green rider for cast, Cut It was inspired to create something similar for crew. A green rider is an optional add-on to a contract, stipulating green actions on set. We drafted our own green rider for HoD and director’s, and took it to producers for feedback. They felt the onus was too heavy on producer action, too little on the HoD/director. It was a fair point. As such, our new, two-way contract, ‘The Green Agreement’ is now underway.
The Green Agreement has been budget-costed and carbon-costed. It is a producer-friendly, low-cost way to dramatically reduce any production’s carbon footprint.
We’re really excited about it’s potential. We need maximum take-up across the industry and are now entering a period of consultation with producers, agents, PACT and BECTU to find the best way to do this.
Can you help?
Get in touch. info@cutit.org.uk
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Tennis or T-Bone? How Many Tennis Courts is red meat worth?
We’ve been thinking about meat. With demand increasing worldwide, it’s a huge climate problem. Globally, rainforests are being deforested to support its consumption while in the UK, 85% of farmland is used either directly for animals, or for their subsistence. Not to mention the meat we import. This is land that could remain forested, or in the UK, could be re-forested, to begin the vital process of removing carbon from the atmosphere.
So, what’s the solution? We know that fully veggie catering would irk many crew.
We’ve been thinking about meat-free Mondays, which are a good step forward, but they’re not going to save the world.
What if we removed red meat from the menu altogether? And focused instead on veggie, chicken and fish choices?
We spoke to caterers and we ran their figures through the BBC food calculator and we came to these amazing findings. A high end TV drama that caters for 100 people per day (cast, crew, supporting artists) would save the equivalent of….18 tennis courts of land PER WEEK….!
Simply by removing red meat.
Veggie sausage anyone?
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Call for Action! #crew4climate
Can you help grow CUT IT? Post a picture of yourself on social media, holding a piece of paper saying ‘#crew4climate’. Add your department and a pledge, which you will enact when you return to work.
It could be, ‘I pledge to ask the line producer about production’s green policies’, ‘I pledge to bring my own cutlery and food bowl to work’ or ‘I pledge to use public transport whenever I can.’
Your pledge will inspire others and create a positive ripple effect in each department.
Tag #crew4climate and @cutitorg
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The Tech Effect – From VR to Video Calls
Life in lockdown has driven technological usage in our industry – good news for the climate. Video conferencing has proven vital and its ease has surprised us. Cut It member, Andy de Emmony, director of The Last Kingdom and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, has been casting virtually, including recording actor’s chemistry reads. The potential for reducing costs and carbon emissions is huge and Andy will request to do his casting virtually post-lockdown.
We have potential to reduce flying too. Myriad Studios, based on the Gold Coast of north-east Australia, have started using 3D-mapping technology for Hollywood clients to visualise their productions via VR headsets. The region has previously hosted film productions such as Pirates of the Caribbean (2003-2017) and Crocodile Dundee (1986).
These difficult times offer an opportunity to adapt to achieve a new low-carbon world, once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted again.
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Before We Say Goodbye…
Our 45 minute zoom intro’s give you a run-down of our industry’s carbon impact, what is currently being done, and how Cut It. wants to change things. You’re welcome to ask questions or contribute, but there is no expectation to do so.
8pm every Monday.
Reply to this email with INTRODUCTION PLEASE. We’ll send you a link.
On Monday 27th July the intro will be at 7pm, followed by a Cut It ‘meet the members’, Green Room Social at 8pm. If you have previously been to an intro and wish to come to the social, get in touch!
Follow Us!
Please share our CUT IT. sign-up page and follow us on our social media:
Instagram @cutitorg
Twitter @cutitiorg
Facebook @CutItOrg
