GCU puts TV and film sustainability centre stage

Glasgow Caledonian University is taking action to help cut the carbon footprint of future television and film productions.

As a member of the BAFTA albert education partnership, students on media, communication, and journalism courses will learn the importance of putting sustainability at the heart of creative projects.

The short course has been built into the new BA (Hons) Media and Communication in 2020/21, with a view to rolling it out across all media and journalism programmes in the coming years.

Students who complete the course will be certified as BAFTA albert graduates and will receive a digital certificate and badge recognised by the television and film industry.

Figures show electricity can account for up to 60% of a production’s carbon footprint, with travelling, accommodation, and location shooting also coming at a substantial environmental cost.

GCU has joined a network of UK universities in promoting albert - an online carbon calculator that works out how much a production affects the environment. 

Kevin Price, BAFTA chief operating officer and chair of albert, said: "We face unprecedented environmental challenges and we’ll only be able to solve them by working to common industry objectives. 

"Having Glasgow Caledonian University as an albert education partner makes our collective voice for positive change even stronger."