RTL Group | Potsdam, 03/22/2021

Green footprint at work

UFA has trained the first four “Green Consultants” for its TV and film productions. The Green Consultant training at UFA is offered by Mediengruppe RTL’s production management in partnership with the Munich Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the lecturer Philipp Gassmann. Besides the training provided by the Munich Chamber of Industry and Commerce, this is the only certified further training program of its kind in Germany.

A sustainable and as eco-friendly as possible an approach to work is becoming increasingly important in the field of film and TV production as elsewhere. UFA, which has been promoting green policies in its original productions for several years now, is encouraging interested production managers by training them to become Green Consultants. The first four UFA colleagues have now successfully completed their exams: Production Manager Hendrik Voss (UFA Show & Factual), Senior Production Manager Sascha Lukassowitz (UFA Show & Factual), Line Producer Assistant Kathrin Bernsau (UFA Serial Drama), and Production Manager Marcus Leciejewska (UFA Serial Drama) are now trained UFA Green Consultants.

“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do this training because I’m personally involved with environmental protection and sustainable living, and was curious about how to make one’s footprint at work even greener,” says Line Producer Assistant Kathrin Bernsau about the Green Consultant training. “Environmental protection is a necessary global task that we in the media industry can and have must contribute to,” says Sascha Lukassowitz, underlining the importance of environmentally friendly productions. “It really is high time!” Production Manager Marcus Leciejewska is also concerned about the environment: “Since the film industry has always been given a free pass on environmental protection in recent decades, we have to catch up in all respects now! I’d like to set a good example here as a production manager and share the knowledge I’ve gained with my team.”

The workshop encouraged the production managers to advocate for and advance green topics. “Sustainable production is an infinitely large, multifaceted and extremely profound topic,” emphasises Production Manager Hendrik Voß, who is also involved in the UFA Greenteam, and very specifically positioned and implemented green topics in building management, green electricity supply, the processing of materials, waste separation, catering, and the use of LED lighting during the relocation phase of the production of Die Superhändler a year and a half ago. “Implementing and complying with the officially prescribed 55-percent reduction in CO₂ reduction by 2030 is a matter that concerns us all,” adds Voß. “In our industry, we need to learn that CO₂ reduction in all areas of a TV development phase – from casting to production and post-production – is crucial to protecting our natural world, and that everyone must be willing to play their part.” Kathrin Bernsau adds: “One of the things that especially stayed with me from the workshop is that you can tackle a lot of big and small things, and that there is a whole spectrum of possibilities. It takes a mutual exchange of ideas and resources to look at these possibilities, explore them and implement them appropriately.”

The Green Consultant training at UFA is offered by Mediengruppe RTL’s production management in partnership with the Munich Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and the lecturer Philipp Gassmann. Aside from the training provided by the IHK, it is currently the only certified further training program of its kind in Germany. The course, which consists of two five-day teaching modules, teaches participants all the basics of sustainable production planning, and deals in depth with specific implementation measures that can make productions greener.