Screen International is profiling all the winners of the third Global Production Awards, which were held tonight (May 19) at the Mademoiselle Gray Barriere in Cannes.
Special Recognition - Northern Ireland Screen
This year’s special recognition award went to an organisation that has delivered an outstanding contribution to sustainable production.
The Global Production Awards’ expert judges crowned Northern Ireland Screen, in recognition of its impressive sustainability initiatives over the last two years. “The agency’s confidence in its achievements and work is evident,” noted one judge. This includes its sustainability support scheme, the first of its kind in the UK, which supports sustainable practices across local production including equipment, energy sources and food waste.
As part of this approach, Northern Ireland has become the first UK region to make the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil compulsory as the primary fuel source for scripted productions, replacing diesel. Productions filming in the country must also use Bafta albert’s carbon calculator to track and report their carbon emissions, and scripted productions must join the Olio food sharing platform to minimise food and material waste.
Additionally, Northern Ireland Screen has also overseen studio sustainability enhancements, with Belfast Harbour Studios becoming the first in the UK to receive the sustainable building certification of ‘BREEAM Excellent’.
“Such high-level industry recognition is proof Northern Ireland Screen is implementing practices that have demonstrable real-world impact, and producing guidelines on sustainability that will continue to reap environmental rewards across future developments,” said one judge.
Northern Ireland Screen is also investing in virtual production, reducing the need for extensive travel and on-location shoots while maintaining high-quality production values. Studio Ulster, a $96m (£72m) state-of-the-art virtual production facility in Belfast, integrates virtual production with film, animation, games, broadcast and VFX, alongside industry-leading research and development in new screen and performance technology.
“Utilising cutting-edge technological practices to lessen environmental impact is evidence of a forward-thinking approach to sustainability,” said one judge.
Northern Ireland Screen also prioritises skills development to sustain a growing workforce and has several key initiatives that include training, funding and upskilling for senior roles in global productions. Aim High, for example, is a traineeship offering hands-on experience in the screen industry, while the Creative Industries New Entrants (CINE) scheme provides participants with formal training and paid placements to develop long-term careers in the creative industries.
The agency also administers the Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF), which has supported Irish-language productions and the training of more than 150 individuals. Similarly, the Ulster Scots Broadcast Fund supports Ulster Scots cultural productions and local creative talent. “Nurturing local talent and ensuring they have the opportunity to build a career, as well as supporting them as they bring their work to a global stage, is an essential part of a healthy, sustainable domestic industry,” commented one judge.
The judges were certain Northern Ireland Screen’s efforts will continue to ensure sustainability remains a priority as the number of productions that choose to shoot in the country increases. Recent projects to have filmed at locations across Northern Ireland include HBO’s A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, Universal Pictures’ How To Train Your Dragon and Netflix-backed How To Get To Heaven From Belfast from Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee.
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