HOP visited the famous and star-studded film festival to spread the word on our fresh new approach to studio development. Whilst discussing our work with producers and studio executives, Katya Baker discovered sustainability at the top of many agendas.
The 75th annual Film Festival in Cannes saw the return of a full attendees list, an appearance from Elvis and an honorary Palme D’Or for Tom Cruise. It also featured the Home of Production, as Katya Baker took to the Croisette to catch up with key figures from across the film industry.
The primary aim was - As it has always been for HOP - To react to voices from across the production sector, taking note of their needs and the areas identified as lacking in how they are served by the current major studios.
The key factor in this exercise was not just to look for producers with ambitions to enjoy a new kind of facility, but to really listen to the issues raised most often by them and tackle them as components of our masterplan. The team have always seen HOP as an opportunity to defy convention - Where better to find out the means of achieving this, than at one of the ‘Big 5’ world film festivals?
A recurring theme was that of sustainable practice, and the ways in which the industry needs to react now to meet growing pressure from a variety of regulatory bodies. Responding to many conversations on this topic, work has been stepped up in looking at ways to incorporate BS8909 into our site design and workflows, also leaning on our development and construction partners to understand more about the benefits of working to ISO14001.
“Our industry needs to change - Building a sustainable future for film and television is non-negotiable, with HOP setting the standard. ”
We have also begun to examine initiatives such as the Green Screen Project which led directly to the 2020 report on Sustainable Filming in London - Noting that many of the foundations are addressed by our sustainability-led approach, but looking to build on them even further.
The HOP campus concept naturally tackles a series of the main areas of debate, with key features including:
- PV panels to all main structures, plus battery storage to gather the collected energy for use across the entire site
- Creating a place to settle for crews working at HOP, naturally limiting travel but also including plentiful parking and a large transport hub - Meaning that vehicle movements are both limited and managed effectively
- Featuring permanent, on-site catering which removes the need for costly and emissions-heavy temporary facilities being brought to site, then dismantled and removed at the end of a shoot
- Looking to secure partnerships with major suppliers of key equipment - Such as camera and grip, sound and costume - Then signing partnership agreements with them to bring them to site whilst using low-energy, high-efficiency equipment
As we approach our formal planning submission, we’re continuing to look for additional ways to make our first location greener. We have taken the mood of our industry to heart, and will now look to define the standard for sustainable production in the UK.