Greener screenwriting as a tool for greener transition

I address greener screenwriting as a tool for greener transition. The primary research question guiding my investigation is: What can support sustainable decision-making and foster more sustainable storytelling for the media production industry? I will answer this through key findings from the project Green Media Production Development (2023-24) and our survey on Families like ours (2024) which Nathali Pilegaard also address in her presentation.<br/>Early consideration of climate impact during the ‘develop a story-phase’ is a crucial step toward reducing the industry's CO₂ emissions. As screenwriters create the foundational settings for a story, these decisions significantly shape the production process and its environmental footprint. While screenwriters often fear that sustainability requirements might constrain their creativity, my hypothesis posits that such requirements can address both sustainability and creative diversity. I thus introduce the concept of green storytelling (Jacimovic, 2021) and its main levels: explicit, implicit, and pragmatic (MOIN, 2024). Using this framework, I explore elements such as narrative content, 'planet placement,' character development, and related aspects in screenwriting - with Families like ours as an illustrative case. I acknowledge that sustainability encompasses a broad spectrum of elements, including social sustainability and sustainable governance—often referred to as ESG-parameters—which the Vinterberg series addresses.<br/><br/>The Danish media production industry is notably lagging other sectors, such as the construction industry, in terms of sustainability (Philipsen &amp; Iversen, 2024: 63). To better integrate sustainability within the industry, more case studies are needed, along with additional data to support ongoing efforts. The project Green Media Production Development has contributed to this by providing insights into the Danish media production sector – pointing at habits as one of the challenges to the industry (Philipsen &amp; Iversen, 2024: 27).