The EcoMuvi standard is a unified protocol that was created as a resource for stakeholders in the audiovisual sector, a tool for collecting and reporting the virtuous activities and related rewarding actions of the sustainable behaviour of audiovisual productions. As a protocol and as a system, it adapts to every set, however complex, rewarding valid activities and following accredited criteria to guarantee reported and certified results.
EcoMuvi was established in 2013 at a production company (Tempesta Film), initially as an environmental protocol, in collaboration with Edison, to identify actions to reduce the environmental impact of a set. Since then, the unique nature of EcoMuvi is the ability to combine a reference standard with an effective management system. In practice, in addition to avoiding some polluting habits (e.g. the use of generators), the intention is to understand if the alternative solutions are sustainable (a generator is indispensable for a set on a mountain top but not in a house or hotel in the city centre).
First came certification by third-party, independent bodies trained to run qualitative and quantitative assessments, providing authoritative overview and data tracing, including on-site inspections.
Today EcoMuvi is a company that owns the EcoMuvi Standard which is licensed free of charge to all the productions that want to use it. The protocol has evolved and is no longer based solely on environmental criteria, but includes development standards for environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Furthermore, it no longer refers solely to feature-length fiction films, but also works with short films, documentaries (criteria developed with Doc.it), animation (with Cartoon Italia) and, most recently, the world of audiovisual events.
Thanks to the analysis of each production phase, the EcoMuvi Standard proposes active and applicable practices for pre-production, filming and post-production (introduced in 2021).
The Standard is accredited for audiovisual productions of all complexities by ACCREDIA, the Single Accreditation Body appointed by the Italian Government to assess standards, which works in partnership with other European accreditation bodies.
From its establishment in 2013 through to 2020, when the Ministry of Culture introduced the 5 bonus points for eco-sustainable productions in the call for selective contributions, a limited number of productions adopted EcoMuvi, guided by ethical reasons, competitive advantage and effective efficiency. They were generally first-time production experiences.
The first shift registered in 2020 with the introduction of bonus points for selective contributions. In addition to other assignment criteria, the Call for the assignment of selective contributions to production includes 5 bonus points for companies committing to obtaining environmental sustainability certification (issued by a certification body recognized by a national public institution) for the work, as outlined in Article 24 (f). This incentive produced a greater flow of productions, which however were still mostly considered first-time sets. Other standards or tools such as calculators, which are not always used correctly, have since joined the field alongside EcoMuvi.
The last two years have brought many layers of experience, among those who continue to apply it well, the sceptics and the disaffected and disheartened.
Any production that approaches EcoMuvi has the possibility of accessing the Standard under a free license. As the production moves through the process, it interfaces with the certification body and with the company, which offers assistance in implementing the process, not only at a bureaucratic level, but also in a way that streamlines production.
EcoMuvi provides EcoMuvi Managers who are physically present on set to ensure things work, interfacing with the various departments during technical recces, filming and post-filming, reporting to the certification body and managing any leftover material so that it is not thrown away but reused for other production purposes or uses.
Access to the EcoMuvi standard is free. The production must bear the cost of the certifying body and any (if adopted) assistance on set and in reporting. While variable, because they are calibrated to the project, costs are around 0.15-0.20% of the total. EcoMuvi estimates that in over 90% of cases, the expense of adopting the standard is offset by the savings obtained through adopting eco-sustainable solutions.
The main line item saved is energy: generator energy management is extremely expensive, while alternative solutions, albeit more expensive upfront, can save thousands of euros for the total project expenses.
There is also the issue of permits: some shooting locations may only be accessed with adoption of the protocol.
In short, while an upfront expense may appear greater, green practices provide savings during the process.
Thanks to Ludovica Chiarini and Nadia Monti