Case study: All Her Fault Film Production set 2024 – 2025
From pre-production to post-production, the film industry is one of the largest producers of unnecessary waste in the world, where a single film set can produce 347 tons of waste per production.
We feel the winds of change at our doorstep, having had the opportunity to work with a number of large film sets since early last year.
In July 2024, Cirque du Soil was engaged by All Her Productions for our Community Composting and consulting services, for the TV series All Her Fault, filmed in Melbourne, Australia, in a production by Carnival Films (UK) for Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.
All her Fault (AHF) is a TV series based on the bestselling book of the same name by Andrea Mara.
We wanted to showcase this production project, in particular – as we were impressed at how additional resourcing in sustainability teams in film sets can create dynamic change – this was the first production where we worked closely with a dedicated full time sustainability supervisor, Daniel Astin, over the entire pre-production to post-production period.
Where previously there would be a sustainability coordinator working in a part time capacity, we’re now observing larger sustainability teams (encompassing waste, energy, carbon accounting) as new jobs come on, but also with increased decision making power.
This is a phenomenal trend, and not only do we advocate this for all limited period event productions with complex operations, but ultimately this step is game changer for all production teams and circular economy focused enterprises like ourselves to achieve greater future impact.
Read our case study below:
Cirque du Soil x AHF End of Production Impact Metrics:
Production period: July 2024 to Feb 2025
Our Food Waste Collection Impact
At production wrap 14th Feb 2025, we tallied All Her Fault’s compost program impact statistics, weighing in at:
- An average weight of 12.4kg per bucket
- 278 buckets equivalent to 3,242 kg of food waste was collected and processed within a 5km radius of the production site and diverted from landfill.
- 6,804.3 kg CO₂e of Greenhouse gases (GHG) was avoided from landfill.
As our composting system utilises food recycling technology, we process pretty much everything except the kitchen sink (shellfish, prop cakes, coffee grounds, unbleached napkins, you name it!)
Across the duration of the project, The Cirque du Soil team tracked All Her Fault’s production impact of food waste and contamination rates (across catering and plate waste), where each batch was weighed in week by week via a live online tracker.
Early on, we engaged with the relevant key stakeholders on sustainability and climate reporting, while we reported our metrics in real time.
This eventuated into a considerable part for measuring all of production food waste and GHG emissions avoided, for Picture Zero‘s Production Sustainability Life Cycle Report.
Additional advisory services on Consumables and Set construction waste
With food waste under control, Cirque du Soil was further engaged as consultants to conduct a site visit and review some of the other on-set waste streams, such as set construction waste, packaging and consumables supplier choices, and to explore other options that could either be reused, composted, or upcycled locally in Melbourne.
Other materials we were able to support diversion with include:
- Several 25m x 6m Translight sheets (these are large brightly illuminated film backing used in backdrops) – collected and sent to be remade into bags
- Nylon white out backdrop sheets – redistributed to local photographers
For the purpose of expressing what these are, here’s a sample below (obviously we can’t share any of the details as the TV series hasn’t been released!)
Working with sustainability coordinators from end to end throughout its production lifecycle gave us deeper insights into the varying timeframes of production set times, from design to assembly to disassembly (or striking a set). Conversations with set builders enabled our team to kickstart a set waste EOI process to take this further in 2025.
Tackling other non-food waste streams is no doubt challenging but ultimately a circular design process to be embedded during the design, procurement and planning stages. We encourage all film set production teams to design out waste early and to increase opportunities for circular outcomes.
As we don’t always have the opportunity to hear about how our work is perceived (as we don’t live on-set), it’s incredibly rewarding to hear that acting and production crews take note of sustainability initiatives on-set, as pointed out here by All Her Fault’s lead actress, Sarah Snook (Succession).
… and with that – Props to every member of the AHF Production crew who supported all the circular waste initiatives!
#Filmproduction #filmsets #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Collaboration
