Voices from the Cove: Matt Barkin
The topic of sustainability is near and dear to Matt Barkin’s heart, and something that he tries to bring to every one of his sets. A longtime director, producer and founder of San Francisco-based Vibrant Films, he also regularly collaborates with Kraken Cove Productions.
We sat down with Matt for a short chat about environmental sustainability in the film industry.
When you started in film more than a decade ago, what was the conversation around being environmentally sustainable on set, and how has that conversation changed over the years?
I come from a non-profit and environmentally-conscious background having worked with Greenpeace after college and my mom as a naturalist and plant cell biologist. So, when I arrived on my first set, I was pretty horrified because the standard is that you have a hundred small plastic water bottles, people open them, take a drink, and then leave them everywhere. It’s just terrible.
Sadly, it is still kind of like that on sets. These days, I’m only on my own and Danielle’s sets, where that practice is discouraged and people are asked to bring their own water bottles, but it is still a challenge.
Did COVID impact sustainability efforts on set? If so, how?
I feel like things were moving in a better direction before COVID, but then they regressed, unfortunately. Now everything is single-use plastic on snacks and food. Nothing can be shared, so it is more difficult to be sustainable. I’m hoping that changes after the pandemic.
How do you encourage sustainable practices on your sets?
I encourage crew members to carpool and bring their own water bottles because those are the easiest things they can do. That said, there is an expectation that those small water bottles will be available, especially if people forget to bring their own.
On commercial sets and films, it is a whole different thing, though, because you have to think about how to dress a room. Often, a lot of the stuff on a set (props, etc.) gets thrown away. I’m writing a feature film script right now and trying to write it in a way that isn't wasteful, and instead uses things from the dump.
A lot of the scenes are in homeless encampments, and if my crew needs to buy anything, I will at least want those things donated to a nonprofit that supports unhoused people, instead of throwing it away.
Have you ever heard of a screenwriter writing a script with that in mind?
No, I haven’t. I hope others do the same in the future, though.
For other directors and producers out there, what are a few things they can do on their sets to make them more sustainable?
I’d recommend trying to steer away from single-use everything. For catering, go with vendors that offer biodegradable containers and biodegradable silverware. Encourage your crew members to bring their own water bottles, provide a water dispenser, and even go as far as to buy those $1 water bottles that are reusable. Every little bit counts.