Electrified and Fossil Free Productions @ Climate Film Festival

Format: Panel

Presented by Rewiring America

The science is clear: we can't combat the climate crisis unless we stop burning fossil fuels. Yet, it's still mostly gas and diesel-burning vehicles and appliances appearing on screen and powering our sets. What should creatives do about it? This panel focuses on how to advocate for using the most effective and often overlooked options that will both inspire audiences to reduce emissions and keep your set pollution-free. During this conversation, panelists will outline the opportunities and obstacles to going electric on set, show how ditching fossil fuels can benefit production schedules and budgets, and how to approach both on- and offscreen decisions.

About the Panelists

Moderator: Brock Benefiel, Director of Entertainment Partnerships at Rewiring America

Brock Benefiel is the Director of Entertainment Partnerships at Rewiring America, where he leads the organization’s Electric Creatives initiative. He has more than a decade of experience working with major climate and lifestyle organizations and co-hosts The Climate Pod, picked by Variety as one of “8 Crucial Podcasts About the Climate Crisis and Sustainable Living.” Launched in May, Electric Creatives works to help entertainment professionals use better, electric options in film and television, inspiring people to power their own homes and lives without fossil fuels.

Shannon Bart, Sr. Manager, Sustainability & Productions, Netflix

Shannon Bart is the Sr. Manager, Sustainability & Productions at Netflix where she is responsible for overseeing the global strategy to reduce emissions from physical production in support of the company’s climate commitments. Shannon began working at Netflix in late 2020. Previously, she served as NBCUniversal’s Sustainability Director where she led sustainable production efforts. Shannon also founded EcoSet, a Los Angeles based production reuse resource for the creative industries, and freelanced in film and commercial production.

Lydia Pilcher, artist and filmmaker

Lydia Dean Pilcher is an artist, filmmaker and two-time Emmy winning, Oscar nominated producer of over 40 feature films and founder of NYC production company, Cine Mosaic. Director credits include the WWII female spy thriller, A CALL TO SPY, and the climate narratives RADIUM GIRLS, and HOMING INSTINCT, a science fiction multi-screen film installation. Pilcher has an extensive track record creating innovative cross industry, multi-stakeholder collaborations to drive change in the entertainment industry, and is Co-founder of the Producers Guild of America’s Sustainability Task Force and the resources website GreenProductionGuide.com. She co-leads the WGA/PGA Inter-guild Climate Storytelling Working Group, and Co-Chairs the Directors Guild of America Sustainable Future Committee (prioritizing the transition to clean energy and climate storytelling). Pilcher co-convenes Roll Call, 60 companies and organizations working around climate storytelling, and she teaches a graduate climate storytelling course at Columbia University Climate School. She is an advisor to The Hollywood Climate Summit, and The Climate Imaginarium in the 2024 residency program at Governor’s Island Arts.

About Rewiring America

Rewiring America is the leading electrification nonprofit, focused on electrifying our homes, businesses, and communities. We develop accessible, actionable data and tools, and build coalitions and partnerships to make going electric easier for households and communities. Rewiring America helps Americans save money, tackle nationwide emissions goals, improve health, and build the next generation of the clean energy workforce. We believe in an abundant, flourishing, climate-safe future, and know that, together, we can realize one.

Please note: activities at the Climate Film Festival may be photographed and/or recorded. Your presence at the Festival constitutes your permission and authorization for use of your likeness and voice for Festival purposes. If you do not wish to be recorded, you may inform the photographer.

Host or Publisher NY Climate Tech