Green production is increasingly in demand and requires a special sensitivity for sustainable management in productions. UFA, which has been committed to green approaches in its in-house productions for several years, has been supporting interested production managers with training as a Green Consultant since March 2021. A total of 20 UFA colleagues have already successfully completed their exams: Production Manager Hendrik Voß (UFA Show & Factual), Production Coordinator Anne Frohne (UFA Fiction), Production Manager Marc Waterkamp (UFA Serial Drama), HR Analytics & Sustainability Manager Zita von Klot-Heydenfeldt (UFA), Production Manager Tobias Krisa-Yamamoto (UFA Serial Drama), Line Producer Nina Jansen (UFA Serial Drama), Production Coordinator Dorothee Müller ( UFA Show & Factual), Set Decorator Fionn Krämer (UFA Serial Drama), Director of Production Management Katja Hartwig (UFA Fiction), Production Coordinator Kerstin Plake (UFA Fiction), Production Manager Milena Baumann (UFA Fiction), Production Manager Peggy Hurtig ( UFA Show & Factual), Production Manager Marcel Merscheid ( UFA Show & Factual), Production Manager Gerold Teufelsdorfer ( UFA Show & Factual), Production Coordinator Laura Kings ( UFA Show & Factual), Set Production Manager Dix Frohberg ( UFA Serial Drama), Production Assistant Juliane Höveler ( UFA Show & Factual), Production Accountant Victoria Esser (UFA Serial Drama), Production Coordinator Shannon Leslie Cormier (UFA Show & Factual), and 1st Production Manager Juditha Scheibner (UFA Show & Factual) are certified UFA Green Consultants.

“In our industry, we need to recognize that reducing CO2 emissions across all areas and disciplines of the TV production process—whether it’s casting, production, or post-production—plays a crucial role in protecting our environment, and that everyone must be willing to do their part,”said production manager Hendrik Voß.

Anne Frohne, Production Coordinator at UFA Fiction, emphasizes with regard to green producing at UFA: “There is a lot to do in the high-end sector, but also an incredible amount of possibilities and opportunities. In future, we must not only excel through quality, but also through sustainability and resource management. I am convinced that UFA, with its more than 100-year history, has the experience, the backing and the women and manpower to realize ‘green producing’ and make its contribution to preserving a planet worth living on for future generations.”

“Sustainable action is a matter close to my heart, both privately and professionally. In this respect, I was very happy to accept the offer to train as a Green Consultant. It was an intensive and exciting two weeks with lots of good discussions. In Philip Gassmann, we had a great lecturer who was able to convey even rather dry subject matter in a clear and entertaining way,” reports Marc Waterkamp, Head of Production at UFA Serial Drama.

“By collectively changing our mindset and making small adjustments to our habits, we can bring about major, positive changes in our carbon footprint—which not only protects the climate but also fosters a sense of team spirit,” says Nina Jansen, who works as a line producer at UFA Serial Drama.

Set decorator Fionn Krämer adds: “With Nina Jansen, we already had a green consultant in our production. She was constantly bombarded with questions, especially from my department – set design – some of which were very technical and detailed. At some point, it became clear that our rather large production department would like to train another consultant. Due to the many question marks in my trade and a general interest in green topics, I was happy to take this on board. You don’t have to lie to yourself: our industry, which is not exactly indispensable for life and limb, still has a lot of room for improvement when it comes to sustainability. So I think it’s very welcome and ultimately overdue that things are now gaining momentum, and I’m delighted to be a part of it.”

“I have long been an advocate for green issues at UFA Show & Factual. As a newly qualified Green Consultant, I’m delighted that I can now officially use my expertise to promote green producing and sustainability in our productions. As a production coordinator, I have to carry out the_{CO2 calculation} myself in future productions anyway and now have a much better understanding and more background knowledge. Philip Gassmann really gave us a lot of things to take away with us that we can really use in the implementation. It was very informative and also helpful!” says Production Coordinator Dorothee Müller.

“For production managers at UFA Fiction, this is a mandatory continuing education program. As production leaders, it’s important to know what we’re talking about when we want to produce ‘green’ or sustainably. With the in-depth knowledge we’ve gained through this training, we can address this crucial topic early on—even during the development of the material and the recruitment of the team,” says Katja Hartwig, Director of Production Management, about the Green Consultant training program. “Green producing doesn’t happen overnight. It’s an ongoing process. And in many areas we have to learn to rethink. It also costs money at first. For me, the most important thing is not just to work through criteria to get a Green Motion label, but I want to support and convince my production teams to such an extent that in future we may not even have to talk about achieving certain sustainability criteria, but will long since take them for granted and they will no longer lead to additional costs.”

“I felt it was important to complete this training because, with expert knowledge and strong arguments, I can inspire those around me to engage with this issue and bring about improvements. We must now take advantage of this period of transition and work with partners to develop sustainable production structures. However, we should not only demonstrate responsibility within the context of production, but also serve as role models and sources of inspiration for others,” emphasizes Tobias Krisa-Yamamoto, Head of Production at UFA Serial Drama.

Kerstin Plake, Production Coordinator at UFA Fiction, states: “Since green producing is now a topic in every production, I simply wanted to know what it’s all about, what needs to be considered. Moreover, additional knowledge means additional qualifications. I think each and every one of us should keep our eyes and ears open to see where it is possible to save_CO2. This also applies to the working environment.

The Green Consultant training course is offered by Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s Production Management department in cooperation with the Munich Chamber of Industry and Commerce and lecturer Philip Gassmann and is the only certified training course in Germany alongside the training offered by the Munich Chamber of Industry and Commerce itself. The course, which consists of two 5-day training modules, teaches participants all the basics of sustainable production planning and deals in depth with specific implementation measures that can make productions greener.