EMA Green Seal for Students Spotlight: Abraham Abotel
The Green Film School Alliance continues to grow. Last year, over 20 projects earned the EMA Green Seal for Students. Like our EMA Green Seal for Productions, student films that achieve a minimum of sustainable production goals as identified in the GFSA's Production Environmental Actions Checklist (PEACHy) receive a Green Seal.
2023 continues to see students interested in mitigating the environmental impact of their films, a vital skill to develop before entering the industry. Today, we showcase CSULB student Abraham Abotel, who recently received our Green Seal for his student film, "Good Boy".
Hi Abraham! First off, congrats on earning our EMA Green Seal for Students on your recent film "Good Boy". What inspired you to commit to achieving the Seal?
First, I would like to thank the Environmental Media Association and Cal State Long Beach for awarding our production of Good Boy the Green Seal for Students for sustainability. I committed to achieving this Seal when a professor of mine, Kent Hayward, came into our class last year and proposed the idea of green filmmaking to us. I knew this was for a great cause because Film & TV production is often a wasteful endeavor that damages the environment. I made my college thesis film in a way that protected the environment; that's something I'm proud of.
What was a sustainability standard that was surprisingly easy to achieve, and what was one that proved difficult?
A sustainability standard that was surprisingly easy to achieve was the use of reusable water bottles on set. I was worried we were asking too much from our cast & crew by setting this standard. However, it proved fine as our production team coordinated spectacularly with the other departments. One challenging sustainability standard was ensuring we had enough rechargeable batteries at all times, which took a lot of coordination between our departments, mainly grip & electric. Nevertheless, we stuck to it and saved a lot of energy in the process.
We are working to ensure that sustainability will be the standard on all TV and movie sets. How valuable is it for students to include it in their filmmaking before heading into their careers?
It is 100% essential for students to include sustainability in their filmmaking before heading into their careers. Thanks to outstanding organizations like the EMA, Green filmmaking is the future of our industry. As novice filmmakers, we must be willing to progress the industry, as a whole, in various ways. We must know what advancements lie ahead of us in the entertainment world. Additionally, it is extremely valuable to say that you have made a film while protecting the environment and then receive recognition as a green seal.
Now that you've earned an EMA Green Seal for Students, what's your advice for other student filmmakers looking to do the same?
I advise other student filmmakers looking to earn the EMA Green Seal to think globally and act locally. It is about everyone collectively doing their part to create entertainment sustainably. Think about how you can do your part to practice sustainability while producing your films. This is a great way to do it if you care about making a difference in this world.
Finally, please share any projects you are working on and how our audience can stay connected.
I am writing a few feature-length screenplays and starting a small production company to continue creating independent films and spec commercials. To stay connected, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel @AbrahamAbotel, where I will be uploading frequently, and you can follow me on Instagram @abrahamabotel.
Learn more about our EMA Green Seal for Students here!