In short: A green memo is a short note from the production that sets out its sustainability ambitions and the practical steps it will take. It goes to cast, crew and suppliers before filming starts, so everyone can plan around it. Fill it in during pre-production, name an owner for every action, and update it when the plan changes.
A green memo is a one-page note that says what the production intends to do about its environmental impact and who will do it. Channel 4 asks its productions to share one with cast, crew and suppliers. It is also a sensible habit on a shoot with no broadcaster at all, because most of the choices in it (travel, catering, power, waste and what gets bought) are easier to make before the call sheet goes out.
What the template is for
The template turns a general wish to be greener into a short list of commitments that people can act on. The producer or production manager fills it in and sends it. Channel 4 says productions should share their sustainability ambitions through a green memo with cast, crew and suppliers, and that planning should start in pre-production or earlier.
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Who uses it
The producer or production manager writes the memo. Heads of department read the parts that touch their work: the gaffer on lighting and power, the art department on materials and set builds, the caterer on food and packaging, and the drivers on travel. Suppliers read the section on what they are asked to provide.
How to fill it in, step by step
- Name the production and one person responsible for sustainability, with an email address.
- Write the ambition in one sentence, specific to this job. "We will cut single-use plastic on set" is more useful than "we will be greener".
- List the five to seven decisions that matter most on this production. Typical ones are travel to the shoot, catering, power, materials for sets and props, and waste.
- For each decision, write the action, the owner and the date it must be settled by.
- Say what you will record and how. If you plan to use the carbon calculator that Channel 4's guidance points to, say so.
- Ask suppliers for what you need, in writing. Channel 4 asks suppliers to put carbon details on invoices using the BAFTA Albert templates. Ask for that before the job starts, not when the invoice arrives.
- Send the memo, keep a copy in the production file, and update it when the plan changes.
Worked example
A two-day studio shoot with a crew of six, plus one location day for an exterior. The memo might read:
Ambition: Keep the footprint of this shoot low, and tell our suppliers what we need from them. Travel: Crew share cars where they live near each other. Public transport on the location day where the timetable allows. Catering: Plant-based lunch as standard, with a labelled alternative. Reusable crockery. No single-use plastic bottles. Power: Ask the studio for its power and lighting plan before the day. Turn lights down when nobody is shooting. Set and props: Reuse flats and set pieces from the last job where possible. Log anything that goes to the skip. Owner: Production manager, with a name and email. Review the memo on the first morning.
Common mistakes
- Writing the memo after the shoot. A memo sent at wrap cannot shape the travel or catering decisions.
- Making promises that nobody owns. Every line needs a name.
- Copying a large company's statement. Cast and crew can tell when the memo does not describe the job in front of them.
- Leaving suppliers out. Caterers, hire companies and the studio need to see the parts that affect them.
- Treating the memo as the certification. It is a starting point, not the evidence.
If you book a space with us, send the memo with the crew list, so we can plan power, parking (we have fifteen spaces on site) and waste with you before the day. For the wider set of expectations broadcasters have, read albert certification: what broadcasters ask for, and for briefing the crew on the day, see how to brief a studio or a video crew.
Sources
- Channel 4, Albert certification, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What is a green memo on a film set?
It is a short note from the production that sets out its sustainability ambitions and the practical steps it will take. It goes to cast, crew and suppliers before filming starts, so that the travel, catering, power and set decisions are made with it in mind.
Do I need a green memo for a small shoot?
Channel 4 asks its own productions to share one, but any production can use the same format. It costs little to write and gives suppliers something to plan around.
Does a green memo count as BAFTA Albert certification?
No. Certification is a separate process that uses a carbon footprint assessment and evidence of what was done. The memo is one of the things a production can share while it works towards certification.
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