rebeccaharrison149

I'm an academic currently working at The Open University as Senior Lecturer in Film & Media.

Drawing on expertise at the intersections of film, history, and geography, I'm the Principal Investigator of the Environmental Impact of Filmmaking project, which has been funded by the AHRC. The project uses Star Wars as its primary case study to investigate the carbon emissions of various prop and costume making practices, and to consider how location shoots affect local communities and wildlife.

With the support of research associate Siti Syuhaida Mohamed Yunus, the project's prop and costume case studies have drawn attention to carbon-intense digital making (e.g., a CGI Artoo Detoo), the importance of reusing materials, and the need for corporate accountability in the merchandising of intellectual property such as lightsabers. I've also traced the economic and cultural histories of particular materials (aluminium, silk) to demonstrate how global distribution networks for the screen industries perpetuate colonial practices. An online archive of Star Wars practitioner interviews (which address the environment and sustainability issues from 1977 to the present day) will be available in due course, alongside a range of other resources.

In thinking about location shoots, I'm examining the use and representations of land via community surveys, and considering ecological impacts on both plants and animals. I'm developing a short film that explores the locations via themes of nature, industrialisation, and transformation.

As a film journalist with broadcast experience, I am happy to contribute to public discussions about film and the environment. I also work with a range of industry and cultural organisations to encourage more sustainable practices and can be contacted in this capacity, too.

Rebecca Harrison