Repurposing of Wolf Hall Film Sets

Film sets from the BBC series *Wolf Hall* are being distributed to performing arts groups to prevent them from becoming waste. These sets, originating from the drama’s second series which chronicles the life of King Henry VIII’s chief minister Thomas Cromwell, have been provided to recipients such as film students and a living history event. This initiative to repurpose over 20 tonnes of set materials aligns with the film industry’s broader efforts to address carbon emissions and minimize waste. Boom Satsuma, a film school located in Bristol, is among those reusing some of these materials. Student Bryson, aged 17, commented: “It’s really helped us a lot, instead of being wasted and no one using it.” While initially utilized on location at various sites across the West Country, the sets were subsequently stored at The Bottle Yard, a film studio in Bristol, once filming concluded. Lisa Osborne, the Producer of *Wolf Hall*, stated: “As our industry grapples with the overlapping challenges of climate change and resource depletion, it is more important than ever to tackle our consumption excesses and reduce waste.” Picture Zero, a company dedicated to enhancing the film industry’s sustainability, has intervened to assist in locating new destinations for the scenery and props. According to Lily Limmer, their sustainability manager, the 23 tonnes of sets would have “generated around 10 tonnes of CO2 equivalent” had they been disposed of in a landfill. The majority of the scenery was directed to the White Horse Military Show, a living history event held in Wiltshire. Richard Dalton, its production manager, remarked: “I hate waste. I can’t bear it when things get thrown away, especially when they’re so usable.” The film industry is increasingly focusing on recycling efforts. Smaller items, for instance, were provided to Boom Satsuma, a sixth-form film school located at Bottle Yard Studios. Student Bryson, 17, stated: “Instead of us finding a ladder, a pillar or panels, we were able to take them.” Steve Smith, a sustainability consultant at Picture Zero, noted that the film industry possesses “quite a big carbon footprint.” He further explained that it consumes substantial energy for studio operations and on-location filming, in addition to the materials utilized for sets, costumes, and props. Smith also remarked: “Often when you go to studios you see wood being thrown into skips, which often gets burnt, which is a crying shame.”