Private Project

Trashless

Follow the humble beginnings of a Trashless Empire as Vancouver's film industry re- imagines its waste as an impetus for social change.

Vancouver is a green city and Vancouverites love to do the right thing. We recycle, compost and dispose of our garbage appropriately but what if we went beyond recycling?

Trashless focuses on The Sustainable Lock Up, an inspirational organisation that accepts materials from the Vancouver Film and TV industry that may otherwise end up in the landfill. Rather than spending energy on recycling or re manufacturing, it can be simple to divert materials.

Office Supplies, set pieces, props, clothes, furniture and even food are donated to local groups including a Women’s Transition House, Minimal Barrier Shelters and an Art Exhibition at the Museum of Vancouver. We’ll be following these donations and interviewing the inspirational people who are involved in this circular economy.

  • Rachael Dudley
    Director
  • Arwen Hunter
    Director
  • Synnove Godeseth
    Producer
  • Rachael Dudley
    Producer
  • Kelsey Evans
    Key Cast
  • Zena Harris
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 29 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Rachael Dudley, Arwen Hunter

Rachael Dudley is a British filmmaker with a passion for documentaries that spark change. With over 12 years experience in film and television production, Rachael has numerous credits spanning UK and Canada, where she now resides.

Arwen Hunter has been working professionally in Canada’s film and television industry for over fifteen years. She has produced documentaries and documentary series for networks including History Television, Lifetime Network, CBC North and Victoria’s CHEK TV and her projects have screened and sold around the world. She also wrote, directed, filmed and edited many of these projects.

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Director Statement

Rachael Dudley
The film industry is notoriously wasteful. In 2017, the Green Spark Group and Keep it Green Recycling partnered up to provide a service to store and reuse set materials that can then be donated to the film industry, film schools, community theatre groups, artists, and charities - for free!

The subject of our film "Trashless" is more relevant today than ever with our urgent need to take climate action and move towards a more circular economy. We are consuming more and paying less than we have ever done before and it is simply not sustainable. In an age when our impact on the environment is measured in real time, will we choose to create new systems to tackle our climate crisis?

Arwen Hunter
Working in film means witnessing first-hand how many pop cans end up in garbages. It means heaping piles of trash bags collected every day. It means overflowing dumpsters and happy vermin. Then suddenly one day a production appears with reusable dishware, composting disposables, and sorted recycling and all they're left with is a few small bags of trash. It doesn't cost in-affordable time and money, it just takes a little preparation, a moment's thought, and change can happen in a very big way in an industry that has the opportunity to demonstrate large-scale leadership.

I love stories the inform audiences about topics they thought they fully understood. So much social change starts with education and it's amazing how just carrying knowledge like what we've learned in making this film has changed my life exponentially. It's a thrill to share that with others through this story. Also- so meta; a film about film.