It was our pleasure to welcome BAFTA albert to Bristol earlier this month (12th March 2026) for Bristol Production Power, a special event at Watershed presented in association with Bristol City Council’s Film Services, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and industry partners.
The event gave Bristol’s film industry the opportunity to hear more about work that going on behind the scenes to support sustainable filming in the city, and to get up to speed on advances in clean energy access that are on the horizon, with the Mobile Power Hub Pilot launching in May 2026.
Natalie Moore (Bristol UNESCO City of Film) and April Sotomayor (BAFTA albert) welcome the audience
After a welcome from Bristol UNESCO City of Film Manager Natalie Moore and introduction from BAFTA albert’s Head of Industry Sustainability April Sotomayor, the evening kicked off with updates from The Bottle Yard’s Head of Studios Katherine Nash and Bristol Film Office Manager Adela Straughan about collaborative work that is driving film sustainability in studio and on location, including Green Team activity, supporting a circular economy, and resources including Sustainable Toolkits, Local Suppliers lists and more.
Natalie Moore (Bristol UNESCO City of Film), Katherine Nash (The Bottle Yard Studios) and Adela Straughan (Bristol Film Office)
With electrification agreed to be the next priority phase, the discussion moved on to preview the groundbreaking Mobile Power Hub Pilot being rolled out by WECA, BCC, Act 1.5 and partners this Summer, to provide 100% renewable power for many of the music festivals, cultural events and film/TV productions that operate across the city each year.
Katherine Nash (The Bottle Yard Studios, Adela Straughan (Bristol Film Office), Stefan Edwards (Bristol City Council), Ian Peniston (Power Logistics), John O’Sullivan (Act 1.5)
We heard first-hand from Act_1.5‘s John O’Sullivan about how the Pilot continues momentum sparked by Massive Attack’s homecoming gig in 2024, which set a world record as the lowest-carbon concert of its scale powered entirely by renewable energy, and served as “proof-of-concept” for the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research report showcasing how live events can operate in line with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal.
Bristol City Council’s Stefan Edwards and Power Logistics‘ Ian Peniston detailed how the Pilot will operate on the ground to power Summer 2026 live events and filming activity, with location filming support from Bristol Film Office and battery storage at The Bottle Yard Studios.
April Sotomayor (BAFTA albert), Ella Nevill (AssetFlow), Stephanie Jane Shires (Leverage Point Entertainment), Cecily Barber (60Forty Films)
Finally, we heard a fascinating discussion with Cecily Barber from critically acclaimed scripted production company 60Forty Films, sustainability specialist Stephanie Jane Shires from Leverage Point Entertainment and Ella Nevill from AssetFlow (part of the CAMA Group), about sustainable production approaches on 60 Forty’s recent HETV drama filmed at The Bottle Yard & across the South West. Their innovative use of data and asset management saw them win the 2026 British Film Designers Guild (BFDG) Planet Positive Award. Sharing best practise, they reflected on the benefits of engaging with the local circular economy throughout different phases of production – from logistics and suppliers, to studios, locations and skills.
Overall it was a truly insightful evening packed with positive conversation and fresh ideas. As a city region known for being at the forefront of UK sustainability, the evening showed that Bristol’s film sector is no exception. A big thank you to all the speakers and everyone behind the scenes who helped bring this event to life.
We’ll be sharing further updates about the Mobile Power Hub Pilot as they are released, so watch this space!