Applications open: Changing Climate Narratives 2025

The climate and nature crisis is the biggest story of our time - but how do we tell it in ways that entertain and engage, and without falling into clichés or didactic messaging?

Climate Spring’s Changing Climate Narratives 2025, presented in collaboration with TorinoFilmLab, is an 8-week online professional development programme designed to help the film and TV industry bring climate storytelling to the forefront. Led and delivered by industry experts, this course equips development executives, commissioners, script consultants and editors with the knowledge and confidence to support climate-focused narratives in mainstream film and TV content development. This course is not designed for creatives - screenwriters, directors or actors - Climate Spring provides tailored workshops, retreats, development funding, consultancy and other programmes for those partners. Instead this programme is designed for industry professionals who support creatives, to connect with their peers in a facilitated course, and capacity across our industry.

Following high demand in 2024, our course returns with two tailored courses - one for UK/Europe and one for North America - offering an opportunity to be part of a growing global community of professionals at the forefront of how we tell the most urgent story of our time.

"We had an incredible lineup of diverse guests and brilliant voices who all shared insightful and powerful learnings. That, alongside lots of thought-provoking TV and film case studies and conversations around them too, all helped me visualise and practically realise the future we’re collectively striving for. It's all starting to feel tangible - in seeing how we, as film and TV developers, can collaborate to make a real impact. I’m feeling much more hopeful about applying what I’ve learned since doing the course. It's also great that we have built a community amongst ourselves where we can stay connected and catch up and share more about it!" - Story Producer, Changing Climate Narratives cohort 2024

‍ABOUT THE PROGRAMME:

We know there is a growing appetite in the international film and TV community to meaningfully address the climate and nature crisis on screen - without compromising authenticity and creativity, while supporting original, independent and commercially viable projects.

But how can development professionals best support screen projects that inspire? How can we work with writers who wish to address the climate and nature crisis in their work? How can we develop more sophisticated and forward-thinking stories for film and TV - moving beyond apocalyptic warnings, superhero tropes, or tokenistic small actions? And how can we do this without feeling ‘worthy’ or educational, while still reaching a wide audience?

Climate Spring’s Changing Climate Narratives programme tackles these questions, helping industry professionals advance their understanding and practice of storytelling. We explore the craft, science and power of storytelling within the changing environment.

You’ll leave the course with the skills, network, and confidence to integrate climate storytelling into current and future projects.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW:

Running weekly online in autumn 2025, the programme consists of eight sessions, each including a lecture, Q&A, facilitated peer discussions and additional reading material. The course includes:

• A lecture series led by seasoned professionals specialising in climate solutions, narrative change and alternative storytelling.
• A peer discussion forum exploring the complexities and creative opportunities of climate storytelling, featuring case studies and shared industry experiences.
• Networking opportunities designed for experienced, full-time professionals, ensuring discussions remain both actionable and inspiring. This will lay the foundation for an ongoing live community beyond the course.
• A one-on-one session with Climate Spring consultants after the course, offering tailored guidance on a project or work challenge of the participant’s choice.

The speaker line up will be announced in due course. 2024 speakers included leading industry experts Kate Raworth, Immandeep Kaur, Caroline Hickman, Keggie Carew, Maryam Pasha, Mick Ford, Rob Hopkins among others.

DURATION OF THE PROGRAMME:

UK/EUROPE COURSE

Dates: September 16 – November 4, 2025

Duration: 8 weeks (2 months)

Sessions: Tuesdays, 15:00 – 18:00 UK / 16:00 – 19:00 CET (online, 3 hours per week)

NORTH AMERICA COURSE

Dates: September 17 – November 5, 2025

Duration: 8 weeks (2 months)

Sessions: Wednesdays, 16:00 GMT / 12:00 EST / 09:00 PST (online, 3 hours per week)

FORMAT OF THE SESSIONS:

• 1 hr Master Class/Lecture/Seminar and Q&A
• 15-minute break
• 1 hr small group peer to peer discussion led by facilitator
• 30-minute wrap-up and reading list explanation‍
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WHO IS IT FOR?

Experienced professional script consultants, script editors, development producers/executives, commissioners who are well advanced in their careers, and are working in film and television in the UK/Europe and North America respectively, for production companies, broadcasters or funding bodies, independently or as part of a larger organisation. This is a confidential, curated space for peers, held entirely online but not broadcast.

This course is not designed for writers, directors or actors - we have other opportunities for those partners.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, please fill out the respective application form (UK/Europe or North America). Spots are limited to 24 professionals for each of the two courses.

Application form for Changing Climate Narratives 2025 - UK/Europe

Application form for Changing Climate Narratives 2025 - North America

Applications close on Monday 9th June 2025 with interviews taking place on the week commencing Monday 23rd June 2025.

COURSE FEE:

£500 incl. VAT for freelance professionals

£840 incl. VAT for professionals attending as part of a company or organisation

Two scholarship places are offered per course (2x for UK/Europe and 2x North America) to freelance professionals that would otherwise be financially unable to afford the course fees, and who identify as one or more of the following:

• Global Majority
• LGBTQI+
• Disability
• Educationally or economically disadvantaged

To apply, please indicate on the application, including a short statement on your career aspirations. The scholarships are funded by Torino FilmLab and Climate Spring.

CERTIFICATION:

Participants will receive a certification of participation from Climate Spring, upon completion of the programme, which can be added to a CV or company profile.