Jack Shelbourn
Sustainability Consultant  ·  Filmmaker  ·  Doctoral Researcher  ·  Senior Lecturer
I work at the intersection of screen production, environmental impact, and systems change. My doctoral research examines energy use and carbon impact in cinematography workflows. My consultancy helps production companies and cultural organisations translate that evidence into practical, measurable action.
Carbon Literacy Certified BAFTA albert SFHEA BFI Contract Holder TEDx Speaker Routledge Author PhD Researcher External Examiner
Screen Industry Sustainability
BAFTA albert certification support, carbon footprint calculation, Carbon Literacy training, production sustainability strategy.
AI & Production Workflows
Advisory on Low-Carbon Generative Production — evaluating when AI-assisted workflows reduce carbon intensity across the full production pipeline.
Environmental Reporting
Supporting Arts Council NPOs and cultural organisations with mandatory environmental reporting, baseline measurement, and compliance frameworks.
BFI
Course Leader, BFI Academy Specialist Course — Camera & Lighting
Course Leader for the UK's only BFI-certified specialist cinematography programme. Responsible for curriculum design, delivery, and quality assurance, working in partnership with industry professionals and national stakeholders. Curriculum explicitly integrates sustainability alongside technical and creative excellence.
University of Lincoln
Programme Leader, BA (Hons) Film Production
Academic lead for a large undergraduate provision. Responsible for academic direction, curriculum strategy, staffing coordination, and student outcomes. Embedding sustainability across curriculum design and pedagogic practice.
Senior Lecturer since 2019  ·  Lecturer since 2015
University of Lincoln
PhD Researcher — Sustainable Cinematography
Practice-based doctoral research examining carbon impact and energy use in cinematography workflows. Developing a framework for Low-Carbon Generative Production (LCGP) — evaluating when AI-assisted workflows genuinely reduce carbon intensity across the full production pipeline. Supervised by Prof. Libby John and Dr Mikey Murray.
Independent
Director of Photography
Freelance DP across feature films, documentary, and commercial work. Credits include award-winning feature Mind-Set (2022) and Gracie (2015), which screened at the British Society of Cinematographers' New Cinematographers' Night. Practice underpins doctoral research into sustainable lighting methodology and low-energy cinematography workflows.
University of Salford
External Examiner — MA Documentary Production
Independent oversight of academic standards, assessment quality, and programme coherence across postgraduate provision.
Bournemouth University
External Examiner — BA (Hons) Film Production & Cinematography
Independent oversight of academic standards and assessment quality across undergraduate film and cinematography provision.
BAFTA / BFI Network
BFI Network x BAFTA Crew 2021
Selected participant in the BFI Network x BAFTA Crew professional development programme.
  • Routledge
    Fiction Filmmaking as Research
    Fiction Film Sets as a Learning Environment: Cinematography Practice as a Driving Force for Change
    Forthcoming — peer review passed
  • Film Education Journal
    UCL Press
    Notes from the Field: Shooting Green — The Role of Cinematography in Eco-Pedagogy
    June 2025
  • British Cinematographer
    Lighting for Balance: Forging a Sustainable Cinematography Practice
    2025
  • Cinematography in Progress
    A Cinematographer and Their Developing Role in Tackling Climate Change
    November 2024
  • The Conversation
    The BAFTA Film Awards Are Going Greener — But Some Climate Problems Are Hiding Off Camera
    February 2026
  • The Conversation
    The Hidden Carbon Cost of Reality TV Shows like The Traitors
    Article
  • IMPact Journal
    University of Lincoln
    Vol. 6(3)
    The Cinematography of Mind-Set (2022, Murray): Creating an Award-Winning Feature Film with Students & Recent Graduates
    2022 — Peer reviewed
  • TEDxBrayford Pool
    Talk: Climate Impacts of Film and Television Production
    2024 — Livestreamed & recorded
University of Lincoln
PhD by Practice — Sustainable Cinematography
2022 — In progress
Higher Education Academy
Senior Fellow (SFHEA)
2018
University of Lincoln
MA Media Production
2009 — 2010
De Montfort University
BSc Media Production
2006 — 2009
Carbon Literacy Project
Carbon Literacy Certification
Certified
BAFTA albert
Active Professional Relationship
Industry partner