Introduction:
In alignment with Tecnológico de Monterrey's Strategic Plan 2025, which emphasizes the creation of environments that foster human flourishing, we have implemented an innovative educational approach within the Film Production and Directing concentration (AV3001C) of the Communication Program (LC). This innovation focuses on provoking students to engage with the ethical and sustainability ramifications of filmmaking. We do this via a pedagogical approach designed to engage students’ creativity while also building self-awareness and empathy–in addition to the basic skills of quality filmmaking.

This panel will discuss the need to incorporate diverse approaches to filmmaking education, with a focus on the ethics therein, including creating safe spaces and environmental sustainability, challenging traditional praxes of filmmaking and its pedagogy.

Educational Innovation:
Our approach centers on flexible team structures, allowing students to engage in multiple production teams based on their creative and professional interests. We begin with a pitch session where students present their short film ideas. The authors of the selected ideas, chosen through a group vote, take on the director roles. The teams are then formed based on two key guidelines: directors and producers can only work on one project, while other students can participate in multiple projects, ensuring everyone holds at least one key creative role. Additionally, we introduced a new role, the Sustainable Production Assistant, dedicated to environmental stewardship.

Engaging Community Organizations:
We collaborated with professionals and local organizations to conduct workshops and discussions, exposing students to alternative approaches and ideas in the film industry. Partner organizations included CANACINE Querétaro and GreenerMx, focusing on team dynamics, anti-violence, and sustainability film protocols.

Learning Outcomes:
Students effectively integrated ethical and sustainable practices into their film projects through project-based learning. They presented reports based on their sustainability protocols and signed codes of ethics–that they had collaboratively created. Notably, the proportion of students feeling prepared for sustainable audiovisual production increased from 30% to 80% post-experience. This innovation addresses specific disciplinary competencies (SCO0101C, SCO0201C, SCO0202C) and demonstrates potential for replication in future iterations of the concentration and related courses.

Conclusion:
Our innovative approach to integrating ethical and sustainable practices in cinematographic education fosters more conscious, ethical, and responsible behaviors among students. This panel discussion will explore the implementation process, challenges faced, and the transformative impact on student learning and industry practices.

Keywords: Ethics, sustainability, project-based, filmmaking, education.