Nic Stacey’s latest documentary, Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy, reveals the tricks brands play to keep consumers consuming and explores the deep impacts these nefarious practices have on our lives and our planet. Nic, who has been making films since he was a little kid, landed his first directing job making short films about virtual worlds two decades ago after studying drama at the University of Bristol. From there, Nic built an impressive career, directing and producing award-winning films for HBO, National Geographic, BBC, Disney, and PBS.
“I’ve made films about all sorts of subjects, but I’m always interested in things that are right under our noses that we ignore for one reason or another,” Nic says, ruminating about his new film—and consumerism’s pervasiveness in modern life. “Waste and overconsumption seemed like that. It’s become an integral part of our daily lives, but most of us never really stop to look or think about the impact of what we consume.”
Tell Congress: Burning Plastic Is Not a Solution to the Plastics Crisis
Nic lives with his partner and two daughters in North London, where they think deeply about consumption—and navigate the challenges of making sustainable purchasing decisions as a family.
“There’s massive social pressure at school, and their world is filled with so much disposable plastic junk!” he laments. A recent discovery is a sewing club where the girls are learning how to adapt and make their own clothing. “Both my daughters absolutely love it and have made some really cool stuff that they actually use,” he says.
Read on to learn more about Nic’s journey as filmmaker turned climate advocate:
Which environmental film changed your life?
As a kid, I remember watching Koyaanisqatsi at a friend’s house. It’s a very abstract film, but it shows humans as a kind of living force reshaping the environment. I didn’t understand what was going on, but I was transfixed! It’s something I’ve kept coming back to, and it has colored the way I think about so many different things.
Who are your favorite climate filmmakers?
I’m drawn to films that tackle climate issues in different ways. I love Studio Ghibli and the way they weave environmental themes into fantastical stories. The outpouring of waste from the stink spirit in Spirited Away was a key bit of inspiration for visualizing the waste in Buy Now!
Which climate activist do you most admire?
Maren Costa, who we interviewed for the film, is a really extraordinary person. [The environmentalist and co-founder of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice] saw that what she was doing was having a negative impact and made some very hard decisions to put it right.
What are your greatest climate fears for the future?
The system we’ve created is very hard to take back control of. Even though we know we’re heading toward destruction, it’s proving extremely difficult to course correct.
What’s your current state of mind when it comes to the climate crisis?
I feel unfortunately it’s going to get worse before it gets better … but the number of people taking it seriously is growing and that can only be a good thing.
What do you consider your greatest climate achievement?
I know Buy Now! has reached lots of people who never considered these issues before, and that feels like a very small change for good.
What do you go without as a result of the climate crisis?
Over the last few years, I’ve tried to keep flying to an absolute minimum and reduce my meat consumption. It can be challenging!
What tips do you have for talking about global warming and climate advocacy?
Because I come from a nonactivist background, I know that conversations about climate can sometimes feel intimidating or difficult to relate to. In Buy Now! we worked really hard to find different ways to show the problems we are facing. I also feel that too much responsibility has been put on individuals in the past; companies and governments have a huge role to play in genuinely sorting this out.
What do you hope viewers will take away from your film?
I hope it will shift people’s perspective. As well as thinking about our own health and planning for our own futures, we need to find ways to do that for humanity as a collective. Ultimately, we all have the same goal—long-term survival! On a very practical and day-to-day level, I hope people will take a moment to think before they buy and maybe have a go at fixing something they own—it’s so satisfying!
Which is harder: making a movie or fighting for clean air and a better climate?
100% fighting for clean air and a better climate!
Tell Congress: Burning Plastic Is Not a Solution to the Plastics Crisis