When first introducing someone to Noble, I start with the story behind our name. My grandfather, Noble Hatling, was a man who truly lived up to his. He held three core traits that shaped me early on and have become guiding values of this company.
First, he was an incredible storyteller, best known for “The News from Dalton,” his larger-than-life reports from his small Minnesota hometown.
Second, he had a rare ability to deeply connect with others, thanks to his endless curiosity and varied knowledge.
Third, he believed in giving back. Retirement for him was essentially a 40-hour workweek of volunteering: helping first graders read, driving the youth bus at his church, leading at the American Legion, and delivering Meals on Wheels.
As a young boy, I stayed with my grandparents for a week each summer and would move through those volunteer activities with my grandpa. I saw how much pride he took in service, and how much gratitude people had for it.
When I started Noble, I wanted our work to live up to this name. And while I'm proud of how we have done that, eight years in, I believe we have the opportunity to deepen it, to rebuild our workflow so that the way we operate reflects the values we care most about.
Over the past year, we’ve worked to develop a framework we call Conscious Production, a set of practices rooted in our founding principles and carried through every facet of our business. This approach guides both how we operate and how we tell our stories.
Within our storytelling, Conscious Production means remaining human-centric, placing people at the center of our films and honoring the stories they choose to share. We want to create a positive experience for those who trust us with their narratives and counter the exploitative tendencies that can exist in our industry. This not only respects those we work with but naturally leads to more authentic, relatable, and impactful films.
On the business side, Conscious Production is grounded in three key areas of focus: the Environment, the Economy, and our Community.
For us, a focus on the Environment means acknowledging that production can be extremely wasteful and necessitates a commitment to meaningful change. We have a responsibility to reduce our footprint and contribute to a regenerative future, recognizing that even small steps matter.
Going forward, we will continue shifting pre-production to digital workflows to reduce paper use. We will prioritize virtual meetings when appropriate to cut down on travel. On set, we will eliminate single-use plastics and non-recyclable materials wherever possible, lean into energy-efficient LED lighting, and design sets with the ability to be reused or donated.
We will also approach emerging technologies with care. Virtual production and AI tools can reduce certain physical needs, but they come with significant energy demands in data centers and streaming infrastructure, and can lessen opportunities for local crews. Sustainability requires balance, not shortcuts.
And at the completion of each project, through our partnership with One Tree Planted, we will plant one tree for each member of our crew in areas around the globe already affected by climate change, to support ecological regeneration efforts.
Our next focus is the Economy. We believe that wherever we film, we are guests, and our presence should strengthen the local ecosystem rather than strain it.
Going forward, we will prioritize hiring local crews, supporting local vendors, and ensuring that each production keeps more of its budget within the local economy.
At the end of production, we will look for ways to return value into that local economy, whether through donating reusable materials or redirecting untouched meals to nonprofits helping unhoused neighbors.
These choices may seem small on their own, but together they reinforce an economic mindset grounded in respect and reciprocity.
The third focus is our Community. We want the teams we build and the spaces we create to reflect the diversity of the stories we tell.
We will continue expanding our network to include more voices—especially communities historically underrepresented in production roles. We will dedicate regular time to mentorship and support emerging filmmakers who are looking for a pathway into the industry. Many have already joined us on set, and we will keep opening our doors wider.
We will also continue hosting dialogues in our Northeast Minneapolis studio, providing space to explore emerging technology, representation, ethics, and the future of storytelling. These gatherings build connections, challenge assumptions, and strengthen the creative community around us.
And through sponsorships and partnerships with nonprofits, we will keep supporting organizations aligned with these values, reinforcing the belief that storytelling and community building can and should go hand in hand.
There’s a lot here—and we’re just getting started. Conscious Production will evolve as we keep learning, listening, and growing.
Taking time to pause and reconnect with why we do this work, to realign around purpose, that is Noble work.
We believe it’s possible to create work that is sustainable, impactful, and inclusive — and we’re committed to proving that every day.
There’s so much good we can do together.
Let’s get to work.
