Green Productions: A New Wave in Eco-Consciousness pt. 1

Green productions, or green film is a concept that has gained a lot of ground in the past few years. The idea is that a film or video production does not have to be as wasteful and environmentally damaging as they usually are.

At first, your knee-jerk reaction might be “But green is so much more expensive and I am already on a shoestring budget!” Here is one solution that, while helping the environment, will also help your pocket!

Film Biz Recycling has committed itself for the past year and half to keeping leftover or unwanted prop, building materials and other waste from film productions from ending up in landfills.

On the one hand, FBR has a prop-house, located in Long Island City, where hoards of props are accumulated from film and theater productions large and small. The contents of their display room are for rent and for sale and include all kinds of one-of a kinds, antiques and knick-knacks. They get all these props by cleaning out film sets for a small fee and they can keep select props for re-sale.*

This helps reduce, reuse and recycle. If you built a set or bought a bunch of props, it is not only cheaper for you but also more green to ask the dedicated volunteers at FBR to come in and clean it all up. They keep what can be used and recycle the rest.

The catch? The catch is that they then donate most of the raw materials to charities and organization’s*, give back 10% of any profit they make to the film industry to keep prop prices low, and help the environment. Can you really call that a catch?

*CORRECTED DEC 10, 09.