Making a film requires one to combine people, money, and resources within a compressed time frame to achieve a great deal of work. This work can be consumptive and messy, and make a negative impact communities, but a sensible production team can reduce the resources used and lessen a production’s impact on communities, and in turn, the planet.
Organically Grown Productions is committed to bringing our stories to the screen in a socially and environmentally conscious manner. To illustrate how we achieve our goals, we present a narrative of our approach to making “Liberty Lane,” a short film written and produced by Michael McGuire in 2009.
Digital vs. Paper
In writing the screenplay and working with the cinematographer and production designer to develop stylistic choices for the film, the team used digital files to communicate whenever possible, but printed scripts double-sided on recycled paper when necessary.
Trash into Treasure
The Liberty Lane team collected over 100 pounds of empty plastic bottles and aluminum cans from student film productions and sold them to a local vendor to raise money toward their production budget.
Additionally, a generous gift of used lumber, fencing, and other remodeling waste from a mentor allowed the team to build their sets from reclaimed materials, saving waste from entering the landfill, money from the budget, and trees from being cut down unnecessarily.
Lessening Waste
The Production team used biodegradable dinnerware, collected all recyclable materials, and carpooled their crew to set during the eight days of shooting.
Once the film was completed, DVDs were packed in biodegradable, recycled fiberboard with no plastic wrap, rather than the non-recyclable plastic Amray cases covered in cellophane you find on most shelves.
Offsetting Our Carbon Footprint
By making a small contribution to renewable energy firm Native Energy, the team supported wind power projects that will stop three tons of carbon dioxide from being produced by putting clean energy into the electrical grid, offsetting emissions produced by the making of Liberty Lane.
We hope that our methods will make a positive difference in not only our own productions, but in those of our friends and colleagues as well. |
