September 1, 2009 - Film Biz Recycling, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to assisting the entertainment industry as it becomes more green, recently held two workshops to debut a small, notebook-style booklet titled “The Practical Guide to a Greener Production,” created with a grant from The Pollution Prevention Institute.

The booklet is broken down into three, helpful sections. The first is the “cheat sheet” with easy to read information on thirty-four commonly used eco-terms. The second part targets the different departments and department heads - from executive producers to electricians. Assistant directors, for example, are encouraged to hold “green meetings” to make sure green procedures are coming from the top down. The last portion of the booklet is a vendor list that helps production managers and production assistants find vendors near the stages and production offices that carry socially and environmentally responsible items.

During the workshops, which were generously hosted by the Gotham Comedy Club, green consultants spoke to industry professionals about best practices in the field. Meredith Bergman of Green Media Solutions and Lauren Selman of Reel Green Media discussed ways to reduce the amount of material a film production uses and how savings can be found in all areas of a budget. Dumping fees can become recycling fees, they said, keeping items out of dumpsters and landfills.

Other organizations like Build It Green, which takes in tax-deductible donations of building materials and sells it to the public at a deep discount, and Rock and Wrap It Up, spoke about the importance of recycling and donations.

To learn more about Film Biz Recycling, which rents and sells props and other donated items, please visit www.filmbizrecycling.org.

The Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting’s website provides numerous tips and resources for productions shooting on location in the City. For more information, visit NYC Green Screen.