The Green Screen

By Megan McLaughlin

Filmmaking can be very costly for those making the film and for Mother Nature. However, in recent years, filmmakers, production companies and studios alike have made a few steps in the right direction and are continuing to find ways to make filmmaking more environmentally sound.

This past November, Universal Studios Hollywood unveiled a solar powered electric cart. According to ecorazzi.com, “The new vehicle will help provide workers with a speedy way to travel through the park without all those nasty emissions.” In addition to greening their film sets, Universal has begun to make changes to their theme parks too. This is all thanks to “Green Is Universal,” Universal’s very own campaign which strives to make Universal (and our world) a greener place. You can read more about Universal and the ways they are working to protect the environment on the Green Is Universal section of their website.

If a major corporation like Universal has the means to green filmmaking, so do smaller, independent film sets. The Greater Philadelphia Film Office began a “Going Greener” campaign in 2007. This campaign strives to offer information to productions so that they can learn how to reduce their waste. Now, they have taken this campaign up a notch by launching SETS (Setting Entertainment Toward Sustainability). “SETS will not only help each department lessen their production's environmental footprint, but it will also provide you with information applicable to your everyday life.” This campaign has begun to offer tips for each aspect of production and more.

If you want to read more about Hollywood and film production, check out this article on Experience.com about Financing Film and TV.