from GAT

(Toronto – February 17, 2011) When it comes to the environment, the film and television industry talks the talk with environment-themed movies that inspire and educate audiences. Now comes the Planet In Focus Green Screen Award for filmmakers who have walked the walk.

The inaugural award – sponsored by Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund – will celebrate compelling stories of green production practices that have taken place on set or on location during the filming of a film or television program. The producer and/or the director of the most inspiring production story will receive a $5,000 CDN cash award and a certificate for the services of Planet in Focus’ Green Screen Program on their next film or television production.

This innovative award – the first of its kind in Canada and the first to offer a cash award – will highlight how film and television industry professionals are putting environmental awareness into action through greener production practices.

The Planet in Focus Green Screen Program is an award-winning non-profit environmental stewardship program for the film and television industry. Designed to reduce the environmental footprint of film and television productions, the program promotes green film and television practices, conducts customized consultations and utilizes proprietary technology to calculate a productions’ environmental savings.

Planet in Focus is Canada’s largest environmental media arts organization and their mandate includes the promotion of social and ecologically sustainable practices in media production, and to forge alliances with organizations and individuals with similar goals.

“Across Canada and around the world, the film and television industry has been instrumental in nurturing a growing awareness of the environmental crisis facing our planet, and inspiring the search for solutions,” states Planet In Focus’ Executive Director Sarah Margolius. “What is less well-known are the behind-the-scenes efforts by the industry to lessen the environmental impacts of their own productions. We are thrilled to have Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund show their visionary leadership in this realm and support pioneering producers, directors and film and television executives who are reducing the environmental footprints of their productions.”

“We are excited to become more involved with Planet in Focus and the Green Screen Program by introducing this innovative award” says John Galway, President of Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund’s English-Language Program. “Their enthusiasm and ground-breaking ideas have inspired us to adopt more environmentally friendly policies and practices, and we hope our partners throughout the industry will be inspired to do the same.”

Score: A Hockey Musical, supported by Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund’s Equity Investment Program, is the first feature in Canada to have estimated its environmental impact and savings with the Green Screen Program, and was the first feature in Canada to do so via a non-profit third party. The tally: an estimated trimming of 20 tonnes of CO2.

Planet in Focus Green Screen Program’s work was recognized with a Green Seal Award from the Environmental Media Association (EMA) on the low-impact production techniques used by NBC Universal on Warehouse 13, Season 1.

Award Rules and Regulations

A film program or television series that has completed production after January 1, 2010 is eligible. Note: for this award, the production can still be in post-production as of the submission date.

The Award is open to filmmakers and producers who have spearheaded and adopted green practices in their film and television productions. Submission criteria include qualitative data such as stories, anecdotes or observations relating to green production practices and quantitative data which is outlined on the submission form available at www.planetinfocus.org/greenscreen.