For Immediate Release:
TORONTO, April 2, 2008 Green Screen Toronto and Planet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival (PIF) are pleased to announce the selection of Melissa Felder (M.Sc. Eng.) as the lead consultant for establishing Green Best Practices leading toward a bold new Certification Program that will make Toronto, a leader in “greening” the film production industry. Additionally, EnviroTrack a Toronto based technical services team will produce a comprehensive Green Resource Guide that will be an invaluable tool for film companies, unions, guilds and other seeking environmental solutions to greening productions in Ontario.

“After a rigorous search, we are delighted to begin Green Screen Toronto’s mission with a set of teams who will assist us in transforming Toronto into a cutting edge, green production centre,” says Artistic Director/CEO of Planet in Focus, Candida Paltiel. Planet in Focus is managing this groundbreaking two year initiative which will result in a set of sustainable best practice protocols leading to the world’s first certification program using a third party verification mechanism, under which green-abiding productions would be accredited.

Funding for the Green Screen Initiative is being provided by the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) through the Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnership Fund and the newly formed coalition, Green Screen Toronto whose founding partners are IATSE 873; Toronto Film Studios / FILMPORT; City of Toronto Film & Television Office; Deluxe; FilmOntario; Panavision; DGC Ontario; Comweb / William F. White International; CFTPA; ACTRA; P.S. Production Services and NABET.

“This project represents a one-of-a-kind opportunity to design and recommend new environmental practices for the television and film industries,” says Felder who will be assisted by a team of professional environmental consultants including Nima Maleki, Leslie Kulperger, Carla Weinberg and Hugh Roberts as well as film and television professionals Maya Bilbao and Nola Chaters. This team has significant collective experience in water efficiency policy, greenhouse gas reduction modeling, vehicle fleet fuel efficiency and the use of alternative fuels/technologies, development of green building criteria and consultation and deployment of LEED® certification, design and deployment of utility demand-side management programs, delivery of consumer programs to phase out hazardous material waste and encourage energy efficiency uptake, sustainable ecotourism, and in a variety of other areas.

Felder and her team have successfully deployed environmental initiatives in a diversity of other sectors and is uniquely positioned to apply the highest levels of service and professional experience to this project. Collectively, their clients, employers, and engagements have included the World Green Building Council Secretariat, Environment Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Ontario Shared Services Bureau, Net Zero Energy Home Coalition, Corporate Knights, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Pollution Probe, Rogers Television, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, Canadian Environmental Defense Fund, University of British Columbia Properties Trust, UniverCity at Simon Fraser University, VanCity Credit Union, West Coast Projects, Qualex-Landmark, Sustainable Buildings Canada, Kerr Wood Leidel, Urban Space Properties Group, Work Worth Doing, Green Phoenix, City of Toronto Economic Development Division, City Toronto Water Efficiency, the Toronto General Hospital, Ontario Power Generation, the Copenhagen Business School, Natural Resources Canada, Ontario Ministry of Energy, Ontario Power Authority, Summerhill Group, Clean Air Foundation, Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance, and PowerStream.

Studies will identify and develop a set of environmentally sustainable standards and recommendations for all productions shooting in Ontario from small documentaries and independent films to mega budget blockbusters. It is expected that the standards set by the best Practices Guidelines will have implications for other segments of the entertainment and broadcast industries.

EnviroTrack’s team, comprised of Jennifer Arnold, Cameron Kirkwood, Shawna Eberle and Tamara Eberle has researched, written and published several guidebooks, manuals, guidelines and resource materials for clients in the public and private sector in subject areas such as film and TV production, environmental policy and practice, worker’s safety, the CDC, and operations handbooks for many small and large businesses. Arnold was the former Communications Director for several high-profile organizations, such as BMO Bank of Montreal and Canadian Television Fund where she wrote the Broadcaster’s Performance Envelope Handbook. The EnviroTrack team has also developed large- and small-scale waste diversion, environmental initiatives, such as the thINK FOOD/Phones for Food and the City of Toronto’s Waste Diversion Team—both multi-award winning initiatives.

Together with Planet in Focus and the Toronto Green Screen Initiative, the teams look forward to bringing innovation, rigour, and creativity to the exciting challenges that exist to greening this industry.

For More Information
Contact:
Candida Paltiel
Artistic Director/ CEO
Planet in Focus
candidap@planetinfocus.org
Tel.416-531-1769
Fax. 416-531-8985