August 2012
11 posts
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FBR Buzz
A wonderfully written article that covers our mission, ethos and drive extremely well…thanks Film Journal International!
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FBR Calendar: Margaret & Juliana
This past Friday, Margaret starred as FBR’s “50’s homemaker” in our third photoshoot for the FBR Calendar. It was the perfect opportunity to showcase some of our incredible vintage kitchen appliances and wide selection of fake food. The staff even used up some old wallpaper to complete the look. You’d never know from the photos that the set was assembled in the...
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FBR in Lucky Magazine
Check out this month’s issue of Lucky Magazine, because FBR’s got a featured spot!
Super Model Coco Roche mentions FBR in Lucky Magazine as a favorite place!
Take a tip from the stars… come and visit!
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FBR Calendar: Kelley & Nicolette
Another great photoshoot for the FBR calendar!
Kelley spent her afternoon lounging in a tub out back. Her bathing beauty shot is sure to inspire!
Nicolette posed as a saucy librarian for the month of June. Thanks to Guvnor’s Vintage Thrift on 5th Ave for the incredible 40’s ensemble!
Check back for behind-the-scenes footage of our next shoot!
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Lights! Camera! Auction! - Jessi Arrington
At FBR, we’re gearing up for our 2012 “Lights! Camera! Auction!” Benefit in November. As a special treat, we’ve invited local celebrities to guest curate collections that reflect their personal tastes and unique vision.
Jessi Arrington - graphic designer extraordinaire, tastemaker, color-lover and all around great gal - stopped by FBR to curate her collection last week....
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Did you know...
Did you know…: a monthly post featuring the uncommon, unnoticed or altogether unusual talents and oddities of the FBR staff.
Did you know that FBR’s Development Coordinator Nicolette Stosur-Bassett was once the Walgreens diaper baby?! One year old Nicolette (then Lauren Nicole) was selected from babies across the U.S. to portray “Samantha” the female diaper baby. Her...
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FBR talks trash with Juliana O'Byrne
At FBR, we never throw away useable furniture pieces, but this dowdy wooden cabinet was on its way out the door. Â Until! Â Juliana transformed this trash-to-be into an adorable, enviable accent table. Â You too can turn curbside trash into a piece that you’ll treasure, just follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Taking stock. Â The cabinet was looking a little rough: it was smelly, the...
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Upcycled Antiques
What can you do with an defunct traveling trunk? Â Upcycle it into a side table of course!
Searching around the prop shop, Michelle (FBR’s DIY/upcycle intern) found the top of an old traveling trunk that was missing its bottom. Â She had the great idea to turn it into a living room side table.
Michelle turned the trunk upside-down and created an flat table surface. Â She fastened some legs...
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CAMBA: Donation Story
CAMBA, one of FBR’s ongoing partner charities, lucked out this week when we received a huge donation of yard and garden supplies.  Earlier in the month, we delivered a huge donation of mulch for CAMBA’s organic garden in GM’s Cadillac Escalade.  To complete the gardening experience, CAMBA received a donation which included a brand new self-propelled lawn mower (ticket price...
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"My suitcase and guitar in hand"
Michelle Rickert, FBR’s current DIY/upcycle intern, has been creating incredible pieces from odds and ends found around the prop shop. Â You can see Michelle’s photography work and prop fabrication here. Â Check out this suitcase she fashioned from an old cello:
Michelle aged the face of the cello by sanding it down in certain areas. Â Then, she added a hooking closure and suitcase...
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Secret Garden
FBR has a secret garden and it’s brimming with all kinds of beautiful plants! In an area that was once used to store coal, we’ve filled our planters with vegetable seeds, flowers and plants donated from productions. It’s really lovely to see the greenery enjoy the little bit of sun that trickles down into our basement space. Check out the progress of our garden:
Some fresh...
July 2012
7 posts
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Donation Appreciation!
This week, we received some incredible donations from Piper Theatre Productions, a Park Slope-based theatre company!  This life-size Pegasus (unbelievable!), several giant surf boards and  real-deal lifeguard chair were all used in a recent production of Xanadu.  The best part?  The kids themselves walked the donation over from the Old Stone House.  Thanks guys!
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Upcycled Crewelwork Lampshade!
As part of an ongoing DIY project, FBR staff member Juliana O’Byrne is livening up an old, dowdy lampshade with some simple crewelwork.
Beautiful!
[caption id=”attachment_843518” align=”aligncenter” width=”512”] An ordinary lampshade completely transformed with reuse materials.[/caption]
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FBR Calendar: Liz & Eva
The ladies of Film Biz Recycling gear up for the much-anticipated FBR calendar, due to be released November 2012. Â Each employee will get her (and his!) own month to feature FBR’s diverse prop selection. Â Here’s a sneak peek at what we’ve got in store:
[caption id=”attachment_843518” align=”aligncenter” width=”240”] Eva, all dolled up for...
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GM and Film Biz Recycling deliver!
What happens when two nonprofit executives deliver donations in a GM Hybrid luxury vehicle in the scorching summer heat? Good things and great discoveries!
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Have a seat...
Joel Frank, Director of Operations at Materials for the Arts in LIC, has taken MFTA’s reuse mission to heart. Joel creates handcrafted, one-of-a-kind specialty art chairs from reclaimed materials. His work is so unexpected, so innovative and full of imagination that we thought he deserved a feature on the FBR blog. Check out some of his incredible, upcycled pieces below!
You can view...
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SHARP goes shopping
Resident artists from Snug Harbor’s SHARP (Snug Harbor Artist Residency Program) went shopping for supplies at Film Biz Recycling yesterday. Looking fierce!
We’re glad they were able to reuse our materials and upcycle them into incredible new works of art!
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Did you know...
Did you know…: a monthly post featuring the uncommon, unnoticed or altogether unusual talents and oddities of the FBR staff.
Did you know that FBR Operations Coordinator Aimee Cedro was once Captain of Weapons for her high school Rifle team/Color Guard squad?! Aimee’s skills were exposed last Friday and her fellow co-workers were quick to demand a exhibition of her talents. Aimee...
June 2012
11 posts
10 tags
Brooklyn Short Film Concert
AsburyShorts, New York City’s longest running short film exhibition, will present their acclaimed program of award-winning international films known as The Short Film Concert on Tuesday, July 10th outdoors in Washington Park at The Old Stone House historic site located on 3rd Street between 4th & 5th Avenues in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Live music will kick off the eveningâs...
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Happy (ALMOST) 4th of July!
Let’s celebrate with 50% off props, set dressing & furniture!
Saturday & Sunday | June 30th & July 1st, 2012
Stock up on party supplies, flags and decorations for all your red, white & blue festivities!
*Excludes consignment items in the RE-Gallery
As a special treat, General Motors is partnering with Film Biz Recycling to provide FREE, eco-friendly delivery to your...
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FBR @ Governor's Ball!
Film Biz Recycling was excited to collaborate with Governor’s Ball on Randall’s Island for one of the best festivals of the summer! FBR’s signature props could be spotted throughout the event grounds. See if you can find the big banana, the prop paper mache fire hydrant, the disco ball and others…more pics from the festival here!
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Amanda Palmer at FBR!
Marketing maven and former frontwoman for the Desden Dolls, Amanda Palmer recently shattered records for crowd-funding musicians by raising $730,000 (well exceeding her goal of $100,000) on Kickstarter to self-produce her upcoming solo album. Early in June, Palmer & team used FBR as a location to snap some photos for the album cover.
Palmer discovered our collection of *paper* gold records...
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Governor's Ball Music Festival
Get your tickets for Governor’s Ball June 23rd+24th! Â Film Biz Recycling is excited to partner with Governor’s Ball for what promises to be the outdoor music event of the summer! Â The INCREDIBLE line-up includes Beck, Devendra Banhart, Fiona Apple, Modest Mouse, Santigold and so many others… Â Between sets you can stay busy with ping pong, bocce ball, a silent disco and even...
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A Phoenix Rising
This is an incredible story; Film Biz Recycling was so happy to donate essential materials when they were needed the most. Great to see the new house shaping up…Good luck Burke!
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What a beauty!
Juliana O’Byrne, FBR’s DIYer with sophisticated flair, just put this beauty in the RE-Gallery… One might even say it’s Fit for A King.
Better get here quick, we’re always selling out of Juliana’s incredible pieces!
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Mary Jane Lane in the RE-Gallery
Check out Mary Jane Lane’s incredible upcycled creations now available in the RE-Gallery… so cute!
This apron was made from draperies, an old pillow case and trim that were all donated to FBR!
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Structure of Sound: Music from Found Objects...
FBR was delighted to host Greenspace NYC’s Structure of Sound: Music from Found Objects workshop on June 2nd with artist Robert Bohn. Â Participants considered the properties of sound and explored the FBR space seeking out found objects that made unique noises. Â Under Bohn’s guidance, the noise-makers built a variety of imaginative instruments that they played together in a Found...
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DIY Extraordinaire!
One of FBR’s DIY upcyclers extraordinaire, Courtney Wagner, crafted this incredible Victrola side table for the RE-Gallery.
This table was made from an old Victrola lid, the piece itself was most likely used as a prop. Â As Courtney deconstructed the object, she discovered different pieces of mismatched wood holding the piece together.
After doing away with some of the excess wood,...
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Film Biz Recycling's Eco-Expo 2012
Film Biz Recycling’s first, annual Eco-Expo was a huge success!  The event brought together creative minds and entrepreneurs throughout the production and sustainability fields.  In attendance were representatives from Earth Angel Catering, Sip N’ Go, Susty Party, Sunbeam Rentals, Vokashi, Green Product Placement, EcoSet, Soda Stream, Canal Creatures & Rock and Wrap It...
May 2012
16 posts
4 tags
'One Day on Earth' Screening to Support Film Biz...
One Day on Earth Screening
Proceeds Benefit Film Biz Recycling
“One Day on Earth is the first film made in every country of the world on the same day. We see both the challenges and hopes of humanity from a diverse group of volunteer filmmakers assembled by an participatory media experiment. The world is greatly interconnected, enormous, perilous, and wonderful.”
Sounds incredible,...
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PS 321 Spring Dance & Auction
Recognize these disco panels?
Film Biz Recycling is proud to have sponsored the decor for Park Slope’s PS 321’s Spring Dance & Auction on May 16th.
Lookin’ good!
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Green, Healthy & Connected at MS51
In honor of Earth Day, the MS51 Parent Association Green Committee in Park Slope sponsored a Cafeteria Environmental Experiment & Contest. Â Students and their families were asked to sign a Sustainability Pledge (printed paper from FBR - free office supplies, everybody!) & track their trash, recycling and composting waste. Â The experiment tracked the school’s cafeteria waste for the...
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FBR's Favorite Customer
This is a picture of Beans, Beans the Hot Dog is one of FBR’s favorite customers! He visits (with his mom/owner of course!) so often, we even made some Beans-sized FBR swag!
So bring your pups & pooches, we always love a visit from furry friends!
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Hmmm...that TV wall looks familiar!
You might recognize Film Biz Recycling’s wall of t.v.’s in SNL’s milestone 100th Digital Short, celebrating all of their classics. Â The short features an all-star cast: Justin Bieber, Will Farrell, Usher, Natalie Portman, Jon Hamm & Michael Bolton. FBR was so happy to have our props featured in the project!
Here are some pics of the wall itself…
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MS 88 Visit!
MS 88 from Park Slope had a great time on their recent school field trip to Film Biz Recycling & sent us this incredible thank you note.
We had a great time and we’re glad you did too! Come and visit soon!
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Spring Civic Sweep
Taken a stroll down Fourth Ave lately? You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the small, but noticeable addition of tree guards and flowers all along the Avenue. These green improvements are thanks to the Park Slope Civic Council’s Spring Civic Sweep on April 21st. Brian Vines, producer of Brooklyn Independent Television’s show Brooklyn Review, stepped out of the studio and and took the...
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RE-Stitch welcomes Katie Calcaterra
RE-Stitch welcomes Katie Calcaterra, FBR’s newest team member and Resident Fabric Artist. Feel free to ask Katie about custom orders for costumes, clothing, uniforms or soft goods. She’s whipped the RE-Stitch workshop into great shape and is busy, busy, busy working on an incredible collection of aprons hand-crafted from FBR’s stockpile of materials (check out pics here!)
...
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Shop Your Values Week with Ethikus
Film Biz Recycling is excited to participate in Ethikus’ Shop Your Values Week May 3rd - May 10th. Take the pledge to shop locally, ethically & sustainably all week long & enjoy free events & discounts across NYC! Search the Shop Your Values website for participating businesses & their incentives. Feel good about contributing to an NYC economy that you can believe in!...
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BBQ Films: Labyrinth Night of Props
This past Sat. FBR went into the labyrinth with BBQ Films’ Labyrinth Night of Props. BBQ Films is a cinema social club that hosts a curated menu of mainstream & indie films, popup style around the city, complete with matched meals and beverages. Jim Henson’s Labyrinth set against the prop wonderland that is Film Biz Recycling made for an incredible night and great fun had by all....
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FBR Buzz - Crafty Crafty
One of FBR’s RE-Workshop artist/educators Kat Roberts was recently interviewed by Crafty Crafty about her incredible upcycling endeavors - check out step-by-step DIY projects on her blog. She cited Film Biz Recycling as one of her favorite places to find crafting supplies. Thanks Kat! Check out the whole interview here:
Craft Stars: Upcycling Genius Kat Roberts
Kat will be bringing her...
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Dale Radio 4.26
FBR welcomed Dale Radio for his third live radio performance with FBR Presents! Â His guests, Cory McAbee (director of films American Astronaut and Stingray Sam), Jen Messier of Brooklyn Brainery and Matthew Fass of the Raya Brass Band were an absolute delight. Â Looking forward to the next Dale show on May 24th! Â See you there!
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Fit For A King
A pivotal member of FBR’s DIY team, Juliana O’Byrne (under the moniker Fit For A King) has been working hard all month long to bring one-of-a-kind armchairs to the RE-Gallery. This beautiful piece was once a frumpy office chair; Juliana reupholstered it with a plush grey velvet and an unexpected batik piping. She sanded down the woodwork to create a homey, worn-in feel using...
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Super Fun Superfund Variety Show
On Saturday 4/21, FBR hosted the third installment of the Super Fun Superfund Variety Show. Great crowd, incredible performers. Thanks for another memorable night! We’re looking forward to the next Super Fun Superfund show on June 23rd. See you there! Photos courtesy of Joseph Vincent.
The lucky winner of the Super Fun raffle walked away with this bag of goodies from FBR:
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FBR Buzz - CBS
FBR has already gotten some press as a result of the PepCom Eco Focus press event: Check us out on CBS!
Brooklyn Non-Profit Saving Movie, TV Props From Landfills
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PepCom / Eco Focus
Earth Day was a whirlwind at Film Biz Recycling! Â We were invited to exhibit at PepCom’s Eco Focus Press Event where over 250 of the nation’s press elite were perusing what’s new on the sustainability scene. Â We want to say thank you to the folks at PepCom for their generosity in offering us an exhibition space free of charge; as a nonprofit it’s so rewarding to have our...
April 2012
9 posts
6 tags
DIY/Upcycle
New in the Re-Gallery…
DIY/Upcycler Courtney Wagner transformed this old wooden dresser into a modern masterpiece. Â She artfully recolored the hardware and used old wallpaper to create a contrasting pattern on the dresser drawers. Â Check out before & after pics below:
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FBR Sponsor - Brooklyn Brewery
Recently, FBR has begun to diversify our space to include evening entertainment. In April, we’ve got all sorts of fun events planned including Dale Radio, the third installment of the Super Fun Superfund Variety Show and a special treat, BBQ Films’ Labyrinth of Props Movie Night. To accompany our evening events, FBR has received sponsorship from Brooklyn’s own Brooklyn Brewery....
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RE-Workshop: DIY Jewelry Workshop
Make Earrings from Recycled Umbrella Frames and Plastic Bags!
Â
What youâll get from this class:
knowledge basis for âupcyclingâ or how to use unusual (& often free!) everyday items to create interesting and eco-friendly craft projects.
comprehensive technique for creating original jewelry pieces
your own pair of fashionable earring that look beautiful and have a low environmental...
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Volunteer Appreciation - Hilary McHone!
Hilary McHone is Film Biz Recycling’s incredible, awesome, delightful volunteer photographer! Hilary popped into Film Biz a couple months ago and we’ve just been so happy to have her as part of the team. Without fail, Hilary has given every effort to be there for FBR’s quickly expanding event list - including our most recent Eco-Easter event, pics here! Hilary’s...
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Eco-Easter @ Film Biz Recycling
On Easter Sunday, FBR hosted what turned out to be an AWESOME Eco-Easter event at the Prop Shop. Kids were invited to get their hands dirty with some arts and crafts - reclaimed materials, of course - in the RE-Workshop before venturing on a Scavenger Hunt throughout the Prop Shop and an endless search for Easter eggs. Everybody had a great time! Below are a few of the photos, to see the rest,...
