FILM BIZ RECYCLING

New in the Re-Gallery…

DIY/Upcycler Courtney Wagner transformed this old wooden dresser into a modern masterpiece.  She artfully recolored the hardware and used old wallpaper to create a contrasting pattern on the dresser drawers.  Check out before & after pics below:

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.  They’re local, they’re green and their beer is just about the best in town - we’re so glad to have them on board!  So look forward to some refreshments at our upcoming FBR Presents! events.

What is Brooklyn Brewery doing to be green, you wonder?  Here are all the answers excerpted from the Brewery’s FAQ’s:

• Here at The Brewery in Brooklyn, we became the first New York City company to use 100% wind-generated electricity.
• We recycle all our paper, plastic, and bottles.
• We recycle our spent grain, sending it to a facility in NJ that turns it into pig feed. Our spent grain also goes to support the Queens Farm Museum that feeds it to their chickens and pigs and also uses it as compost.
• We recycle hot water from the brewhouse.
• We’ve installed: a new, more efficient brewhouse that recycles even more hot water and recovers heat from the vapors off the kettle; more efficient wort chillers; more efficient steam boilers; and a more efficient external wort boiler which uses less heat to get to the necessary temperature.
• All cold and hot pipes are insulated with high-tech foamglass insulation from Dow Corning.
• East Coast Warehouse hold our beer as it ships around the world. The building has solar panels on the roof that provide about 1/3 of their total power needs.
• Our tasting room uses compostable cups and environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Make Earrings from Recycled Umbrella Frames and Plastic Bags!

 

What you’ll get from this class:

• knowledge basis for “upcycling” 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 impact

For more info on this event, click here.

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 incredible eye has even helped us with our staff photos too - her fauxtobooth invention (an easy, transportable modern photobooth of sorts) was tons of fun - hire her for your next event!

Hilary has been a huge help taking super-professional pictures of all the wonderful things that are happening at FBR and creating a Flickr group for FBR so everyone can share their experiences.  Without Hilary, people wouldn’t be able to see what we’re up to here.  Check out her adventures in the city at Brooklyn Hilary, her once-a-day photos around the neighborhood at Daily Brooklyn or go straight to the source on Flickr .

She’s an incredible woman, talented photographer and all around great person!  As a display of our gratitude, FBR gave her a fun photographer trophy (below) because she’s just the best.  Thank you Hilary… you’re AWESOME and FBR appreciates you!

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, check out FBR’s Flickr Group!

This past Friday, members of the FBR staff were hosted for a lovely lunch and tour of our most recent nonprofit partner, Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden on Staten Island.  Founded in 1801 by Robert Richard Randall (one of New York’s original best and brightest)as a retirement community for aging sailors, Snug Harbor is now an incredible cultural resource, a haven for city-dwellers and truly a sight to behold.  By the turn of the 20th century, Snug Harbor was a self-sustaining community composed of a working farm, dairy, bakery, chapel, sanatorium, hospital, music hall and cemetery.  Today, situated on 83 acres of beautiful waterfront property, Snug Harbor features the largest working farm within city limits, a composting education center, a number of award-winning botanic gardens and 26 historic buildings that, in the 1960’s, were designated as New York City’s first landmark structures.

We were impressed, not only by their completely rare (one of 2 in the U.S.) Chinese Scholar’s Garden, but by their Sensory Garden designed to stimulate not only sight, but sound and smell using entirely natural elements.  The property also boasts several museums (including a children’s museum), a concert hall, secret garden, outdoor pavilions - it’s truly incredible!  The grounds are open to the public free of charge and the Staten Island Ferry - as you may well know - is also completely gratis.  This makes for the perfect weekend getaway, it’s New York City’s greatest untapped resource - we can’t wait to go back!

Film Biz Recycling has partnered with Snug Harbor in contributing to the renovation of their long-dormant artist residences.  The program has recently been revived by President and CEO Lynn Kelly.  This program will host young artists in historic cottages (furnished with goods from FBR) for two-month residency periods in which they will receive mentorship from working arts professionals and a featured exhibition in one of the Harbor’s many galleries.  This season, Snug Harbor will host 8 artists and the team at FBR could not be more delighted to be involved.

So pack your bags, plan your visit and take a day trip to Snug Harbor - guaranteed, you won’t regret it!

Arts Insight - a weekly cable show that draws on diverse arts talent running the gamut from knitting to heavy metal music  - recently moved into FBR!  The Arts Insight crew stopped by to build in their lighting grid above our stage space; slowly but surely things are coming together.  Within the next month or so, Arts Insight will begin shooting live at Film Biz Recycling, bringing creative people from all over New York City and the tri-state area into the Shop, we even hope to invite a live audience to participate!

FBR Presents! Dale Radio, the Gowanus Canal’s premiere arts & culture podcast.  Host and radio personality Dale Seever joined us for an evening of delightful comedy and entertainment after hours in the Film Biz Recycling space.  Guests Debbie Tuch, Matthew Fass and Camille Harris had a great time and we did too.  Dale will return for another great show later this month.  Thanks to our volunteer photographer Sean McCormack (want to volunteer at FBR?) for snapping photos.  Great fun, big laughs…To check out more pictures of the event, click here!

Got kids?  Check out FBR’s Eco-Easter DIY Craft Workshop and Scavenger Hunt this Easter Sunday 2-5PM, as featured in this week’s Time Out NY Kids:

“Learn how to construct a DIY craft from recycled materials, then embark on a scavenger hunt through a shop filled with recycled props straight from the movies. Be on the lookout for hidden Easter eggs filled with Film Biz Recycling discounts and prizes! Free. Ages 5 and up.”