Sony Pictures has long been a supporter of sustainable practices. The studio emphasizes sustainability in the making of movies every step of the way — from sourcing renewable building materials to using bio-degradable products at craft services. The Studio’s specialty film label, Screen Gems, is firmly planted locally and contributes to the local planting of trees as well.
Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems label has earned a reputation for sustainable practices, in a large part due to its focus on local filming. Over the last year, Screen Gems shot projects such as The Roommate, Priest and Burlesque in the Los Angeles area, contributing significantly to the area’s total on-location production day tally for feature films.
The local production benefits of reducing transportation and foreign outsourcing are complemented by Screen Gems’ ability to reuse sets on the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City. Screen Gems has a set built on the studio lot’s Stage 23 that has been used in eight motion pictures during the past two years, saving building materials, energy and more.
To take their efforts a step further, Screen Gems made a commitment last year to plant one tree for each production day in any city in which it shoots. With Los Angeles being a hub of shooting for the label, they are making notable traction here in our home town. Screen Gems is working with a unique LA City and non-profit partnership called Million Trees LA as its local “tree-planting” partner. So far, the studio (along with sister label Columbia Pictures) has helped plant thousands of dollars worth of trees in the L.A. area.
Screen Gems will assist in helping water and maintain the trees for two years to ensure they survive, a process which also helps to provide jobs for area youth.