on the subject of bicycles...

I've been on the look out on how to trick out my bike, and make it useful as well as cute. I read this great article today on Re-Nest that I thought all you novice cyclists might appreciate.

road trip

I am currently on a road trip for a wedding in Washington. One of my best friends got married on the beautiful Orcas Island. Their ceremony was hard as shit to get to. All I kept thinking about was how to get the grip truck up those roads. At any rate, it was gorgeous and definitely one of the most unique weddings I've ever been to. I will be back in a couple of days with photographs and more postings. Cali can definitely learn some things from the Pacific Northwest. They got the eco thing down. Talk to y'all laters.

Algae could save the planet

If you haven't already heard about this, Valcent is a company trying to use Algae as an alternative energy source. I haven't done too much research on this yet, but it sounds pretty fucking cool. Maybe I should pull a Scarlett Johansson, and drop the link with the Obama camp. Anything to get Obama and McCain off the off-shore-drilling debate.

Check it. Let me know if you've heard anything about it and what your thoughts are.

Bicycle for a Day

For those of you that haven't heard about this event, Matthew Modine is launching an event called Bicycle for a Day. Bicycle for a Day is for anyone who can get on a bicycle and demonstrate that doing ONE thing will better our environment. Participants can even skateboard or walk, just as long as it doesn't use gasoline!

He is also accepting 30 to 90 second short films that "best express the freedom of bike riding." Select films will be featured on the website, as well as one of the event's stages in NYC. I asked him to answer a few questions about the event for my readers.

Ecopix: What is Bicycle for a Day (BFAD)?
Matthew: Bicycle for a Day is a day to give up gas powered vehicles. There are hundreds of things we can do everyday to reduce carbon emissions. Bicycling is one simple thing each of us can do to improve our personal health and the health of the planet.

Ecopix: How do we participate in BFAD?
Matthew: When you wake up Sept 20th, choose to NOT use gas powered vehicles. Walk, skateboard, bicycle, stay at home. On the bicycle for a day website there is a list of things you can do at home to reduce waste. There are over 300 million Americans. If each of us did a couple of things to save energy everyday, the cumulative effect will be enormous.

Ecopix: Where is it taking place?
Matthew: This year I am focusing on NYC. We are having an event at the South Street Seaport on Manhattan's lower east side. This is the official gathering place for the first annual event.

Ecopix: From where did the inspiration for BFAD originate?
Matthew: I was asked, "if there was one thing I could do to reduce carbon emissions, what would I do." The answer for me was as simple as "ride a bike." The idea grew into a film that was presented at the Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The film was a huge success and the people that gathered for the forum encouraged the development of the concept into reality.
Ecopix: How has the response to the event been so far?
Matthew: Everyone is excited by the idea. They smile at the simplicity of bicycling as a solution to an enormous problem. They feel empowered by the idea of bicycling as a solution and action they can take.

Ecopix: Can you tell us about your short film and the opportunities for other filmmakers to screen their BFAD story on your site?
Matthew: I hope that film makers will make shorts (one or two minute) that tell stories about personal biking experiences. Romantic, crazy, dangerous, adventurous, what ever they like. I'll post some of them on the website and next year they'll get shown at the BFAD events around the world.

Ecopix: What is BFAD's ultimate goal and what are your hopes for the event?
Matthew: I hope it grows into a tool for inventors and creators. A place where dreamers of new ideas can see their ideas shared and shown to demonstrate new ways of solving the current environmental situation. Everyday I meet amazing people with wonderful solutions to the way things are done and how they can be done better. The BFAD website should be a place for those ideas to be seen throughout the world. A loud speaker for those voices of change.

Ecopix: Besides BFAD, what other activities do you participate in to help preserve our environment? (i.e any other organizations or events)
Matthew: I work closely with the two charities BFAD supports. WaterKeeper Alliance (River Keepers) and American Forests' Global ReLeaf project. One protects our rivers, lakes, oceans and seas. The latter protects and replants our forests and brings trees to neighborhoods that don't have them.

Ecopix: What are the aspects of our society that discourage you the most? How do you try to change them?
Matthew: People that point the finger and blame. People that don't believe in possibility. We built a railroad across the United States after the Civil War in less than five years. We went to the moon in less than ten. We are capable of tremendous change when we choose to work together as a nation. When we are decisive. I want to be on the team that wants to solve problems instead of pointing the finger and blaming.

Ecopix: As a successful actor, what have you done to promote your stand on the environment with the productions you work on?
Matthew: I got the film industry, the talent agencies, to print double-sided scripts. I was filming in Morocco and introduced the concept of deposits on bottles and recycling to the Mayor of Ouarzazate. Simple things that anyone could have done. Billions of sheets of paper have been saved and plastic and glass bottles no longer litter the desert at the foot of the amazing Atlas Mountains.

Check out Matthew's own short film for Bicycle for a Day.

My new bike

I just got a new bike. Okay...it's not actually new. It's probably about 20 years old. But hey, it's new to me. Found it on the trusty Craigslist. I went out for a night ride, and goddamn am I out of shape!! These old legs ain't what they used to be.

Friends of the Earth

A fellow filmmaker Taghi Amirani that I met at Pangea Day has just told me about a film competition being held by Friends of the Earth. Friends of the Earth is a UK charity committed to environmental solutions. You have one minute to "show which bit of the Earth you're a friend of." The overall winner will be given a £4,000 budget to make a film with Friends of the Earth to support one of its high profile green campaigns. The deadline to submit your film is August 22.

Clothe Me! House Me!

Actors can be so needy sometimes. Expecting you to create a world in which their characters live. Production and Costume Design is where a huge part of our waste goes. Building sets, buying or designing clothes, and decorating locations account for a lot of money and a lot of items that are used only once. Here are some tips to reduce, reuse, and recycle your design items.

1. Craigslist.
It’s my favorite resource. If you’re doing a period piece, Craigslist is a great way to find vintage furniture, artwork, even clothes. It adds to the authenticity of your film. Even if it takes place present day, used furniture gives your pieces a lived-in look. It’s particularly useful if you are in another state where prop houses and picture car rentals are non-existent. On a student film I produced in Oregon called RE:Monday, we offered a guy selling his old Volvo $200 to hold off selling, and letting us use it for a week.


2. Thrift stores and Antique shops.
This is another good resource when shooting out of state. You can often approach antique shops to rent their items for a negotiated fee.

3. Location, Location, Location!
Weigh your options when thinking about how much it would cost to build a set versus paying a day rate for an existing location. Especially in Los Angeles, the location you’re looking for probably already exists somewhere on a stage or an old, abandoned hospital.
Remember to choose your locations wisely. Not only are you saving the earth by choosing practical locations that have most of the production design done for you, but it saves you money, as well. On my thesis film Nagpapanggap, we were able to find a house that could pass for the 1960's. We only needed to take away things like the television, and add a few signature mid century items.



4. Rentals.
This is a pretty obvious choice, but still a good old classic. Their items get a lot of mileage because they are well-taken care of. There are about a hundred listings in the LA411 on where you can rent props and furniture. If you’re a student, don’t forget to ask for a discount. Most of the big places offer one.

5. Mom and Dad's Garage.
If your parents happen to live in the same city as your production, chances are they've got a garage or basement full of goodies. This is a great place to find some finishing touches to your set design. I like to compile a wish list of items I need, then email it to friends and family and see what they're willing to lend or donate to the production. It doesn't hurt to ask, and it's free. Just make sure you're not borrowing a family heirloom, 'cause odds are it will get broken on set.

6. Recycle by donating.
For expensive or stylish costumes, I sell back to places like Wasteland or Crossroads. But for any generic pieces, you can donate them back to the thrift store from which they came.

If you do build a set, donate it when you’re done.
Left over lumber can be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Contact your local high schools and film schools, and see if their theatre and film departments have any use for flats and purchased props.
Hollywood Cinema Production Resources will accept and pick up sets for donation, as well.