In The News...
"Recycling Turns Movie Discards into Theatre Props"
By, Dionne Charlet, WYAT Magazine, August 2009
Ever wonder what happens to movie
sets, props, and wardrobe pieces after a shoot?
So did entrepreneur Lonnie Schaffer, who was
amazed to find that a great deal of post-production
materials are simply too large or inconvenient
for mobile crews to re-use. Moreover, it’s
quite common that there is no recourse but to
place them into the nearest city dumpster as the
film wraps and moves out.
A local business is turning would-be
trash to a treasury for the arts, in the thespian
sense. Strike It Green (SIG) is a props and wardrobe
rental company making the most of gently-used
set components, costumes, and props. “I am
into recycling in filming and saving on waste,”
details owner Lonnie, “which gives film companies
more availability to get resources.” After
the wrap of I Love You Phillip Morris, movie
personnel made several attempts to give away
surplus prison uniform costumes. They could not
find any takers — that is, not until they were put
in contact with Lonnie. Those costumes are now
additions to the rental wardrobe racks, and ready
to be reused.
SIG also provides a storage service for
larger props. These props are stored on display in
a warehouse showroom, keeping them from cluttering
each owner’s home or office. Interested
props and wardrobe seekers can peruse the
space for rental items. Not only are the pieces
safely stored, but each piece is potentially
earning its owner revenues otherwise lost with
regular storage.
The Schaffer enthusiasm for transforming
discards into usable props is catching.
A friend offered several shelves and display
cases from his store. Inspired by a mention of
Strike It Green in a Southern Repertory Theatre
program, Marie-Jeanne Trauth has made her
family-owned vintage furniture a gorgeous
addition to the available props. “Obviously
there were other places I could have donated,”
explains Trauth. “Because I go to a lot of theatre
I know smaller companies are struggling
with cost. If stuff can be used over and over
again, that is a good way to put all of these
wonderful old items to use.”
The Strike It Green warehouse has
grown, and so have requests for needed props,
to the point where environmentally-conscious
Schaffer is almost always on the lookout for
something. A few weeks ago she was on a
quest to find a cannon for use in a commercial
shoot. On a separate occasion, she rented out
a trench coat and a couple of suits for a gig
just before teaching her class in power yoga
at the JCC. She’s tracked down an ice cream
cart, giant mushrooms, military radios, even a
corpse. Lonnie shares, “I never know what is
going to happen from week to week. That’s
the exciting part: being a detective. If I don’t
have it, can I get it?”
Schaffer and her Montreal-born husband
brought their family to New Orleans in
2002 because they loved the European-American
culture. Inspired with green props, this
London transplant was able to create a niche
for media recycling through old-fashioned
NOLA Southern hospitality, being referred
to a movie-maker who’d introduce her to an
improvisational theatre volunteer, and so on.
Through her contacts, Lonnie has met very supportive
members of the local production community,
including Roger Benischeck, Director of
the University of New Orleans Robert E. Nims
Center for Entertainment Arts. “I encourage
people with any kind of theatrical props that
they might consider donating to a resale shop
or thrift store to reconsider donating them to
Lonnie,” advises Benischeck, “so that she can
make a movie star out of them.”
Rob Olmstead III of Wild Hare Productions
gives kudos. “Strike It Green has
quality materials that are time saving and cost
effective,” comments Rob, “plus, everything is
recycled. You’re not buying new lumber just
to throw it away later. In a time when being
green and earth-friendly is really important, it’s
great to reuse things that would otherwise be
thrown away.”
Strike It Green recently donated
sections of moveable walls – called flats – to
Lusher High School. These flats were recovered
after the wrap of the film Robosapien. What
would have been discards in a local landfill are
now components of a standalone theatre for
the students. Through her company, Schaffer
is salvaging the NOLA film industry, scene by
scene, all the while doing her part to protect
the environment and give back to our community.
Props to Lonnie!
www.strikeitgreenprops.com
