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End of Year Wrap Up- 2021

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The sun sets on 2021, another “train wreck’ of a year

As 2021 wraps up, GPP founder Beth looks back on a year that gave 2020 a run for its money as “worst year ever”. Well, at least “worst year ever in recent memory”.

As I write this, 5 days before Christmas, there have been a total of 275 Million worldwide cases of Covid-19 and 5.35 Million deaths worldwide from this modern day plague. Following last year’s end of year post, several companies emerged with additional vaccine options. Johnson and Johnson is off the market now, due to higher risks of dangerous side effects, but Pfizer and Moderna remain viable options for vaccination and booster shots. I’m fully vaccinated and boosted myself- “Team Pfizer”, but that still has not completely taken away any risk of me contracting coronavirus. You see, with so many people worldwide who remain unvaccinated- due to no, or limited, access to the vaccine OR a refusal to get vaccinated out of some selfish fear of public health initiatives, government and (not entirely without reason- see Hulu’s “Dopesick”), big pharma, the vaccine has mutated so many times that we’ve all been learning the Greek Alphabet. Currently, the Omicron variant (sounds like a Transformer, right?!), is spreading worldwide with exceptional speed. Supposedly the most contagious variant thus far (we all thought Delta was bad, but Omicron said, “Hold my beer!”), it is forcing countries to roll back more restrictive rules on gatherings and public spaces.

This time last year, everyone was hoping that with mass vaccinations, we’d start to see a real waning of concerns regarding the pandemic, but the pandemic had other plans. That said, production work resumed this year in a very ramped up fashion, with Covid protocols continuing in place. But still, from GPP’s perspective, there still weren’t quite as many appropriate productions for placement as a non-pandemic year. Our show count did climb- we’re over the 600 mark at around 610 placed-in productions since launching, going on 10 years ago.

2021- another “train wreck” of a year started with a full on insurrection at the Capitol building in DC by right-wing Donald Trump loyalists. The world watched in horror as this illegal, terrorist act was carried out. I think many of us knew then, as we watched a horror many of us had feared, be carried out, that maybe 2021 wasn’t going to be much of an improvement on the year before.

The tone changed slightly a few weeks later when we watched Joe Biden and Kamala Harris be sworn in on those same Capitol steps that weeks before was the scene of disturbing and fatal attack on US Democracy. There were bright spots that day- 22 year old Amanda Gorman’s amazing delivery of her even more amazing poem “The Hill We Climb”, along with Lady Gaga’s over the top dress, all the Bernie mitten memes and seeing the first female- a woman of color, be sworn in as VP. And we all said “don’t let the door hit ya’ on the way out” to our Climate Change denying, racist, inept former president, who shall not even be named.

Daffodils in spring

The year continued on to spring, which saw Megan and Harry’s tell all interview with Oprah, the death of British Royal Patriarch, The Duke of Edinburgh and the roll out of vaccinations for all adults in the US.

My spring? For me, personally- on the good side- getting fully vaccinated, but on the sad and heartbreaking side, losing my mother at age 91. If you had read last year’s post, you may remember that she had a stroke in 2020 at the start of initial lockdowns and had vascular dementia. This was a crushing loss- I was quite close to my mom and it was she that instilled in me a love for theatre, film, and the arts in general.

 

Beth was a featured guest on the Reducetarian Podcast

Business wise, I had the honor of being a guest on the Reducetarian Podcast. I spoke about what it’s like to get your eco friendly brand placed in tv shows, films and streaming media. I wrote about Brian Kateman, the host and founder of Reducetarian, several years ago for Triple Pundit.

The first quarter and the spring also saw me sign new clients Mented Cosmetics, Lettuce Grow, Outstanding Foods and Poppi Soda.

The FSC prominently featured in Amazon’s “The Tomorrow War”

Later on in the summer, Amazon released entertaining sci-fi feature, “The Tomorrow War”. My clients The Forest Stewardship Council (The FSC) and I were very stoked to see their logo and slogan as part of the classroom décor of the lead character, played by Chris Pratt. Not to give away any spoilers, but climate change DOES play a part in the story.

Not a statement of fiction- but all of our futures are at risk by the effects of climate change, and we’re already seeing extreme weather and melting arctic to prove it. Droughts, flooding, heatwaves, extreme storms, unseasonal and catastrophic hurricanes, ramped up wildfires, it was all on display again this year.

 

Beth masked and vaxxed at Expo East

Beth with new client Outstanding Foods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September arrived and I attended my first in person Natural Products Expo in 2 years! Expo East was this year held at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Everyone was fully masked and vaccinated and booths were spread out to allow for social distancing. It was good to be back, but still not the same as it usually is.

 

The autumn also saw a strike authorization vote by IATSE, the entertainment technician union, although the new area standards agreement did get ratified by a very small margin, many members still have a number of issues regarding extended work hours, and inadequate weekend turnarounds. In 2020, when work first started back, many hours were reduced for COVID safety concerns, but that went out the window quite quickly. The Instagram account ia_stories gained a lot of attention as a voice for the voiceless- the below the line workers- who are the beating heart of film and tv production.

Following that, the fatal death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of a western shot in New Mexico brought forth even more the concerns of rushed film making, cutting corners, and inexperienced staff, both as armorer and as producers.

November saw COP26 happen in Glasgow. Progress was made, but not enough. I couldn’t help feeling a bit like Greta Thunberg and her “blah blah blah” statement.

By the time December rolled around- the virus had mutated even more- from the Delta Variant that caused concern earlier in the year, to Omicron, as I mention in my earlier paragraph. Nevertheless, having been boosted on Black Friday, my husband and I planned a trip to the UK to see his family for the holidays. I had fully planned to work remotely to craft this very end of year post, work with 3 shows coming up in January, and get the company e-card sent out.

Well, fate has plans of its own. The day we arrived, my other brother passed away back home. He was the last surviving member of the nuclear family that I grew up in. So, as I write this, I am still deep in the throes of 5 day old grief. Per my niece and sister-in-law, I am staying put here in the UK as planned until a few days after Christmas, my planned return home.

Where will the future take us? Sometimes you just have to ride the river to find out.

But what does all of this personal loss, added to Covid related business challenges, mean for my business? At this point in time, I can’t actually answer that question.

For the time being, I will keep on, keepin’ on with the business-  I have 3 shows coming up in January already that will be sent out as opportunities to appropriate clients.

I think in time, the next steps will make themselves known. No matter what comes next, however, I will ALWAYS have a stake and be an advocate for more sustainable film making, for the elevation of “better” brands, and for the help and service of others.

This holiday season, and all year long- tell the people you love, that you love them. Show kindness to others. Find a way to help people in need. Push businesses and governments to operate more sustainably. Support the guardians of our natural environment. Do everything that’s in your own personal power to make a positive difference in this world. It’s the only one we’ve got.

Love is the most powerful thing we’ve got.

Check out GPP’s annual Holiday E-Card HERE.

Have a happy, healthy, peaceful holiday season and a hopeful and joy filled new year!

All my best,

Beth

Happy Holidays from Beth, Founder of GPP

 

End of Year Blog Post- 2019- Looking Back and Looking Ahead

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It’s December, which means it’s time for me, Beth, to look back on the past year and write up our end of year blog post. This year has been a very bittersweet year. Much like current events- there is hope and there are losses- for the world, the environment and business.

I’ll start by mentioning that my friend and business partner, Lisa, will be leaving GPP at the end of January 2020.

She has gradually been reducing her work and duties with GPP this year, and I have been transitioning to sole leader of the company, which I founded in 2011, and we officially launched in 2012.

Lisa is moving on to pursue other interests and we remain the best of friends- sisters almost- and that will never change.

When I was inspired back in 2011, by an online conversation with Morgan Spurlock, to start my company, Lisa was one of the initial people I reached out to partner with me to create and grow Green Product Placement. When she said yes, I knew that I had found an industry powerhouse to be by my side.

Her steadfast contribution to the company has been invaluable to not only its longevity, but its standing in the industry today.

I will miss Lisa as a go-to person and trusted, supportive colleague within the company, as I already have, at certain events the latter part of this year, as she has begun her withdrawal.

There are no hard feelings and she is still keenly interested in seeing GPP succeed and continue its mission.

And although her time with Green Product Placement is drawing to a close, she is still very much a cheerleader for the environment, responsible and sustainable advertising and consumption and seeing the Film and TV production business become a model for transitioning the business to a sustainable future.

We’ve done a lot of good together, these last 7 years, and her presence at GPP will be missed.

Beth and Lisa goofing around in 2011

 

 

Beth and Lisa at the Petit Palais in Paris 2015

Beth and Lisa at Expo West 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year was also the year that we officially launched our Advisory Board. We also updated our website, to a more modern, user friendly design. The advisory board launch created a lot of buzz, including features in The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, a live Interview on Cheddar, Clean Technica and others. Check out our PRESS PAGE for links to all of the great press we’ve gotten this year and since we launched.

Beth on Cheddar during Climate Week Sept 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beth was in front of the camera for a change!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A whole article about GPP in the Hollywood Reporter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beth in THR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Production placement has been steady throughout the year, placing in around 55+ productions. We added new clients Quorn, Social Sparkling Wine, Elmhurst, Slrrrp and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, among others. Our brands continued to capture onscreen exposure in shows like SMILF, Orange is the New Black, Easy, and Big Little Lies.

Full Circle Home’s water bottle on Big Little Lies

 

Wedderspoon lozenges on Orange is the New Black

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We attended Natural Products Expo West and Summer Fancy Foods together, and I (Beth) attended Expo East, Reducetarian, and was a panel member and presenter at Sustainatopia

Lisa and Beth enroute to Fancy Foods

 

 

Beth at the Reducetarian Summit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was accepted into the Female Founder Collective and was featured in Champagne Hippies.

For all the triumphs, however, the current environment, for well, the environment- and small sustainably focused brands is having a tough time these days. With the leading political party here in States being one that denies climate change and values profit over planet, people are struggling. Tariffs have taken a toll. Although employment numbers are up, this is only because people are juggling two or more jobs because wages have stagnated.

I was disappointed to find out at Expo East a few months ago, that venerable natural brand, Kiss My Face had gone out of business. They were one of the first natural brands that I had placed in a show, in a manner of speaking. Way back in 1998, when I was assistant set decorator on “Runaway Bride”, my boss, the set decorator, requested we place some natural brands. We had to dress the “Curl Up and Dye” salon, and she hated the smell of conventional products. So we reached out directly and placed Kiss My Face, and Aveda, along with some conventional brands. There weren’t as many natural brands to choose from back then.

We’re both pleased and proud that we’ve been able to get great natural beauty brands like 100% Pure, Blum, Suki, Wedderspoon and so many others, on to sets and into those Hair and Makeup trailers.

Beth and Lisa paid a visit to 100% Pure Headquarters back in March

 

 

Beth with the CEO of Wedderspoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I write this, Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish Climate Activist has been named “Person of the Year” by Time Magazine. Her amazing story of protesting, alone, in front of Swedish Parliament, just a year and a half ago, to mobilizing the world’s youth (and adults, too), to demand action on climate has been truly remarkable. She’s spoken at Davos and COP 25, met and been admired by the Pope, world leaders, Jane Goodall, Leonardo DiCarprio and so many others.

But we need people like Greta because Climate Change is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, and not enough is being done by government, businesses or consumers. The bushfires in Sydney , the Amazon rainforest (aka “the lungs of the world”) and California this year killed people and wildlife and destroyed homes and habitat. The Amazon and Australia fires, especially, released record amounts of C02 into the atmosphere. The smoke became such a danger in Sydney that schools and business had to close.

In September, just ahead of the UN Climate Summit, leading scientists warned climate change was hitting harder and sooner than what was expected. In just the 7 years that we’ve been in business, climate change and mass extinction have become foremost on the minds of many.

But it’s still not enough. As the largest existential crisis facing humankind and the planet today, action on climate, transitioning energy sources to more sustainable ones, curbing consumption and transitioning our consumption to greener choices must become everyday behavior for everyone.

Imagine a future where humans live in harmony with nature. Where transportation options are run on renewable energy and public transportation options are many.

This GREAT VIDEO, narrated by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, imagines a Greener future made possible by the proposed Green New Deal.

As I look ahead to the year 2020, I remain hopeful that small actions will multiply and change the culture and that common sense and empathy will win out over doubt and hopelessness. The 2020 US elections have more at stake than almost any other election in US history. With the current president vowing to withdraw from The Paris Agreement, many other political leaders- senators, congresspeople, governors, mayors and business leaders are determined to hold government and industry to standards in keeping with the agreement’s goals, which many feel aren’t even ambitious enough, to mitigate serious climate catastrophe.

As I write this, an impeachment trial for this climate and science denying president is imminent, and the Democratic field of presidential nominees running against him is still quite large.

There is no telling what the next 12 months will bring, but here at Green Product Placement, I- and currently still “we” will continue to strive for our own little victories for sustainable behavior and green and better brands- by getting them onscreen. This is by normalizing plant based and organic food and health and beauty products, sustainably distilled liquor brands, eco-fashion, re-useable water bottles instead of bottled water, and causes like Human Rights, sustainable forestry, and conservation.

All you can do is what you can do….and as Greta illustrates, even the smallest gesture can ripple and grow around the world. For 2020, we’re going to imagine the state of the world getting better. We’re going to imagine common sense, scientific consensus, compassion and ingenuity being the driving forces to a better future.

And with that, we’re wishing you- our friends, colleagues, studio contacts, clients, and industry contacts our best wishes to for a happy, healthy holiday season and prosperous and sustainable new year!

Check out our HOLIDAY E- CARD HERE.

All my best,

Beth

2014 End of the Year Wrap-Up- We’re Turning 3!

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As we wrap up another year, we tend to look back at the past 12 months and tally up accomplishments (and disappointments). But I find that the disappointments fade into the background of memory and it is the accomplishments that stand out in one’s mind.

As I prepared our annual Holiday E-Card , I had to gather up all of the new contacts we’ve made in the course of doing business (and apologies to anyone we may have missed! Please click on the link for our holiday wishes to you :-)  ), and this year, it was literally hundreds of new names that got added to our recipients list.

That’s because this year, much like our 1st and 2nd years of business, was jam packed! In January of 2015, it will be 3 years since we officially incorporated as Green Product Placement (and April will mark 4 years since I was struck by the idea, following an online conversation on TED.com  with the documentarian Morgan Spurlock, to start the company).

In last year’s end of year post, I compared a new business to a child. Whereas last year, our business went from “baby” to “toddler”, this year, our “toddler” went running around, all over the place.

In April, we produced the London Sustainable Production Eco-Expo  which was modeled after the very successful NYC Production Eco Expos, produced by our friends at Film Biz Recycling.

As I posted late spring, see some pictures here  and  catch the sizzle reel here:

After that, as last year’s winners, we were off to present the “First and Foremost” Award at Film Biz Recycling’s  Golden Dumpster Awards  to the PGA Green, for their report “Going Green and Saving Green”  which was authored by our dear friend and Sustainable Production colleague Emellie O’Brien, of Earth Angel, sustainable production consultants.

Then, it was nose to the grindstone as we worked to place our brands in many more shows, including now several in the UK, and begin our supplemental production work on the Emmy winning show, House of Cards, Season 3.

September saw us at Natural Products Expo East, where we connected with our clients, friends and other great natural brands.

In October, Beth was asked to present a master class at the Netherlands Film Festival at the invitation of the Green Film Making Project, based in Amsterdam.

beth utrectpanel gff

The keynote speaker was none other than our friend Emellie O’Brien! And our friends at Casual Films  were represented by speaker Nick Francis.

Check out the sizzle reel from this fabulous day of international sustainable production promotion, here:

( Green Film Making Project @ NFF 2014 from greenfilmmaking on Vimeo. )

Lisa at school

impact hub amsterdam

 

Also that week, Lisa spoke at the Netherlands Film Academy  and Beth connected with fellow Impact Hub members in Amsterdam. We also met with numerous Dutch sustainable designers and were completely impressed by all of the forward thinking sustainable design coming from The Netherlands.

In December, we were able to host our office party for the Hampden Christmas Parade that marches right in front. It was a great way to hang with friends and colleagues and celebrate Charm City’s quirky charm.

party table set

Our desks turned into a serving table laden with yummy food for watching the parade.

As the year draws to a close, we look back on all we’ve accomplished this year, and the last three years. Our show count has grown exponentially- we’ve now placed well over 55 brands in over 105 shows in the US, Canada and the UK and we look forward towards greening the screen the way we do- and promoting great brands in front the of camera, even more in 2015!

Here’s wishing you and yours the happiest of Holidays and the brightest and loveliest of New Years!

All our best,

Beth and Lisa

b and l shout

Beth and Lisa are cheering you on for the holidays!

2013 End of Year Post- Looking Back and Moving Forward

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A new business can sometimes be compared to one’s “baby”, and building it to watching a child grow. Where in 2012 our company was still an infant, 2013 saw our business blossom into a full fledged “toddler”. The toddler stage in one’s life is when the person we’re going to be begins to show itself. The toddler starts to talk, walk, run and explore, and that’s exactly what Green Product Placement did during our second full year in business. Looking back in comparison to our first year- whereas in 2012 we began making studio connections and getting known in Hollywood with branded placement execs higher up the production food chain than our “below the line” contacts, in 2013 these connections really burst forth. This year we made it on the email list for most of the major studios who were looking for placement in their productions, in addition to several independent production resources consultants. At the end of 2012, we had placed in over 23 productions, our count to date is over 65! That means in 2013 we placed in almost twice as many shows as we did our first year. We continue to get written about by the press,  including a wonderful feature in February by the venerable Mother Nature Network gpp golden dumpster

Beth and Lisa tell the GPP story at the 2013 NYC Production Eco Expo

Beth and Lisa tell the GPP story at the 2013 NYC Production Eco Expo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beth continues to speak on the subject of the importance of sustainable brands and behavior in mainstream media and sustainability behind the camera, including internationally, and Beth and Lisa both continue to present and serve on panels with our peers, even being recognized with a coveted Golden Dumpster Award by our friends and colleagues Film Biz Recycling  (aka FBR). Check out this interview with Beth at the #Duurcomm “Meer Door Minder conference in October:

And this fabulous video from the second Annual Production Eco-Expo as organized by FBR at the School of Visual Arts in NYC.

A full gallery of pictures from this event can be found here on our Facebook page,   and also some additional pictures on FBR’s page. Two of the shows we both placed products in and worked on as set dressers won Emmys! (House of Cards for Netflix and Veep for HBO.) Beth and Lisa wrapped up work on Season 2 House of Cards in November. We see the value of placing our good brands all the time. We chatted with Robin Wright, star of House of Cards, when she fell in love with our Full Circle Home “Wherever Water” bottle.  She loved it so much, she kept one of her props to take with her to use in London, where she’ll be working on Steven Frears’ new film! Speaking of London, as we endeavor to expand to include clients and placements in UK productions, we have some wonderful ideas percolating for our visit in spring of 2014! Stay tuned! We saw how wonderful it is to help “connect the sustainable production dots” when we met the Green Film Making Competition people in Amsterdam in October and then joined Pia from there in New York as presenters at the Eco Expo.

 

We still have our New York office at Green Spaces, NY. But we settled easily into our local office in Hampden, Baltimore, which Forbes lists as one of the 20 hippest neighborhoods in America. Although our holiday office party overlooking the Christmas parade got snowed out and cancelled, that did not stop Beth and Lisa from enjoying a bit of holiday cheer on “The Miracle on 34th Street”. We also paid a visit to the headquarters of our clients, Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company- which gets its power from wind, and where all of the coffee is organic, fair trade and delicious!

Lisa and Beth with the marketing team at CBRC

Lisa and Beth with the marketing team at CBRC

 

Best Holiday wishes from Beth and Lisa!

Best Holiday wishes from Beth and Lisa!

Right now, once again, we’re doing many of the end of year things most companies do this time of year, including again sending out a holiday e-card  and winding down at the end of busy year to spend time with beloved family and friends. This time of year also allows us to look back once again at all we have accomplished and look hopefully again at the coming year. We look forward to continuing to place our good brands in front of the camera, to welcome new good brands into our “family”, to promote sustainable practices in the entertainment production industry, to connect with more and more wonderful people doing positive things in the sustainable marketing sector, and watching as our “toddler” grows into a “preschooler”. We both sincerely wish you all a happy, healthy holiday and a joyous, prosperous new year! All our best,

Beth and Lisa