EcoSet
Friday, April 30th, 2010 Tags: EcoSet, environmentalism, green, networking, pa, production assistant
Category: Industry, Job Hunt, Recommends No Comments 
As you all [hopefully] know, the main mission of KeyPA.net is to provide advice and guidance for anyone looking to move to Los Angeles and/or break in to the entertainment industry. Additionally we like to forge connections between people with the hope that as we all rise through the ranks, we continue to help each other out, and everyone wins!
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting a few people from EcoSet, which is a company that works on set to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. EcoSet’s main mission is to divert waste from any film, commercial or television set they are hired to keep clean – and they do a damn fine job!
Environmentalism
I woke up at 5AM one Saturday for a 6:15 call time, where I ventured to the gorgeous hills of Glendale for a Target commercial shoot. My role: Eco-Monitor. The goal of the Eco-Monitor is to keep as much material out of the very tiny trash cans as possible. All food and food supplies are composted. Plastics, cardboard and other materials from the Art Department and beyond are recycled. Leftover gels, film canisters, props or set decorations are donated to various charities, schools or artists. Everything finds its proper place as a donation, part of a compost pile, on its way to being recycled or the rare occurrence, headed towards a landfill.
EcoSet takes many steps towards reducing waste but my favorite initiative is the handing out of free stainless steel water bottles (I’m taking a sip from one right now!). There are water tanks positioned around set and each station has a place to store your labeled, reusable bottle. This way there are NO plastic water bottles to be recycled, or worse, landfilled.
How You Benefit
I have been talking with EcoSet for a few months and have built a solid relationship with their incredibly friendly staff. They are consistently looking for PA’s/Eco-Monitor’s. As their business expands they hire more and more staff to control all this waste, and KeyPA members are connected to EcoSet! Working on set as an Eco-Monitor is not the same as being a PA. You are considered a ‘Client Service’ and are not required to do any work outside of waste management. However, I’m sure you all have a wonderful work ethic and know when it’s appropriate to lend a hand.
The shoot I was on lasted approximately 16 hours which allowed for plenty of downtime to chat up the grips, UPM, PA’s, crafty, director, or anyone that is a part of the set. I happened to meet a wonderful talent-agent-turned-wine-importer who provided encouraging and friendly conversation throughout the day! I handed out business cards and phone numbers, talked about KeyPA to anybody that would listen, and had a genuinely fun time. Best of all… I got a paycheck!
Conclusion
There’s dozens of reasons to work for EcoSet: you need a job; you want to get on set; you want to meet new people; you want to network; you want to help the environment; you want a paycheck, and so on. If you feel like spending a day networking in the thick of this industry while simultaneously helping the environment, EcoSet is your answer! This is a win-win situation for everyone so do yourself a favor and get out of the house, take a day off from job hunting, and PA as an Eco-Monitor. You’ll have a great time – trust me!
You can visit EcoSet’s website here: EcoSet Consulting, LLC, or follow them on twitter at @EcoSet. Feel free to ask any questions about what they do or how you can get involved. If you do end up talking to someone over there, tell them you heard of EcoSet from KeyPA!
If you are interested on working with The Hollywood Ladder or have a site or service we should know about?
Send us an e-mail: partners@thehollywoodladder.com
