Q. Can you tell me a little back story on Greener Media, how it all got started and what your mission is?
Greener Media was founded in 2003 and has evolved quite a bit over the years. In 2008 we really began thinking more seriously about creating work and seeking out clients that we truly felt good about. Whether its work we're producing independently or the work we're hired to produce we have become focused on telling stories of social and environmental issues.
Q. When you were in film school were you already feeling a desire to do "good" with your work and what you share with the world?
While in film school, there definitely wasn't as much clarity about the type of work we wanted to end up producing after we graduated. But slowly there was a gravitation towards producing non-fiction content because of the great potential to use documentary film as a means to educate and inspire action.
Q. Can you tell me a little bit about how you came together with Farm Sanctuary to make your new short film "What to Eat?"
Farm Sanctuary came to us because they were launching a campaign about the environmental impacts of factory farming, and they were looking for a creative team to tell that story. After bouncing around some different ideas we finally arrived at what you see now at www.platetoplanet.org. We were tasked with finding a way to connect what we eat with the health of our environment.
Q. What was the experience like for you?
Working with Farm Sanctuary has been a great experience. One of the amazing things about what we do is that we get fully immersed in these different worlds from project to project. Food and the environment were already things we had interest in, so the project was a natural fit. This experience also enabled us to work on Farm Sanctuary's Just Eats Tour - www.justeatstour.org, a campaign celebrating their 25th anniversary that explores vegan America. We did all the artwork on this and created the tour website.
Q. Did it change your views on food and/or eating meat in general?
Working for months with a vegan organization definitely affects what you put into your body. And once you start doing the research and looking into how our food system is set up, its hard not to make some changes. While neither of us have gone vegan, we fully support the growing movement, and we've definitely become more responsible eaters.
Q. How did you connect with Jason Schwartzman for the project?
Farm Sanctuary has an incredible amount of supporters, many of them being celebrities and people in the spotlight. Jason is one of those people and he thankfully was very excited to help out and take part in this project.
Q. Is there a way that people can connect with you to stay in the loop on what you're up to?
You can learn more about what we're doing by going to our website, www.greenermedia.com and by following us on twitter.
Q. If you could leave this audience with one inspirational / positive / kick your ass into greener gear message, what would it be?
Everyone is capable of affecting positive change no matter how daunting things may seem. For us, creating awareness and planting a seed is the most important thing. Hopefully we can make a convincing argument about the importance of working together to create a better world.
Q. Can you share your favorite recipe with us?
A simple favorite.
Roasted Cauliflower & Red Quinoa
Ingredients:
-cauliflower
-red quinoa
-garlic
-chili powder
-paprika
-cilantro
-olive oil
-balsamic glaze
Set oven to 400. Chop cauliflower down to manageable size florets and place in a roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil so it sufficiently coats the cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper. Stir florets so oil coats the bottom of the pan. Cook until cauliflower begins to crisp. Approximately 25 minutes.
Combine 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water in a small pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cooking covered until water is completely absorbed. Approximately 15 minutes. Set aside.
In another similar sized pot bring a few tablespoons of olive oil to medium-high heat. Add chopped garlic, chili powder, and paprika. Cook until garlic becomes soft. Turn off heat and mix oil mixture with the cooked quinoa, stirring thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Remove cauliflower from oven, and introduce into the quinoa mixture. Garnish with chopped cilantro and drizzle each serving with balsamic glaze for some added sweetness. Enjoy.
Talk to you next week!
ml,
Shannon