Celebrating Green Crew Heroes! VP of Sales at Quixote, Sean French
Green The Bid Crew Heroes is a series that highlights individuals who bring sustainable practices to any area of the production process, and seek to inspire others to do the same. Production can’t happen without all crew-members (both on set and off), and the same is true of their support of Green The Bid.
Here Green The Bid’s Gabi Kay talks to Sean French of Quixote.
G.K. Where did you grow up and how did it inform how you do your job today?
S.F. I grew up in Park City UT as a student of the performing arts. I grew up in a poor family that wasn't very close to one another and I was not a very popular kid in school. Middle school and high school were particularly hard on me emotionally which led me to running to California when I was 18 years old in pursuit of acting, my first love in performance. When I realized how difficult it was to make a living as an actor I had to find another way to make money which is what led me to Quixote. I think because I grew up feeling very alone in the world I became a problem solver and extremely decisive at a young age. It has helped me in my career by not being bogged down by corporate red tape or conjecture. I just always made decisions I thought were right in the moment, even if I was wrong. I learned its ok to be wrong if you go in with the right intentions and strive to make yourself (and your situation) better. That mantra if you are going to do anything, do it well.
G.K. What are some things you know about that can ensure a more sustainable shoot, and what things would you love more production companies and crews to adopt?
J.D. S.F. Well I think the process which most productions go through, to create whatever it is they are creating, starts with two things: how was it done in the past? And is there a cheaper more efficient way to do them in the future? I know that the sustainability issue is not a production issue, it's a "how we interact with the world" issue. By that right, if we can teach people a new way of doing things, a new paradigm, we can influence the carbon footprint of each production. Rentals themselves are a very green endeavor as they are an "upcycle / recycle" paradigm. I think the most important changes we need to make in the production industry is adopting new paradigms for how we manage our resources. Vehicles that don't produce carbon monoxide, sets that are reused multiple times by productions all over the city, targeted organization of waste, etc
G.K. What are the things you have changed in your own life to be more environmentally conscious?
S.F. Well as a burner (a member of the Burning Man community) I adopted a leave no trace attitude many years ago. I try to be conscious of what plastics I use or don't use. Like purchasing aluminum cans vs plastic bottles when getting a drink of any sort. Reusing plastic bags by cleaning them for food storage. Shopping with reusable bags for groceries. I even have cleanable drawstring bags for my produce. We can't fully rid ourselves of all plastics and refuse without completely living off the grid. But if we minimize our impact with small choices in our day-to-day lives we can all holistically make a difference in the long run.
G.K. Who most influences you and inspires you when it comes to being socially and environmentally responsible in your work life and your personal life?
S.F. Scientists. Carl Sagan, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Max Planck, Clair Patterson, Michael Faraday. Also James Cameron.
G.K. If you could do any other job on set - what would it be and why?
S.F. I'd be acting and directing. I believe telling impactful stories in a powerful way can affect what people do and think. Acting to me is the exploration of the human condition. Directing is framing the actors to represent the script in how a story should best be told. I'd like to someday focus on the creative again and not just business.
----- Are you a crew hero or do you know one? We want to hear from you!
