As part of SU Showcase for Sustainability 2012, innovative director and producer Antonio Saillant will present on greening the entertainment industry. Saillant will speak at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, in the Schine Student Center Goldstein Auditorium. He will discuss sustainable initiatives in film, television and on Broadway, covering practices from energy to waste and beyond.
“Syracuse University trains a lot of students for careers in entertainment—be it film, music, drama, sports or TV and radio—and we are excited to provide them with this glimpse into the green future of entertainment,” says Rachel May, coordinator of sustainability education at Syracuse University. “With his successful film career and his deep familiarity with the energy field, Mr. Saillant is an extraordinary resource for students from a wide variety of disciplines.”
Saillant is proactive in conserving energy in the television and movie industries, pushing ideas forward and producing environmentally sound results. According to Saillant, “The green initiative allows us to set a precedent to continue to produce high-quality productions with exacting standards, while minimizing our impact on the environment.”
In furthering his passion for greening the entertainment industry, Saillant formed Angel Light Pictures Entertainment Group, a production company that gives inspired filmmakers the chance to make their dreams into realities. Green Angel Productions, a subsidiary of Angel Light Pictures, is committed to demonstrating that the movie and television industries can be environmentally responsible, providing filmmakers with the tactics and strategies for greener productions.
“As a filmmaker, I feel it is my responsibility to continue the commitment to reduce the impact on climate change and the environment, and be on the forefront of sustainable business practices,” says Saillant.
Currently, Saillant is working with Ted Kotcheff, former executive producer of NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” directing his documentary “Dream Destinations,” a film exploring Kotcheff’s life and times as a Canadian and Hollywood director. Saillant is also working on a football drama, “The Golden Knights,” two comedies, “If” and “Pumping Up,” and the thriller “Gripped.”
Prior to Angel Light, Saillant was an energy consultant for ConEdison, one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, and various pharmacological companies for many years. Saillant has combined his knowledge of the energy business with the entertainment industry in hopes of contributing to a more sustainable future.
“My particular experience in engineering and business has helped me to develop a green transition easily,” says Saillant.
SU Showcase is a campuswide, Earth Week celebration of students’ sustainability work and the future of a green economy across the energy, entertainment and plastics industries. The event—geared toward all SU and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students—is also open to the public and will be held all day on Wednesday, April 18, in SU’s Schine Student Center. Check out the complete event schedule at http://sushowcase.syr.edu/Schedule.html, and follow SU Showcase on Facebook and Twitter #GreenSU for the latest updates.
Angel Light Pictures Entertainment Group was created to educate and inspire future artists who have an entrepreneurial spirit, raw talent, commitment and tenacity to develop a career of sustainability and mastery. The company is committed to informing and entertaining audiences today and in the future on the importance of developing and maintaining a positively green, environmental approach to filmmaking and its production. All Angel Light films follow Green Angel Productions guidelines in order to reduce any negative impact on the environment. To learn more, visit http://home.alpegroupllc.com/.
