Green screen scheme means clean Wolverine

X-Men: Origins is to be an environmentally friendly movie as part of a new Queenstown Lakes District Council initiative.

The movie's producers Woz Productions were rapped on the knuckles last week for breaking lease conditions by storing explosives at the Fun Centre in the Queenstown Gardens, but it seems all is forgiven with the announcement of the waste-minimisation partnership.

"We are delighted that the latest production in our region has volunteered to participate in a best practice case study to assist the council in the development of a film industry waste strategy," Mayor Clive Geddes said.

Wolverine producers have allowed the council to carry out an environmental impact assessment of their sets and workshops to identify areas where recycling can be maximised.

The work will produce a template known as "green screen" that will be tied to the resource consent conditions of future productions.

"A movie of this nature is a huge undertaking, over a relatively short period of time that might involve remote catering for hundreds of cast and crew, administration, set building, construction and painting," district council waste minimisation manager Stefan Bowry said. "The potential for recycling is enormous."

Wolverine stars Aussie actor Hugh Jackman.

Producer John Palermo said the production company was pleased to be involved with the scheme.

"The natural beauty of the region is what attracted us to film here in the first place so it is important we work with local authorities to help preserve the environment," he said.

Film Queenstown manager KJ Jennings said that the green screen project would mean that films were not only great for the local economy but good for the local environment, too.