Film Biography
The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute film that takes viewers on a provocative and eye-opening tour of the real costs of our consumer driven culture—from resource extraction to iPod incineration.
Annie Leonard, an activist who has spent the past 10 years traveling the globe fighting environmental threats, narrates the Story of Stuff, delivering a rapid-fire, often humorous and always engaging story about “all our stuff—where it comes from and where it goes when we throw it away.” Leonard examines the real costs of extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal, and she isolates the moment in history where she says the trend of consumption mania began. The Story of Stuff examines how economic policies of the post-World War II era ushered in notions of “planned obsolescence” and “perceived obsolescence” —and how these notions are still driving much of the U.S. and global economies today.
Leonard’s inspiration for the film began as a personal musing over the question, “Where does all the stuff we buy come from, and where does it go when we throw it out?” She traveled the world in pursuit of the answer to this seemingly innocent question, and what she found along the way were some very guilty participants and their unfortunate victims.
Written by Leonard, the film was produced by Free Range Studios, the makers of other highly popular web-based films such as “The Meatrix” and “Grocery Store Wars.” Funding for the project came from the Sustainability Funders (The Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption) and Tides Foundation.
Movie Funders
Tides Foundation
Tides works with forward thinking philanthropists, activists and institutions to create a just, healthy and sustainable world. Founded in 1976, Tides provides comprehensive grantmaking and philanthropic services and advice through Tides Foundation, fiscal sponsorship and capacity-building support for social change efforts through Tides Center and promotes and operates green nonprofit centers through Tides Shared Spaces.
The Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption
The Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption (the Sustainability Funders) was founded in 2001 to directly address the harmful environmental and social impacts of current modes of producing, consuming and disposing of material goods.
The Sustainability Funders believe it is possible to create a sustainable and just world where people can live healthy and fulfilling lives while natural systems and resources can be conserved for future generations.
Free Range Studios
Free Range Studios was founded with a single purpose: to bring the latest communications and technology strategies to organizations and socially reponsible businesses working for a more just and sustainable world. Over the past ten years, Free Range’s passion for and ability to promote positive change online and off is unrivaled by other design and communication firms.
Additional Credits:
- The Garfield Foundation
- The Johnson Family Foundation
- The Overbrook Foundation
- Panta Rhea Foundation
- Singing Field Foundation, Inc.
- The Tides Foundation
- Lawson Valentine Foundation
- Wallace Global Fund
- Peter K Buckley
- Idelisse Malavé
- Catherine Lerza
- Environmental Grantmakers Association
- Colleagues in the 2005 Rockwood Leadership Program
- Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance (GAIA)
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