The Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) is the largest organization of Location Managers and Location Scouts in the motion picture, television, commercial and print production industries. Their membership plays a vital role in the creativ
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LMGI COMPASS | Fall 2018 • 23 Stevie: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING IN LOCATIONS? HOW DID YOU START & WHAT DO YOU PRIMARILY WORK ON? Alison Naifeh: I'm an OK native; born in Shawnee and raised in Enid. I started working in the film and commercial in- dustry many years ago in Los Angeles after completing a film studies program at USC. I studied the basics, starting with 8mm & 16mm film. I loved direct- ing and producing small projects, but after interning at Universal Studios, I decided I wanted to production manage. After 10 years in California learning the business, I moved back to Oklahoma, where my heart is. When I moved back to OKC in the early '90s, I had an op- portunity to work as location PA on the feature films Cobra and Fool for Love. And from that moment on … I was hooked! I fell in love with meeting people and finding the great Okla- homa landscapes and homes that help tell stories. My first job as a location professional was on the HBO project Public Enemies, shot in historic Guthrie. I had an excellent mentor, LM Scott Clark from Tulsa, whose mother was the Oklahoma Film Commissioner at the time. He showed me the ropes and introduced me to the freelance world of location scout- ing and managing. I have since worked numerous features and national commercials as a location manager and scout. Stevie: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE PRIMARY DRAW FOR FILMING IN & AROUND OKLAHOMA CITY & ITS SURROUNDING AREAS IN GENERAL? AN: Our primary draw is the varied landscapes in Oklahoma to help set themes for the stories, the kindness and au- thenticity of the people here, and the tax incentives and rebate program for features and national projects. Stevie: WHAT KIND OF "LOOKS" ARE THERE? WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITES & WHY? AN: We have seven ecological systems/climates in our state. You can go west toward mountain and rugged terrain, east to lush green hills and lakes, south to the Wichita Mountain Range and waterfalls, and north to agricultural and rolling hills. I love scouting the small towns of rural OK. I have made so many friends throughout the state from scouting their unique communities! Oklahoma cities offer many different options and perspectives. Bartlesville, home of Phillips Pe- troleum, offers a variety of upscale homes, hotels and golf courses. The county seat of Pawhuska and the rolling hills and tall grass prairie of Osage County provided the stage for August: Osage County. This area is one of my favorites to film with distinctive ranch land and amazing dry desert looks. Guthrie has an authentic small town '50s look, while Tulsa has the '30s neighborhoods mixed with a modern vibe. Other film-friendly Oklahoma municipalities include Enid, Ponca City, Ardmore, Lawton (Fort Sill), Muskogee and Ada. Eastern Oklahoma, where the Ozark Mountains start, has beautiful towns, including Talihina, Poteau, Tahlequah (capi- tal of the Cherokee Indians), Grove and many others. My favorite place to scout and shoot is the greater Oklahoma City area because it's within my drive zone, there are his- toric towns, farms, great roads and Oklahoma City itself. The city has undergone a renaissance with amazing architecture and art. We are renovating old communities with a twist of modern and contemporary design. Art is incorporated ev- erywhere from sculptures, street and wall art to beautifully designed parks and outdoor theaters. Popular OKC areas to film include Midtown, Paseo, Deep Deuce, Bricktown, Plaza and SOSA (South of St. Anthony), which is an old historical hospital in Midtown just a few blocks northwest of Downtown. SOSA has been revived with new modern homes and is near the Midtown area of new restaurants and bars. All these areas have outdoor venues for music and dining and are bringing a new vibe into our Downtown culture. They also offer classic sidewalks, curb- side housing and beautiful tree-lined streets. I've shot many scenes in these areas that can be offered as an "Oklahoman" neighborhood or a NYC suburb. Stevie: WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTIONS FILM IN OKLAHOMA CITY? AN: Oklahoma City hosts an array of feature films, TV series, commercials, documentaries, music videos, industrials, short films, stop-motion and animated projects. Oklahoma City's film-friendly environment is a magnet for all types of creatives, from Oscar-winning talent to local, engaged students All photos by Alison Naifeh/LMGI, except as noted. Alison Naifeh (left) with daughter Annissa. Photo courtesy of Alison Naifeh/LMGI Co-editor Stevie Nelson gets a tour of the "Cinderella City" from member Alison Naifeh