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
Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1065362
In North America, location professionals are also represented by DGA (New York and Chicago), IATSE (various states) and the DGC (Canada). DGA—Directors Guild of America The way the DGA has handled location professionals is a long, sad story. (Full disclosure: this writer is also a DGA member.) In general, sometime in the early '70s, the New York DGA al- lowed location managers to join, but not as location man- agers. They worked as second 2nd assistant directors, but performed location duties. Sometime after that, the location managers in Chicago also joined the DGA, as part of the East- ern Area office, based in New York. Until the 2008 DGA contract, there was no job title for location managers. The 2008 contract "confirmed the existing process" by listing location managers as a covered category, albeit with few other descriptive changes. Although location managers were then included and listed, the DGA has continued to re- fuse membership to the other members of Location Depart- ments—assistant location managers and scouts are neither recognized nor protected. This bizarre disruption within Lo- cation Departments lead to a major recruitment of New York location pros into Teamsters Local 817. Dan Welch, LMGI and Tommy O'Donnell, president of Teamsters Local 817 New York, on Labor Day. Photo: Les Fincher/LMGI Theatrical Teamsters Local 817 New York In recent years, Theatrical Teamsters Local 817 under President Tom O'Donnell brought union benefits to hundreds of New York area location professionals who are not managers. "I always felt that they deserved representation," O'Donnell said. "These are people who desperately need some assistance and have long been overlooked. It's just the right thing to do." Assistant location managers, location assistants, location scouts and location coordinators are now full union members, with benefits. Additionally, the NY Teamsters provide generous scholarship programs for children of members. Teamsters Local 728 Georgia In recent years, the US state of Georgia's high financial incen- tives brought a huge increase in filming, generating new em- ployment opportunities. As production ramped up, there was no union for local location professionals. In 2006, Atlanta Team- sters Local 728 began accepting location professionals. As At- lanta location manager Norm Bielowicz observed, "This was viewed as a very positive step to give location people benefits." Presently, Teamsters Local 728 represents more than 200 location professionals throughout Georgia. According to Bielowicz, "The local does not separate out managers, keys and assistants in any formal way. Rather, the community Ilt Jones, LMGI, Karen Gilbert, Steve Dayan and Tim Hillman, LMGI support the Hollywood Teamsters. Photo courtesy of Ed Duffy/Teamsters Local 399 Teamsters show solidarity. Photo courtesy of Ed Duffy/Teamsters Local 399