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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10 • LMGI COMPASS | Fall 2017 IN THE NEWS Now in its fifth consecutive year, the "LMGI Hollywood Location Scouts" panel found itself once again a part of the programming for the annual Comic-Con International this past July in San Diego, California. Building on last year's record attendance, this year again saw the panel located in the main San Diego Convention Center building. A wise move since the line for this year's panel extended down the hall and wrapped around the corridors. People were turned away at the door from the "at capacity" room. Moderated by Scott Trimble, LMGI (The Mummy, Justice League), this year's panel highlighted the scouting, managerial skills and experiences of Kokayi Ampah, LMGI (Million Dollar Baby, The Shawshank Redemption), Robert Foulkes, LMGI (La La Land, Terminator 2: Judgment Day), Shani Orona, LMGI (Logan, Sicario), Laura Sode- Matteson, LMGI (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End), and Tommy Woodard, LMGI (Westworld, Terminator Genisys). Following a terrific sizzle reel put together by Jacob Voelzke brilliantly showcasing the work of the panelists and focusing on before-and- after comparisons of various locations, the panel started off with a quick introduction of the group by Trimble and a description by Woodard of what it is that we do. Kokayi Ampah spoke about his varied experiences from his lengthy body of work, touching on stories from working with greats like Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg and on projects such as The Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby. He delved into the history of locations from where it started, to the job it has now become, and as one of three location managers honored membership in the L to R: Kokayi Ampah, Robert Foulkes, Shani Orona, Laura Sode- Matteson, Tommy Woodard and Scott Trimble. Photo by Sonia Villerias/ LMGI Right: A full crowd at this year's panel discussion. Photo by Sonia Villerias/LMGI Motion Picture Academy, our progress in gaining recognition within the industry of our critical creative contributions though the work of the LMGI. Describing what it's like to work location scouting on La La Land and finding its iconic locations within Los Angeles, Robert Foulkes elaborated on the process of scouting for locations that service both the complexities of the script and the director's vision. He compared La La Land to the differences that arise on working with larger scale action films and detailed the scouting and logistics for some famous chase scenes from True Lies and Terminator 2, even producing some original photo files from segments of those iconic chase sequences. From the highways of Los Angeles to the desert vistas and pueblos of New Mexico, Shani Orona outlined the unique challenges of filming on tribal lands and dealing with multiple levels of government or ownership for access, permissions and approvals, as well as with the cultural sensitivities of the indigenous peoples and respect for their traditions and privacy on their lands. All while still servicing the needs of production, highlighting the balancing act that location professionals must often perform. Following in the same topic about the complexities that often come with unique locations, Laura Sode- Matteson detailed the process of scouting and filming in environments such as jungles, islands and other such natural splendors where the task is not just respecting nature but also on keeping the crew safe. From avoiding bugs and snakes to scouting based on matching real-world events such as oil rigs for Deepwater Horizon, Laura highlighted the logistics of dealing with a practical location set piece built with water elements 72 feet above the ground. Tommy Woodard touched on the important role that film commissions play in location selection and location scouting. Crucial partners in production, they are an invaluable source of information on regions and jurisdictions for location professionals. The floor was then opened to questions from the audience, who were eager to get a chance to pick the brains of our experienced panelists. Questions ranged in topics from filming with weapons in public, the importance of LMGI Draws Packed House at Comic-Con by John Rakich