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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34 • LMGI COMPASS | Winter 2018 happy in both cases to be in the room when we voted, able to stress how im- portant we are to the creative process, and most importantly, to hear designers be equally emphatic in supporting loca- tion pros! "Originally, I applied in response to LMGI Chairman Emeritus Orin Ken- nedy's valiant attempt to get us into NATAS (National Academy of Televi- sion Arts & Sciences)," says Balton. Since I work predominately in features, I knocked on the Academy's door. It was a perfect storm of having people who knew my work in the right places at the right time, from producer Hawk Koch, then president of the Academy, to a number of designers in key roles. But even then, I assumed I would just keep applying every year and by the time I hit 80, they would take pity on me, look at my stack of references and let me in. No one was more surprised than I that I was accepted immediately." Why join the Academy? Oppewall says, "It is an honor to be accepted and once you are, the more you put into your membership, the more you will get out of it." Balton says, "It comes down to one word: respect. I know I contribute to the films I work on and it is very rewarding to have that contribution acknowledged. Additionally, the weekly screenings and panel discussions at the Academy are fascinating. I love sitting next to old-tim- ers, listening to their stories about the industry." Ampah noted, "It is the epit- ome of being at the top of the industry and it is an opportunity to make a differ- ence. Location professionals can bring a different perspective." He is a volunteer for committees and has judged student films. Ampah also serves on the LMGI Board and was honored with the LMGI Lifetime Achievement Award. Howard says, "Joining the Academy is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; it was an honor that an existing member thought I was worthy of this membership. Now that I am a member, the benefits are numerous, such as having the ability to play a part in the creative aspects of our industry, along with being a voice of representation for location members around the world. Until I became a mem- ber, I was unaware that there were a lim- ited number of location managers in the Academy, making the opportunity even more exciting. The impact I would like to have is to strengthen the connection between designers' creative visions and our ability to produce interesting loca- tions. As our industry becomes more complex, the demands from the begin- ning of the process for location manag- ers have increased." Balton adds, "In addition to my résu- mé, I felt that my involvement with the LMGI was important in gaining admis- sion. I was seen as someone who gets involved, from being past president, active on the Board for so many years, LMGI Compass co-editor, to working on the awards show—my belief in giv- ing back served me well when it came to applying. I believe that it might be what pushed them over the edge when considering whether to let one of us in!" Balton was recognized with the LMGI Trailblazer Award this year for opening the door into the Academy. Myhre thinks it makes good sense to be an LMGI member; being an involved member of your guild shows that you are serious about your profession. Oppe- wall thinks representative groups such as guilds increase visibility, provide a respect quotient, strong spokespeople and an outlet to move toward their mem- bers' professional goals. Ampah agrees that groups like LMGI unify profession- als and membership/representation can carry some weight with others, includ- ing organizations such as AMPAS. How- ard said he feels "The importance of be- ing a member of the LMGI, as well as the Academy helps us to represent location managers and get our message across when needed." The bottom line, Oppewall says, "The job is to serve the film, of course, in the best way we all can." Wasco says he feels very lucky with the movies he has gotten to work on and the people he has worked with. He also credits his wife, set decorator Sandy Reynolds Wasco, as his collaborating partner. Laments Balton, "Just once, I would love to hear an Academy Award-winning produc- tion designer thank his or her location team. We contribute as much as the set decorator, providing the sets they deco- rate! Unless of course, it's stage work." Myhre says, "The art department never forgets about the location department!" Thomas adds, "Location professionals are the hardest working department on a movie set. It's time to celebrate their contribution!" Maybe when more loca- tion professionals are invited to join the Academy, Balton will get her wish and sometime in the future when she hears "And the award goes to..." the location department will be included. For more information on applying for membership to the Academy of Mo- tion Picture Arts and Sciences, please visit: www.oscars.org/. The Location Managers Guild International strongly supports its members, inclusion in AM- PAS and is happy to advise and assist any member in the AMPAS application process. " " –JOHN MYHRE Locations are an integral part of design that help to tell the story of the script.