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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Suburbicon Suburbicon For 10 years, location pro Kendra Liedle, LMGI currently based in Los Angeles, worked as a nonunion crew member on films around the US. In 2014, she joined Teamsters Local 399 as an assistant location manager. It may have saved her life. In April 2018, Kendra felt lightheaded, with a migraine that wouldn't go away. She came home one day and collapsed, finding herself paralyzed on the floor. Terrified, she managed to get to her phone and call 911 (US emergency). A CT scan that night revealed four brain tumors, one of which was causing life-threatening brain swelling. Hers was a rare condition that only a few hospitals were qualified to treat. The Motion Picture Insurance provided by the Teamsters moved her quickly to UCLA Medical Center where a specialist neurosurgeon saved her life. After a month in the hospital, a grateful Kendra returned home. She often thinks about what would have hap- pened when she was working nonunion, with- out health insurance. "I was aware of unions, but I didn't know the ins and outs of joining," says Kendra, "I didn't understand the benefits. I didn't know that unions negotiate contracts on members' behalf, the healthcare, pension, support, etc. Due to my youth and naïveté at the time, I also didn't recognize the value of the benefits and support unions provide their membership." Kendra's Story: Union Benefits hours. Long hours are a constant problem in film production, due not only to long shooting days, but especially for loca- tion pros who may need to open a set hours before the crew arrives, and then stay to be sure locations are cleared and closed appropriately. DGC—Directors Guild of Canada In Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada represents location professionals. The DGC is an exceptionally progressive union/ guild, allowing complete mobility to members. Although DGC regulations vary somewhat in different regions of Canada, they usually cover location managers, 1st assistant location manag- ers, assistant location managers, location scouts, production assistants and some unit managers. The DGC is an umbrella organization for the district councils in British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontar- io, Quebec and Atlantic. These district councils vary in some details in their producer agreements, but basically provide benefits such as: • Scale wage rates • Working terms and conditions • Dispute resolution services • A health and welfare plan • Retirement savings plan funded by producer contribu- tions and voluntary member top-ups • Inclusion on availability lists • Member webpages on DGC website • Member community building developed through caucus and general meetings • Production lists • Social media • Weekly newsletters • Member events and panels • Safety and training classes • Apprentice program Staying positive in ICU, two days after brain surgery does so informally. The objective is that everyone working in Location Departments will be covered." However, work on commercials is not typically covered. Although location manager wages are set on weekly rates, oth- er Location Department personnel are based on hourly rates. The main benefits are significant producers' contributions for health insurance and pension benefits via employee 401(k) accounts. Unlike Hollywood Teamsters Local 399, Local 728 covers many drivers in industries other than film production. The local offers general safety and training classes, although they have yet to focus on the needs of location professionals. IATSE—International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees The IA has 375 locals, many of which represent film work- ers. Some of these are "mixed locals," sometimes represent- ing location professionals. Although the Teamsters represent location pros in many high-production centers, the IA repre- sents them in a variety of regions throughout the US, such as New Mexico, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Virginia, Tennessee, Washington, D.C., part of Louisiana and Puerto Rico. Note that some IA locals cover more than one state. The unions generally try to work together. For example, a lo- cation manager hired in Los Angeles could travel and work in one of the states where the IA or DGA represents location professionals. Similarly, an IA location manager can usually work in a Teamster area, etc. The IA agreements have differences from the usual Teamster agreements. Under the IA agreement, there are no set wages for location managers. It is assumed that managers will ne- gotiate their own weekly or daily wage. However, the other Location Department members are covered for wages, based on an hourly rate, which provides overtime pay for extended Photo courtesy of Kendra Liedle/LMGI