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 | Spring 2019 IN THE NEWS Supervising location manager Janice Polley, LMGI has never been one to let sleeping dogs lie. Case in point: the recent Netflix heist film Triple Frontier was a challenge on many levels, but roving packs of dogs on the streets of Bogotá presented a new wrinkle in location management. It's one thing to clear the frame of bogeys—random Canine therapy in Bogotá's only "dog park" L to R: Ehrin Davis, Stevie Nelson, Jonathon Slator, Peter Trimarco, Nancy Haecker & Linda Johannesen pedestrians and vehicles, no problem. But the dogs just didn't get it. Assistant location managers Julia Renner and Gabriel Leon rented a large lot, helped install chain- link fence, added boxes and tubes for shelter, and filled it with shade, exercise and feeding areas. The canines were coralled in Bogotá's first-and-only dog park. Not only were they groomed and fed; production generously arranged for veterinarians to clean wounds, administer shots and rabies vaccinations, and most importantly, spay and neuter this clamorous pack of pooches. UPM Mika Saito applauded their work. "The Location Department was integral (especially with the tenacity of Janice Polley) saving many homeless dogs on Triple Frontier. Once the dogs were clean and healthy, the community of Soacha and the Triple Frontier crew worked tirelessly together to get as many dogs adopted by the end of our shoot as possible." While the crew worked like dogs, the hounds were safe and sound. All their efforts paid off when filming was completed and more than 50 pups were adopted by Bogotá Has Gone to the Dogs the local crew. Director J.C. Chandor even ended up with a Colombian rescue dog. A win-win-win helping production, the community and man's best friend. Well played! Film Festival Circuit 'Loca- tion by Design': LMGI Rocks Sundance Our third successful year at the Sundance Film Festival featured the 2019 LMGI panel "Location by Design." It was attended by a packed audience of veteran location and production professionals, film commissioners and next- gen filmmakers. This year's sponsor, Beyond Cinema, led by Peter Trimarco, publisher and producer, provided the ideal, casual venue where participants and panelists enjoyed post-panel networking, meeting new friends and reconnecting with colleagues. Veteran location manager and former LMGI President Nancy Haecker explains: "Our intent was to get away from the conversation regarding logistics and permitting, obstacles and difficulties of location managing. We wanted visual examples to demonstrate our contributions to the design and tone of the project." She and founding LMGI member Stevie Nelson co-chaired the event, designing it to showcase the art of location management, underscoring the aesthetic dimension of our craft. Panelists included Jonathan Slator, LMGI (Hell or High Water, Lone Survivor, This Must Be the Place), Ehrin Davis, LMGI (13 Reasons Why, Blindspotting, 55 Steps), Nancy Haecker (Wild, The Revenant, Into the Wild) and Stevie Nelson (After Earth, 13 Reasons Why, Fresh Off the Boat). Haecker and Nelson are attempting to compound the LMGI's presence at Sundance with participation on other panels and/or presenting our panel multiple times to new audiences. Haecker has been invited to speak next year on the Sundance Syracuse Alumni panel and a panel on women below the line. LMGI strategist Linda Johannesen attended the event, exploring opportunities for partnerships, industry relationships and making the most of our presence. We look forward to Sundance 2020 and our continuing partnership with Beyond Cinema. Interested in producing or participating in an adaptation of this professional panel discussion in your region? Contact your regional LMGI chairs or email the committee co-chairs, Mike Fantasia and Wes Hagan, at regional-international @LocationManagers.org Janice Polley and her pack. Photos courtesy of Netflix Photo by Val Douroux/LMGI