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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LMGI COMPASS | Fall 2019 • 35 Now that the bowties and strands of pearls are back in their cubby, the red carpet rolled away, the LMGI is pleased to announce some honorable mentions where acknowledgment of excellence is due. A growing interest in the Guild resulted in a big submission increase—well over a hundred aspiring international productions. Our community of recognition welcomes the fi rst appearance of some new regions, including Singapore, Malaysia, Zambia, Portugal, the Canary Islands, Lithuania and the Czech Republic, some of these with glorious results in the fi nals. There were a lot of great submissions … not all of them ended up on your ballot. Let's refl ect on the amazing effects of location talent in some fi lm and television that maybe you haven't heard of yet, but really should. I don't want you to miss out on anything. As I prepared to guide you to your next binge-worthy adventure, in highlighting some of these fascinating projects, I uncovered trends in storytelling worldwide. You've probably heard it said by creative writers that there are only seven original stories to be told in modern entertainment, originating the basic fi ction themes, including power, love, revenge and so on. Even director Ron Howard has been quoted as saying there is only one—variations on boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. For our purposes, I showcase fi ve story categories as your personal global entertainment shopper based on the discussion and scrutiny of the jurors who weighed the bounty of choice to bring you the fi nal nominees. My categories are: Time Travel, History, Fantasy/Super Hero/Villain, Drugs/ Crime/Spies/Terrorists and Lifestyle. These were the stories told in 2018/19. Allow me to elaborate. Is it an amazing coincidence that not one or two but fi ve TV series have us all obsessed with traveling to another dimension? Whether with friends or the devil, by choice or by accident, it's best to pack for a bumpy ride. Travel the space and time continuum with Maniac, Legion, Counterpart, Impulse, The OA. If history is your thing, then special mention for riveting reality goes to: When They See Us, On the Basis of Sex, Outlaw King, The Front Runner, The Infi ltrator, Catch-22, Mary Queen of Scots. But why wait for history to be made when it can be slightly altered, in the "What If" series about the alternate riveting NON reality … presenting: 1983, The Handmaid's Tale, Serenity, The Man in the High Tower. Enjoy the imaginative new worlds and fantastical superpowers of Black Panther, John Wick 3, Deadpool 2, Titans, The Umbrella Academy, Westworld, Tidelands, Game of Thrones, Christopher Robin. Don't forget to visit the dangerous world of spies, drugs, crimes, and/or terrorists The Mule, Sicario 2, July 2nd, Killing Eve, The Americans, The Girl in the Spider's Web, Dragged Across Concrete, Patriot, Sharp Objects, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Mayans MC. Need a lift in motivation? Try the lifestyle stories of cowboys, HONORABLE MENTION: TRENDS OF GLOBAL STORYTELLING by Jill Naumann porn stars, billionaires, astronauts, fi rst responders, transvestites, rock stars, clowns, bikers, manicurists, actors, hitmen and vampires. Anyone who can correctly name all these series sent into us will be sent a prize. No joke, I will send you a gift card for movie tickets. Other trends in 2018 were the favored products of certain regions. England and the UK like to solve crimes and mysteries, and gave us Vera, The ABC Murders, A Very English Scandal, The Widow, Queens of Mystery. Australia offers a banquet for your different tastes in every category such as Mr Inbetween, Tidelanders, The Secret City, Mystery Road. What do Pose, Fosse/Verdon, When They See Us, The Deuce, BlacKkKlansman, Maniac, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Vox, Billions have in common? In addition to having generated a lot of buzz, they all chose the same place for their plot, making New York City this year's winning MVP location for diversity in storytelling worldwide. In the category of guilty pleasures (to be enjoyed with chocolates and fi ne wine), the awards go to Tidelands, Claws, Yellowstone, The Umbrella Academy, Fosse/Verdon, The ABC Murders. And now the award for BEST HONORABLE MENTION, the television productions that came so close to being on the ballot … drum roll please: ONE DOLLAR – A must-see story set in a small rust-belt town in post-recession America, a one-dollar bill changing hands connects a group of strangers involved in a shocking multiple murder. THE ROMANOFFS – A contemporary series internationally set, centering on separate stories about people who believe themselves to be descendants of the Russian royal family. Shot on three con- tinents in seven countries. An absolute favorite is the Mexico-based episode 6 "Panorama." A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL – British Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe is accused of conspiracy to murder his gay ex-lover and forced to stand trial in 1979. This story spans three countries and 20 years. THE FIRST – A near-future drama about astronauts attempting to become the fi rst humans on Mars. The crew contends with peril and personal sacrifi ce as they undertake the greatest pioneering feat in human history. OZARK – The continuing tale of a family hiding in the Ozarks making amends to the Mexican cartel they are indebted to by setting up a successful money-laundering/drug operation while under the watchful eye of the FBI. I could go on and on. You decide. And let us know. If you would like to volunteer as a preview juror on the Awards Committee for 2020 entries, let us know at awards@locationmanagers.org