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 • 45 fi ctional lands of the story and actual fi lming locations. Once visitors arrive, there are kiosks with interactive panels. Both the app and the panels feature offi cial HBO photography with scene details of what was fi lmed at the location. Their website also includes information on experiences and tours, but TNI goes beyond providing general information for visitors. There is a section devoted to those interested in de- veloping businesses targeting Game of Thrones tourists, with specifi c guidelines for creating a retail business, tour or experi- ence with a visitor grading scheme and checklist. They have taken additional steps to further the economic impact of loca- vanced signage so people can make alternative plans. You try to offer diversion routes and alternatives. Safety is para- mount and in some cases, we simply needed to shut an area off. Film sets are inherently unsafe, with movement of heavy industrial traffi c and fast-paced work to get the day (or night) achieved. The requirement for privacy in our work is also very important. In later years, we were continually followed by fans and media looking to get a story line scoop. One has to sensitively secure the set, with clear parameters in place. After all, the reason the show is a success is because of the fans, so you have to respect that. But, as a balance to that argument, you simply cannot let scenes be photographed and allow the work to be given away. There has to be re- spect for our process from the public as well. There was a re- sponsibility to the millions of people who watched the show to protect what we were doing and to not allow spoilers. If we were in an exposed area, for example, Carnlough Harbour, it was almost impossible to keep media and fans away from the scene. We were literally surrounded by hun- dreds of people and it became a matter of just getting on with it and completing our work as effi ciently as possible. As the show morphed into what it fi nally became, it was apparent that we needed to adapt our overall operational work and security discussions. What I began in 2008 and concluded in 2018, were two totally different productions. It's so important that one can adapt and manage these changes. Generally this means more budget, so you need to have the faith of your bosses that you are growing and reacting to the changed circumstances with inventive man- agement and new techniques to handle the challenges. One of the things I learned quickly was to take my ID badge off while scouting! People very quickly work out that you are in the area and start to draw conclusions. The public level of knowledge about the show was extraordinary so theories get hatched very quickly. I also covered my GoT studio access stickers on my windscreen because they