LMGI COMPASS
|
Winter 2020
•
67
One of his toughest jobs
and brightest accolades
was scouting on the official
Happy music video for
pop impresario Pharrell
Williams. The world's first
24-hour music video, Happy
was filmed with hundreds
of delirious extras dancing
across eight miles of Los
Angeles over the course
of 11 days. Wisch had four
days to find and lock the
locations. He was rewarded
with a COLA for Location
Manager of the Year, Music
Videos.
This experience was only
recently topped by a Disney
promo for The Lion King
with Beyonce. Why the big
deal? Permits for the Grand
Canyon's Havasu Falls
and Sedona's Cathedral
Rocks that normally take
two to six weeks were
obtained in three days.
When Wisch called the
Arizona Film Office, he
found Commissioner
Matthew Jones, James
"The Lion King" Earl Jones'
brother. "I felt that this
was a sign," said Wisch.
Unbelievably, the permits
were granted with unheard
of turnaround, followed
by grinding logistics of
shooting both locations in
one day. Wisch comments,
"As much as I want to think
it was my hard work that got
this done (that was some of
it)… It was the powerhouse
name of one of the biggest
stars that helped." As
well as the good work and
cooperation of the Havasu
Tribal Council, the Arizona
Film Commission and
State Parks, as well as the
CFC (ready with Plan B if
needed).
Locations are as critical to
defining the narrative as
is casting the right actor.
"The right locations guide
