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
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1225284
16 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2020 Returning to our five-star hotel at night, tromping through the lobby in our snowsuits and snow boots, we made quite a spectacle. As spring approached, our gear changed to anti-mosquito jackets and rubber boots and then we battled summer's grueling heat before heading back into our layers as the leaves changed and late fall set in. Each season was tough on the actors. Our main location was a short distance from a Canadian army base. Our sound team had to deal with the boom of their frequent maneuvers. Since we were deep in the woods, roads had to be constructed to accommodate the movement of our team and equipment. Barkskins is planned for three seasons so, we not only had to find suitable locations, we had to find suitable locations which were available for three years. Negotiations with property owners, city councils and neighbours were more intricate than on many other shoots. All location managers have their personal strength. Mine is working with the individuals on whom we impose, from whom we must ask favours, beg forgiveness, explain procedures. I was an army brat and grew up in Quebec, London, Germany and 2½ years in Africa. My nomadic childhood, which allowed me to learn about so many different cultures at a young age, has had a deeply positive impact on my world view. Museum visits were a large part of my education, exploring different cultures' and eras' concept of beauty. I am always curious about the realities of the people whose lives a film crew invades. It is critical for the success of any project that the citizens with whom we interact become implicated in the process, feel touched by our success, are proud of their contribution. My ability to connect with our citizen-partners is, I believe, my strongest asset. A location manager has to be open to any and all possibilities. One humid July afternoon, the production designer on The Score and I finished an unsuccessful scout close to my house in the plateau area of Montreal. I invited him in for a cold beer. His eyes lit up when he saw my very urban backyard. It was exactly what he wanted for a scene with Robert De Niro. So, the acclaimed Oscar-winning actor and director Frank Oz ended up filming two scenes at my place. A few weeks later, they had to come back to reshoot one of them. The chronology of the story had changed. It was no longer a day scene, we had to reshoot it at night! Two days' prep, one day shot, one day wrap. I bless my neighbours for their patience. The job of location manager has evolved significantly with changes in technology. The days of Polaroid references have been replaced with digital photography, computers, Google maps, street views and internet photo banks. And, of course, the impact of visual effects. Just the other day, I was reminiscing with some colleagues about the times when we would meet at the end of the day at Photo Francisco, a one-hour photo printing business in Old Montreal. While we all waited for our rolls of negatives to be printed, we would chat in a small lounge area that Francisco had set up, with a huge map of the Zone pinned on the wall. We would discuss each other's challenges, and exchange tips and contacts over coffee. What hasn't changed for location managers is the challenge of our job: to accommodate the sometimes contradictory visions of the director and the designer with original and unusual locations. And, of course, we must convince people to allow Michele and camera operater (left) while working on local films as a unit location manager Michele showing the kids her camera in Africa. Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg & Michele on The Terminal 2004. Photo by Mike Fantasia/LMGI