LMGI COMPASS
|
Fall 2020
•
19
we flew over the different
landscapes. One day, Ridley
was not satisfied with our
tour of Almeria. We ended up
in a desert near Barcelona,
about 1,000 kilometers away
from our initial destination.
The helicopter pilot could not
believe what was happening.
Another phone call, from
my friend Peter Welter, a
German-born producer
based in Málaga and a
partner in the production
company Fresco Film
Services, changed my career
forever. He wanted me to
research and scout Spain
for the possible filming of
the fifth season of Game
of Thrones. We managed
to successfully shoot that
season and the following
three so that I spent four
years on this television show.
The amount of satisfaction,
good times and learning this
project meant for the crew
is difficult to explain. We
toured all of Spain by van
several times over, looking
for castles, landscapes,
ancient cities and all types
of locations. The magnitude
of the managing the project
coupled with the media
impact that this show had
at all levels was quite a trip.
I was immensely lucky to
work with colleagues like
Matt Jones/LMGI, who
indoctrinated me in the
methodology required by
such enormous productions;
Duncan Muggoch, actual
friend, line producer and
former location manager,
from whom I learned how
to calmly handle extreme
pressure; and Bernie
(Bernadette) Caulfield, the
best executive producer
I have ever met, soul
and protector of all of us
throughout the project. I
also learned that offering
a location at the right time
is very important, not
insisting but anticipating
the right moment to make
it work. We considerably
expanded tourism to some
locations. Thanks to proper
management, there are
emblematic locations such
as the Palaces of the Reales
Alcázares de Seville, one
of the most visited Spanish
monuments, to which we
have returned each season.
Thanks to Game of Thrones,
my work was recognized by
the LMGI, whose work in
defense and promotion of
our craft is commendable for
finally gaining recognition for
our "forgotten department."
In 2016 and 2018, I was
honored to share the LMGI
Award for Best Period
Television with SLM Robbie
Boake/LMGI and Matt
Jones. The Guild also gives
me the opportunity to
disseminate the importance
of the Location Department's
work at places such as the
European Parliament in
Brussels, to meetings with
a variety of European film
commissions.
I have been fortunate to work
with directors such as John
Madden (Shakespeare in
Love) and Brian de Palma,
and to share scouts with
colleagues Mark Somner
and David O'Reilly/LMGI,
in Spain and Portugal for
Solo: A Star Wars Story.
It was also gratifying to
tour much of my country
scouting for the action
movie John Wick: Chapter
3-Parabellum. Offering
locations and managing the
possibility of filming in these
early stages entails an added
Battle in Barruecos for Game of Thrones.
Game of Thrones actors Emilia Clarke and Nathalie Emmanuel
in Les Alcázares, an Arab palace in Seville, Spain.
