Location Managers Guild International

Fall 2021

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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38 • LMGI COMPASS | Fall 2021 A QUIET PLACE: PART II LM Mara Alcaly LM Joe Mullaney/LMGI Scout John Hutchinson/LMGI Upstate New York provides a landscape of both bucolic beauty and post-industrial decay as the Abbott family undertakes a treacherous road trip—in silence— to fi nd survivors in a world where the human population has been decimated by creatures that are hyper-sensitive to sound. The non-verbal narrative relies on dramatically visual elements to fuel the horrifying terror of their plight. What the locations say about story: The locations open the fi lm in scope and scale, moving outward to explore the Abbotts' town—a rust-belt industrial center whose glory days of steel are long past. The hulking and abandoned structures of giant mills and warehouses found in Buff alo allow the characters to weave in and out of spaces both intimate and vast. In contrast, the back story establishes an iconic small town before its Norman Rockwell normalcy is suddenly and violently disrupted. The Island Colony's pastoral beauty and isolation off er a physical and psychological respite for Regan and Emmett, traumatized by their experiences on the road. What the location managers say: "The locations help create the intense mood and fearsome setting for the narrative of a family fi ghting to survive in this bleak world. The fi rst stop in the Abbott's journey is a dilapidated steel mill, where much of the action takes place. It had to be vast, in a state of decay, and ominous. It's the anchor location, central to the tense, yet melancholy mood—and terrifying action of the movie." Locations to watch for: Steel Mill The fortress-like refuge was found at the abandoned Bethlehem Steel property in Lackawanna, on the edge of Lake Erie. Once one of the largest steel mills in the world, its 1,300 acres of hulking ruins are a haunting sight. Filming inside the toxic structures was too dangerous; a nearby former steel foundry currently used to store industrial equipment was used as a convincing—and safer—match for the interiors. Main Street The western New York town of Akron is the setting for the terrifying prologue that takes us back to events that occur even before the beginning of the original fi lm. There were many small towns in the Buff alo area, but Akron had just the right clean brick buildings, people strolling by, and cars parked on the streets—as well as elevation—to establish the perfectly everyday life of a small New England town about to be shattered by an alien invasion. but punctuated by moments of joy and hope that convey the strength and fortitude of characters running toward freedom. What the location manager says: "We had to make sure each place Cora went would be wildly diff erent from where we were before. In location work, you get very few opportunities to take a job based on content. It was important to show what the times were like, what it really felt like. It deals with the issues of slavery in a unique, inspiring and sometimes modern way." Locations to watch for: The Plantation The Greek Revival home set on the Myrtle Grove property accurately replicates an historic Georgia plantation. With its swamps, fi elds and lush forest, only cotton and slave quarters were added to complete the picture. The property with mature live oaks dripping with Spanish moss belies the brutality that motivated Cora's flight. Never- before-fi lmed areas deep in the swamp were found to fi lm one of the most heart-breaking scenes of the story. Griffi n Building Savannah City Hall played as the skyscraper looming over the fi ctional city of Griffi n, SC. A digital extension was added to create a tower-like structure that hid the secret atrocities performed within. The surrounding buildings were transformed into a period setting, with dirt roads, horses, and carriages, creating a community where Cora hoped to fi nd refuge before being forced to flee once more. The Georgia State Railroad Museum Its extensive collection of period buildings acted as women's dormitories, classrooms and rail yards. A long tunnel was built around an existing train track and, along with its trains, became the "Underground Railroad." North Carolina Town Cora and Grace are hidden in the attic of a house that is part of an intolerant and cultish community. All the houses were in a circle surrounding a central meeting area—neighbors can spy on each other and perform their religious rituals in full view of each other; Cora can peek through a hole in the attic and watch everything. The eerie layout of the town was critical for the narrative and the ghastly events that follow. Valentine's Farm Another scenic old plantation in Georgia played for an idyllic Black community in "Indiana" that radiated the joyous energy of people who were fi nally able to work and live free. A beautiful vineyard found in Dahlonega, GA, also played as part of the farm to show that the freed Blacks were operating their own profi table wine-making business. Here, Cora fi nds love and hope, but it does not last. Testimonial Room The beautifully restored Macon Terminal Building was where everyone traveling on the railroad gave testimony before boarding the train. This became the written history of the many runaway slaves and freed persons searching for a better life. The Underground Railroad A Quiet Place: Part II OUTSTANDING LOCATIONS IN A CONTEMPORARY FEATURE FILM

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