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 2021 • 31 telegraph Mildred's vulnerabilities and fears. Lenore Osgood's Estate The famous "more is more" aesthetic of the late legendary designer Tony Duquette is nowhere more apparent than at his longtime Beverly Hills residence. The bohemian wonderland of Thai- Asian maximalist décor, complete with exotic Asian garden temple, needed almost no set dressing to be camera ready for Lenore Osgood's lair. The Mexican Hotel Mildred and Gwendolyn fi nd happiness in a composite of two fabulous locations—neither of which is a hotel. The grounds were fi lmed at the stunning California state-run 1929 tile-rich Mediterranean Revival Adamson House sitting above the ocean in Malibu. Interiors were fi lmed at a residence that had belonged to 1930s actor Francis Lederer. Built in 1933 by architect John R. Litke, Lederer went to great pains to have his estate appear as an historic mission-style homestead with whitewashed brick walls, a central courtyard, stained-glass windows and Portuguese tile floors deliberately cracked for authenticity. SNOWFALL LM Manny Padilla/LMGI Scout James Gierman It's the 1980s and crack is wreaking havoc in the poorer neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Gangs compete for business, targeting their own communities and igniting violence. Locations all over LA County show a world far away from the iconic images of Hollywood. What the locations say about story: Snowfall follows the stories of characters from South Central, East LA and the jungles of Nicaragua whose lives intersect. From the bland utility of the projects to modest family homes on palm tree-lined streets, multiple areas in South LA, Watts, Leimert Park, East LA, downtown LA and Pacoima describe the world where characters live, hang out and fi ght for territory. Crack was popular in the Black community because the people were poorer and were able to aff ord crack over cocaine. The face and fabric of neighborhoods and families drastically change as the impact of the epidemic ramps up. What the location manager says: "Much of the show is fi lmed in the hood itself. It is vital for viewers to see the real locations where the story takes place. The locations place you in the story and back in the '80s—you can believe the characters; you can empathize with what's happening in their lives." Locations to watch for: The Projects The San Fernando Gardens in Pacoima puts the viewer at ground zero. Here, gang members live and hustle. Residents suff er as they are targeted by the dealers and descend into addiction. Tijuana and Border Towns East LA and downtown LA accurately represent the Tijuana neighborhoods of "Zona Rosa" and "Zona Rio" where dead bodies turn up every day. Here, Teddy and Oso are busted for hauling a truck loaded with cocaine. Their failed attempt to bribe the police spurs violence and an increased body count. Nicaragua The LA County Arboretum in Arcadia provided the lush jungle foliage for the Central American country where the CIA, gun running and drug traffi cking lead to a horrifi c massacre in a small village. Hawkins House of Burgers An institution in the Watts for decades, this family-run burger OUTSTANDING LOCATIONS IN A CONTEMPORARY TELEVISION SERIES THE HANDMAID'S TALE S4 LM Anne Richardson/LMGI LM Jeremy Pinard/LMGI The bleakness of a near-future dystopian world continues to permeate every frame of this fourth-season drama where women are used to bear children for the infertile elite in a totalitarian United States, now called Gilead. Toronto and environs convincingly play for U.S. cities and the country to which June and other handmaids manage to escape. What the locations say about story: Seeking justice and revenge, June tries to reconcile fi nding sanctuary in Canada with the world—and children—she leaves behind in Gilead. She leads a band of handmaids to refuge in an old farmhouse compound that portends dark secrets and betrayals. Mid-'60s brutalist-style concrete buildings, massive industrial port facilities, a metallic border bridge all reinforce the bleak interior and exterior landscape traversed by June as she engages in battle on both sides of the border. In Canada, even a temporary stay at a luxurious hotel suite and family home turn suff ocating in their normalcy. As a refugee and activist, June fi nds even the most beautiful places laced with dread. What the location managers say: "The locations chosen for Season 4 are intended to show a signifi cant contrast between the horrors of Gilead and "normal" life in Canada. We were able joint is where Wanda takes a bullet for Franklin. Jammin' Jerome's An appliance store in El Sereno is used for laundering drug money. Here, the kingpin Franklin strategizes with his aunt and uncle. The Bottoms Franklin's best friend Leon controls this iconic Inglewood neighborhood that is actually fi lmed just north of downtown in Highland Park. The six-block community is so named because it is "at the bottom" of a sloping terrain formerly south of Hollywood Park racetrack, now the site of the new SoFi Stadium. Snowfall The Handmaid's Tale SNOWFALL LM Manny Padilla/LMGI Scout James Gierman It's the 1980s and crack is wreaking havoc in the poorer neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Gangs compete for business,