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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16 • LMGI COMPASS | Winter 2022 Mission Accomplished! On Tuesday, November 9, 2021, location man- agers, key assistant location managers and assistant location managers who meet the cri- teria for membership were invited to join the Television Academy for either Active or Asso- ciate membership in the Television Academy's newly formed Location Managers Subgroup within the Producers Peer Group. "Location managers play an integral role in the production, the look, logistics and on-set oversight of producing a television show, and they are a welcome addition to the Producers Peer Group," said Peer Group Governor Tony Carey. Peer Group Governor Keith Raskin add- ed, "These creative and collaborative profes- sionals are indispensable to our business and will bring valuable insight to the Academy." LMGI members who laid the early groundwork for this achievement include LMGI Founder Beth Tate, Chair Emeritus Orin Kennedy, and committee members Kokayi Ampah, Diane Friedman and Stevie Nelson; 1st Vice President J.J. Levine and President John Rakich led the final charge on behalf of location professionals around the world. "I am elated!" exclaims Beth Tate. "This is absolutely why we founded the Guild. The invitation to join the Television Academy is the result of almost 20 years of a sustained and focused effort by members—beginning with our early photo events, the website, the magazine, the awards—to educate our own industry on who we are. That energy and commitment is paying off for all of us in so many ways!" Recalls Kennedy, "Seventeen years ago, as a founding member of the LMGI, I started knock- ing on the door of the TV Academy. I always believed, through my personal experience as a Location Manager, that our artistic and mana- gerial contributions to TV production were im- portant enough to be recognized by our peers for TV Academy membership. I submitted, per the request of the ATAS Membership Com- mittee—which itself changed every couple of years—a list of over 100 qualified, veteran lo- cation manager and scout applications. I was repeatedly met with a disheartening response. "After several attempts over the years, both in person and in writing, I was told there wasn't an existing peer group willing to take us in, or that we were not strong enough in numbers to have our own separate group. But thankfully the Guild never gave up the fight and the stars have finally aligned with the current enlight- ened ATAS administration." "This is a milestone moment, not just for the LMGI, but for all location professionals to be recognized as creative contributors within the Television Academy, especially now with the wealth of incredible content being made," adds Rakich. Kennedy sums it up: "Thanks to the current LMGI leadership, the ATAS Producers Peer Group has finally recognized our contributions and we can now share our creative energy and passion with our new Academy brothers and sisters!" Applications and requirements can be found @ https://www.emmys.com/academy /organization/peer-groups/location-managers Almost two decades of hard work by the LMGI culminates with the formal invite into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for all location professionals! MOVIE STUDIO PRIVATE SCREENERS LMGI members have oen received movie and television pre-screeners sent out by United Artist Releasing (UAR) or the studios. These 'For Your Consideration' (FYC) screeners were provided to our membership to expose us to projects so that we might contribute to the Emmy and Oscar buzz. Now that the LMGI has been officially invited to join the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, it is anticipated that more screeners will come our way. We are not only "influencers," LMGI members who join the Academy are now VOTERS! Currently, the screeners are sent to influencers and members in New York and LA where Academy voting members are heavily active. Inactive placeholders exist for London and Atlanta. The screeners will likely skew into other markets as membership expands. In addition to physical screeners, digital screeners will allow for virtual viewing from anywhere a WiFi connection exists. This is just another benefit for LMGI members who join the Television Academy. Please consider joining! In numbers there is strength! "Being accepted into the Television Academy is a glorious achievement for us! First the Motion Picture Academy, and now this. Location professionals should all be proud that our role in the creative process is being recognized. It's what the LMGI is all about and has been from the beginning." –JJ LEVINE, 1ST VICE PRESIDENT