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 | Summer 2022 • 27 CITY OF BRANTFORD FOR THE HANDMAID'S TALE In fleshing out the war-torn city of Chicago in the world of The Handmaid's Tale, production enlisted the help of the city of Brantford's Economic Development and Tourism services to allow for portions of their downtown to be closed, dressed and transformed while making sure the citizenry and production were happy. More than a dozen municipal departments were involved to coordinate all elements with a huge amount of planning with the city. Extensive public space and road closures were required, including closing the main eastbound artery in downtown. City staff rallied around the project to issue the appropriate permits while balancing the needs of residents, businesses and public services to great success. CITY OF KINGSTON, ONTARIO, FOR THE MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN The city of Kingston near Toronto played for the fi ctitious town of Kingstown, Michigan, and helped production access the Kingston Penitentiary, a key location and character in the story. The fi lm offi ce helped source local labour, suppliers and more than 150 local background, including active and retired military personnel, for elaborate riot scenes. The fi lm offi ce involved the local university fi lm studies program, executed all permits at an active provincial ferry terminal and for helicopter fi lming near a controlled airspace, established an incentive program to help off set travel and lodging costs, and developed stringent COVID protocols to the set to operate safely during the peak of the pandemic. HAWAII FILM OFFICE FOR THE WHITE LOTUS One of the fi rst few shows fi lmed during the pandemic, this shot entirely on the island of Maui. The local government was instrumental in helping establish COVID protocols and screen the production crew and staff so they could work safely in Hawaii. All transpacifi c travel had been suspended to Hawaii, tourism had been shut down and hotels were empty. On the island of Maui, the Four Seasons Resort in Wailea proved to be the perfect backdrop for this astonishing series. The standards established with this production formed the template that led to the re- opening of the fi lm industry across the Hawaiian Islands— an amazing eff ort by the Hawaii Film Offi ce. OUTSTANDING FILM COMMISSION JAMAICA PROMOTIONS CORPORATION FOR NO TIME TO DIE In the fi nal chapter of the Daniel Craig 007 franchise, the production returned to its roots in Jamaica—and relied on the help of the Jamaican Film Commission for the setting of Bond's short-lived retirement at his tropical retreat a reality. The island also doubled for scenes in Cuba. OKLAHOMA FILM + MUSIC OFFICE FOR RESERVATION DOGS Working with the creators to fi lm where the story takes place, the Oklahoma Film + Music Offi ce aided in priming many rural, native communities that had not previously hosted fi lm and television before to welcome the production crew of Reservation Dogs with open arms. It is the fi rst full season, scripted network series to be entirely produced in Oklahoma and the fi rst to tell stories about Indigenous people made by Indigenous people on television. The state instituted new fi lming incentives and COVID protocols during the pandemic. The fi lm offi ce helped navigate city leadership and community participation with particular care and attention to the Indigenous population in those areas, valuing its working relationship with FX Productions and ensuring that the cast and crew had the best possible experience while working in the state. THE ROYAL FILM COMMISSION - JORDAN FOR ZARA MAN This ambitious project shot in the deserts of Wadi Rum, featuring 60 international crew members and approx. 250 local crew members. More than 1,000 kg of equipment and clothes were flown in from Paris. As with most productions in Jordan, the RFC (Royal Film Commission) was involved from the start, supporting with permits and making sure all the government communications were quickly in place. The RFC made sure all our equipment entry and exit documents were available to the client before they reached Jordan. International commercials are usually produced over a short period of time and without the support and expertise of the RFC—and the reliability of the Jordanian crew—projects like this would have been diffi cult, if not impossible, to pull off in the amount of time allocated.