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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60 • LMGI COMPASS | Summer 2023 Amsterdam, Netherlands DZH: I love working with imaginative people. Being a part of the creative process is enjoyable to me. I love storytelling. Combining photography and storytelling makes it all worthwhile. Never take for granted the new people you meet on crews and at the various locations, as well as the familiar teams you see from job-to-job. PM: What have you found to be the most challenging? DZH: Working on the "road." It's a blessing and a curse. We all talk about it. Being away from loved ones. Being away from home. Finding ways to deal with the stresses "on the road." Having so much of your personal life played out over text, facetime or long weekends. It's challenging to be captivated with a project that you have no mental space for anything else. Days and weeks and months go by, even years—when you look up, you realize how much has gone by. It can be managed and embraced but it's still a serious challenge. PM: Do you have any advice for any young assistants just starting out? DZH: I would just tell them what I told myself: stick with it. Follow your goals and dreams. The rest will work itself out. Especially on long shoots where you're pulling 14-hour days, all-nighters and weekends—stick with it. Keep a good work ethic and be smart about your attitude, speech and direction with your career. PM: What's the best locations' advice you've received? DZH: Be quick, assertive and helpful. Ironically, I was told this about responding on walkie. I've kept it with me through the years as more of a motto or credo for a Location Department. At the end of the day, we are all working to achieve the same goal. We must be respectful teammates and communicate effectively in order to get a job done on time and on budget. Also, good advice: find locations lit from back and side. Scout for the action. And always lock a good place for the tech scout lunch! PM: What are your tools of the trade? What car or tech gadget or tool can't you live without?? DZH: A DSLR camera, a 4WD vehicle and a laptop. I like to stay up on the latest DSLR cameras. It's nice to look through a lens and frame a shot. It helps sell a location that can save time and money in preproduction. I hate using phone cameras and resist it unless it's a last resort. I've recently began with drones. Even tech scouting on ranches with them. It's perfect to spot equipment and get a good bird's-eye view. Again, a four-wheel drive vehicle is a must. PM: What made you decide to join the LMGI? DZH: I like organizations and institutions serving the group they represent. There is strength in numbers. We must stick together, share and develop ideas, and represent our trade to the industry. I feel the LMGI has an appreciation for tradition. They go beyond supporting the job of location professionals and make it a community of filmmakers. Butte, Montana