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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18 • LMGI COMPASS | Fall 2023 FAM TOUR and quickly to the top of The Prairie. It was easy to position ourselves so we had a 360-degree unspoiled view of the alpine— mountain peaks, valleys, snow cornices and trackless fields of snow. This was a key setting for crash site in The Grey, and the Antarctic Basecamp/Research Station on Eight Below. After a quick picnic at 5,600 feet, we descended the mountain and made our way to Dennis Lake where co-Fam Tour partners, Dan Kuzmenko/LMGI and Meredith Hodder/LMGI, recently shot The Mother with Jennifer Lopez. Set on the traditional lands of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation, we viewed pristine lakes and remote cabins amidst the backdrop of snow-capped mountain peaks. Day three of the tour had us driving north and west approximately 45 minutes to see the ancient settlements across the town of Hazelton. "Old" Hazelton is set at the junction of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers, surrounded by jagged mountain peaks. Back in its day, it served as the super-highway of paddle-wheelers carrying gold prospectors north, and trappers' pelts south. It was essentially the end of the line before miners joined wagon trains headed out in search of gold. As such, Old Hazelton was busy in the late 1800s. Long before settlers arrived, Old Hazelton was home to four First Nations' villages: Gitanmaax, Glen Vowell, Kispiox and Hagwilget. Two- and three-story buildings line the small grid of streets. With only a few hundred local residents, the roads were quiet and it didn't take much imagination to see the opportunity for a film project in search of a remote northern town. We met with Shanon McPhail, a local resident whose family has deep roots in the community. She related the rich history of the town to us. It became clear we were in a place that had been a crossroads for both culture and civilization for centuries. The Ksan Historical Village and Museum allowed us to view a replica village of the local Gitxsan people, honoring more than 8,000 years of Aboriginal culture— bridging the past to the present. The weathered buildings, intricate carvings and symbology on the buildings and totems were astonishing. Our day ended at dinner with the mayor, along with other key people in Smithers like Will George (Economic Development) who represented tourism and industry. It was clear to all of us this was a community that understood how the logistics of film and television worked, and they were committed to making Smithers the go-to destination for film in Northern British Columbia. I have filmed up in Smithers on two occasions. The first for the film Wings Over Everest and again for the Nelix movie The Mother. Both times the community and businesses in Smithers were welcoming and pro-film. I echo what Dan has said about the community and local businesses supporting film. I found the permiing process to be collaborative and most ideas and locations we wanted to film were permied without any major issues or roadblocks. –Meredith Hodder/LMGI Dan Kuzmenko/LMGI, L-R: Ken Brooker/LMGI & Meredith Hodder/LMGI, Hudson Bay Mountain