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 | Spring 2024 • 17 "Locations Behind the Oscars" It would be great if locations had our own category in the Oscars, but until we do, the LMGI continues to celebrate the contributions of location professionals to the top Oscar contenders with our annual "Locations Behind the Oscars" Zoom panels. Held on April 9 in two separate Zooms this year, LMGI panel organizers and moderators JJ Levine and Miguel Tapia covered films in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director, Production Design, Cinematography and International Films. They were assisted behind the scenes by member volunteers Sasha Denisoff and Les Fincher, along with LMGI administrator Erika Howard. This was also the first year the LMGI arranged for translators, including LMGI members Sonia Villerias and Tammy Surprenant, as well as friends of the Guild, David Yu and Joseph Kiuchi. Big thanks also go to members Diane Friedman and Robin Citrin for assistance with interview questions. "JJ and I love doing these panels," said Tapia, "it's amazing to connect with location professionals around the world and share their process on these celebrated films. For several of this year's movies, securing locations at the locations where the historic events occurred was a priority. Many panelists provided visual aids, including scouting and historical photographs and overhead diagrams. Added Tapia, "We flew through the skies of Chile, visited small towns in Oklahoma, public restrooms in Tokyo, were reminded of the horrors of Nazi Germany, solved a murder in a French chalet and then some … the time just flies by on these Zooms." Of the event Levine said, "These panels are so important because with each one, we further develop our community of like-minded location professionals, and we often inspire those not yet in locations to choose this career path. We are united by a common bond and building professional relationships and friendships. It's like discovering a long-lost relative from across the planet." Award-nominated films and panel participants this year included: • American Fiction - LM Stephen Hartman (MA) • Anatomy of a Fall - LM Xaviar Douin • Barbie - KALM Dorion Thomas/LMGI • El Conde - LM Sebastian Fuentes Magana/LMGI (Chile) • The Holdovers - LM Kai Quinlan • IO Capitano - LM Gennero Aquino (Sicily), LM Ivan Ferrendes (Siciliy) • Killers of the Flower Moon - SLM Mike Fantasia/LMGI • Maestro - LM Alex Gladstone (UK) • Napoleon - LM Steve Mortimer (UK-SLM), LM Joseph Formosa Randon/LMGI (Malta) • Oppenheimer - LM Dennis Muscari (NY/NJ), LM Patty Carey Palazzo, KALM Eric Maldonado/LMGI (New Mexico) • Past Lives - LM Sol Kang (Korea), Young Suh (Korea- Producer), LM Joseph Mullaney/LMGI (NY) • Perfect Days - LM Ko Takahashi (Tokyo/Japan) • Society of the Snow - LM Juan Benincasa (Uruguay) • The Zone of Interest - LM Eugene Strange/LMGI, LM Michal Sliwkiewicz/LMGI Videos of the calls are available through your LMGI member dashboard and on LMGI's YouTube channel.