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 2024 • 33 The Fall Guy come to Sydney with great stars and a director at the top of his game," says SLM Phillip Roope, "but the scale grew and grew with locations being the first thing that had to fall into place. I felt like a juggler throwing balls into the air … luckily, we caught them all!" ORIGINS Producer Guymon Casady, a huge fan of the series, originally won the film rights from legendary TV producer Glen A. Larson 20 years ago and, after a few twists and turns, decided to give it another go in 2020. His first call was to director David Leitch. Leitch began his career as a stunt performer, and over the years, had moved up the ranks to choreographer, stunt coordinator and 2nd unit director. Eventually, he made the leap to director with John Wick, co-directed with his friend and fellow stunt performer and choreographer, Chad Stahelski. A string of well-received action films directed by Leitch would follow and, eventually, he and his wife, producer Kelly McCormick, signed onto The Fall Guy. Things moved pretty quickly after that. SYDNEY FOR … BERLIN? "I was first contacted about The Fall Guy in February of 2022 by executive producer Cecil O'Connor," says Roope. "He was planning to visit New South Wales (NSW) in the spring and I had been recommended by Matt Carroll at Screen NSW." After they spoke, O'Connor sent a draft of the script. "That first draft I read was set in Berlin," says Roope. "It was full of darkness, empty warehouses and chases that were happening in barren, overgrown industrial estates. Tonally, it was grim and, in my opinion, not terribly pleasing, but I just remember thinking, 'OK. Sydney for Berlin. That's a new one.'" Though Roope was not privy to what led the creative team to consider Australia, he assumes it must have been the attractive incentives from the federal and NSW state government through Screen NSW. "Also, the American dollar being so strong against the Australian dollar meant their budget increased by 35% overnight," he says. SEDUCED BY THE SYDNEY SUN Leitch was familiar with Sydney, having worked as a stuntman there on The Matrix sequels and as an action director on Wolverine, and while scouting for The Fall Guy, it occurred to him that Sydney hadn't really been featured in the right way by an American production. His co-producer agreed. "We wondered, could this movie be a love letter to Sydney?" McCormick recalls, as a new vision for the film began to take shape. "Would they open up the city for us to be able to use the iconic, beautiful architecture that they're known and loved for all over the world? We decided then that we wanted to shoot Sydney for Sydney. "I think, after they climbed the bridge and saw the spectacular view of the harbour and the Sydney Opera House, they thought, 'you know, why not make it into a love story, as well as an action film?'" Gone were those grim industrial warehouses and in came that Sydney sun. 1st AD Paul Barry feels the change of setting was a fantastic idea. "Most people go to Sydney for stage work and not necessarily location work. But once we decided to set the film there, we kind of broke that norm in every possible way, and New South Wales and Sydney were amazing just to welcome us—and Phillip and his team were exceptional." PUTTING THE LOCATION TEAM TOGETHER With the new dramatic shift in tone confirmed, Roope began to assemble his team, first pulling in LM Dave Watts/LMGI, who would serve as the linchpin who could keep information and good relations flowing. "Dave and I talked a lot about who might be available," says Roope. "We knew that someone with strong contacts in government would be vital and Lisa Scope/LMGI was at the top of that list. Then we 1 Bligh Street atrium, Photo by Lisa Scope/LMGI