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 2025 • 39 AND THE FINALISTS ARE… T he 2025 LMGI Awards celebrates "Where Story Lives" and the role location professionals play in the creative collaboration that propels words on a page into the real world way before a movie, TV series or commercial bursts onto big and small screens for all to see! This year, the Awards Committee received a record number of submissions which were eagerly viewed, discussed, vetted and curated with a broad slate of nominees for a first round of voting by the LMGI membership to determine the finalists in each category. The quality of the scores of exceptional projects considered from around the globe is a breathtaking testament to how we, as location professionals, help create the worlds where story lives. We walk through spaces holding the writer's intention, the director's vision, the cinematographer's lens and the art department's palette in mind guiding us to exactly where each story needs to come alive. Story lives in the homes characters inhabit, the cities where they work, in the streets they walk, the roads they travel and the far-flung destinations where destiny leads them. Story lives in the shared illusion of an imagined place as real, in the replication of an actual place, or at times, in the place where events really did happen. On their award submission forms, location professionals shared how the creative elements they had researched, scouted and presented came together to serve the story. Anora revels in the veracity of its settings, as it "was shot in authentic Brighton Beach locations that gave the film its incredible sense of truth," while The Penguin team assembled a fictional Gotham City, "one of the most storied locations in film and television history" piece by piece. "There was a lot of world- building required to tie all these disparate and visually unique areas into one believable city." Who can deny being transported back to Dylan's early years in Greenwich Village in A Complete Unknown? Yet, most of "the New York scenes were cheated in New Jersey" where "all the locations had the raw bones and foundations that allowed our production designer to set the tone for the 1960s." Story lives in the pervasive mood that a sense of place can powerfully evoke. "I don't believe you could've made Twisters as authentic and gripping if it wasn't in Oklahoma, with sweeping vistas across endless skies," asserts its location manager. The isolation and beauty of the American Southwest desert in Dark Winds "amplify the show's sense of mystery, spiritual depth and cultural grounding." And "each location in The Last of Us was carefully crafted to not only serve the narrative but to mirror the protagonists' inner journeys and the fragile beauty of a world forever changed." In a two-minute spot for Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred, a single location in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, was chosen "for its dark, foreboding atmosphere. The rugged terrain, dense foliage and eerie aesthetic set the mood with its haunting beauty." Story lives in the collective memory of the audience. Locations were carefully selected in I'm Still Here "to bring back the vibes of Rio de Janeiro in the '70s, immersing viewers in a city that no longer exists. Brazilian viewers were shocked with nostalgia" its LM exclaims! Story lives in the real world, and the finalists for "Outstanding Film Commission" opened doors that made access to incredible locations possible. By now, the votes are in from the second round of voting. The 2025 LMGI Award finalists represent the pinnacle of our craft—professionals who understand that every location choice shapes where story breathes and springs to life. The winners will be announced at our 12th Annual Awards gala in Santa Monica, CA, on August 23, 2025. We hope to see you there—or following the ceremony on the livestream on YouTube! Congratulations to all the finalists! THE LMGI AWARDS COMMITTEE FOR THE 12TH ANNUAL LMGI AWARDS PRESENTS Here are the 2025 LMGI Award finalists for your consideration: