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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8 • LMGI COMPASS | Summer 2025 IN THE NEWS The Summer Solstice Educational Event Featuring FilmLA The June 22 LMGI Solstice event at the frame-ready and film-friendly Preserve, opened with complimentary coffee and fruit juices bathed in soft, natural light from the floor to ceiling windows of this hidden members-only Los Angeles oasis. The vibrant workspace campus designed to spark creativity and collaboration available for tiered member- ships doubled today as the presentation theater. The event was organized by LMGI Communications and Opera- tions Director Erika Howard and LMGI Education Commit- tee Co-chair Michael Wesley. Channeling his inner late-night host, Danny Finn/LMGI, 2nd Vice President, served as the event's master of ceremonies. Among the attendees were LMGI members Alasdair Boyd, Nick Castillo, Assya Dimova, "Zippy" Downing, Maria De La Rosa, Hannah Caldwell, Jen Dunne, Mandi Dillin, Alison Dyer, Velvet Graves, Damien Evans, Jason McCauley, Lillian Matsikoudis, Jill Naumann, "Snappy" Oliver, JP O'Connor, Mike Reft, Keaton Ross, Brittany Petros, Jeff Shepherd, Alison Taylor, AJ Valdez, Veronique Vowell, Nicholas Brandt and Gina Vreeland. Los Angeles' nonprofit film permitting agency, FilmLA, took center stage. Twenty-year veteran and FilmLA's Director of Integrated Solutions, Amy Kradolfer, Director of Permit Operations Krishna Asani and Manager of Permit Operations Michael Gonzalez volunteered their Sunday morning to converse in this lighthearted, yet informational, education seminar. They were able to share insight into the permitting process for the cities and areas they represent, as well as the reasoning behind some current revisions to the permit process. They also reiterated from a predetermined list from LMGI members. Gonzalez reminded us to consider utilizing the all-jurisdiction grid permit as a solution for small-budget and mobile productions. Kradolfer also shared an experience where an entire film was produced using only the grid permits, saving the production's valuable resources. Asani closed with the reminder that FilmLA does not determine or set city ordinances and policies. FilmLA's core purpose is to streamline permitting and keep filming in Los Angeles. After the conclusion of the panel, Danny Finn welcomed KALM Sheila Ryan/LMGI to the stage for "The Art of the Permit" conversation. Her command of the permitting process and fearless confidence in the topic was on full display. Her detailed and insightful presentation included previous location templates from LMGI SLMs by Albert Chi/LMGI to the audience of seasoned location professionals that streamlining the bureaucratic red tape and getting productions their permits are the primary directives of FilmLA. Following a quick and clear overview presentation of FilmLA's workflow, questions were lobbed at the panel Michael Glaser and Mandi Dillin used on actual productions. Her deep dive started with a freestyled real-world situation from script to permit, zigged into an anecdote of adding a full load gunfire to a permit after the fact, zagged into a story about canceling a location from a permit only to then add it back on, and reminded: Always communicate honestly and L-R: Jill Naumann/LMGI, Velvet Graves/LMGI, Hannah Caldwell/LMGI L-R: A. Perkins, Melissa "Zippy" Downing/LMGI, Mike Reft/LMGI L-R: Alison Miller/Real Estate Partners, Michael Gonzalez/FilmLA, Donna Washington/FilmLA, Michael Wesley/LMGI, Amy Kradolfer/FilmLA, Krishna Asani/FilmLA, Danny Finn/LMGI, Denise Gutches/FilmLA, Mike Reft/LMGI