Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538629
L O C AT I O N M A N A G E R S G U I L D I N T E R N AT I O N A L I 1 2 t h A N N U A L L M G I A W A R D S 4 3 for in the script but would make exotic or eye-catching backgrounds to stage the scripted action. "For Inception, for instance, the original script called for a van to crash off the top of a parking garage into the river. I suggested a lift bridge in Long Beach where the van could crash into the harbor. And in Captain Marvel I offered up a sand quarry in Simi Valley which had very cool topographic shapes that proved perfect for the surface of another planet." His artistry is foundational to the visual identity of Wakanda in Black Panther where Jones stitched together Puerto Rican beaches, South Korean cityscapes, and Atlanta's urban sprawl to create a fictional homeland. The Transformers franchise found him orchestrating complex international shoots across Egypt, Jordan and the U.S., shutting down Michigan Avenue in Chicago for three days, and filming in bustling Hong Kong and along China's Great Wall. Bryce says that Jones makes it all look effortless. "There were a lot of locations that he had to manage with skill, care and ultimate professionalism—both domestically and internationally and usually under quite difficult pressure with very demanding personalities involved. Navigating those courses would be challenging for anyone and Ilt stood out magnificently on all those films." Jones' production adventures found him in jail for accidentally trespassing on a military base; being rescued by helicopter after falling down a cliff in the Santa Monica Mountains; quieting a barking dog with peanut butter only to find that its resulting gastrointestinal distress had ruined a very expensive rug; and wrangling extras dressed as SWAT personnel and hostages who had wandered off-set and into a public mall toting pump action shotguns, smoke grenades and bundles of dynamite. Jones' creative ambition and logistical mastery have led epic-scale projects across the globe through permitting hurdles, foul weather and time crunches with grit and diplomacy. He has collected professional accolades that include the 2014 LMGI Award for "Outstanding Achievement by a Location Professional in a Feature Film" for Iron Man 3, the 2024 California On Location Award's (COLA) Lifetime Achievement Award, and a deserved place in the pantheon of the Guild's most respected veterans. For Jones, adaptability and resilience are buoys atop the shifting tides of a quickly evolving production landscape. "When I started there was no internet, no digital cameras, no cellphones! When I worked on The X-Files I would take rolls of 35mm film for developing to the Westside Pavilion Mall. I would hand over the canisters to the photo lab (remember them?) and go to Barnes & Noble for an hour to read a book in one of their comfy armchairs—I read most of Charles Dickens in this way!" He has gone on to mentor a generation of professionals as a testament to the deep trust and regard he's earned across the industry. "A giant in both stature and intellect, Ilt Jones has lived his life and career with humility and grace," attests longtime colleague, supervising location manager Douglas Dresser/LMGI. "He has ushered the careers of countless location managers and assistants, and his tutelage will have an impact for generations. I am so proud to call Ilt a mentor and friend for over 30 years." "Save six month's rent and bill money before you even think of a career in film," is Jones' advice to aspiring location professionals. "Once you've done that, try, try and try again. You'd be amazed how much luck and opportunity you can generate by not giving up! I didn't know anybody in the film business besides my friend who gave me my first job. Following that, I worked my balls off to capitalize on that first piece of good luck and that persistence paid off handsomely. "I was given the following two pieces of advice on my first proper Hollywood film: Be nice on the way up because you never know who you'll meet on the way down and give the bad news fast. I learned that so long as you gave a producer as much time as possible to react to bad news, they would nearly always forgive a budget overage or a lost location." For his unparalleled contributions to the art and logistics of filmmaking on a grand scale, Ilt Jones stands as a true visionary in the field of location scouting and management, and the LMGI is proud to honor him with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award! Jones' enduring curiosity to see beyond the next bend in the road led to a cascade of globe- trotting projects. "If not working, he's traveling," says producer Ian Bryce, who worked with Jones on the Transformers franchise and Hancock. "That appetite for exploration is in Ilt's blood and made him the perfect partner to lead us to a vast array of some of the most beautiful, iconic, sensitive, historical, fascinating and exciting locations that we were privileged to film together."