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LMGI COMPASS
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Fall 2025
Our fall issue reflects our fierce commitment to both our craft and the communities in which we tell our
stories.
The LMGI was founded by a handful of people with heads full of big ideas. But more people kept
showing
up
and stepping up to do the hard work of building a volunteer organization that is for us, about us and
by us.
There is perhaps no greater proof of our success than the Guild's end-of-summer grand finale: our
spectacular Awards Gala, held this year on August 23 in Santa Monica, CA. Nominees, honorees,
members, sponsors, and friends
showed up from near and far to recognize the outstanding on-location
work of fellow location professionals and the creative partners who support us.
LMGI Compass editor Diane Friedman captures the joy of the celebration and buzz of camaraderie as
we walked the Red Carpet, glowed in the recognition and raised our glasses in honor of our colleagues'
accomplishments in "Celebrating 'Where Story Lives': 12th Annual LMGI Awards." Writer Rachel
Llewellyn's poetic prose describes the qualities that earned the recipients of our Honorary Awards our
deepest appreciation.
Story lives in rural Louisiana playing for 1930's Mississippi in "Red Dirt and Blue Notes in the Gothic
South of
Sinners." Writer Shaun O'Banion takes us on a journey through cotton fields and alligator-
infested bayous with SLM Elston Howard/LMGI for an inside look at the making of the hit horror film.
In
The Shawshank Hustle article, Albert Chi/LMGI explores a "set-jetting" phenomenon that saved a
down-and-out town and member Kokayi Ampah's ongoing connection with the community of Mansfield,
Ohio—the key location of the iconic film,
The Shawshank Redemption, managed by Ampah more than
30 years ago.
"In the News" chronicles the annual LMGI presence at Comic-Con, the LMGI Award "Meet the Finalists"
Zoom panels, and the new
Locationland TV series that celebrates on-location filming in Los Angeles. A
Palm Springs Fam Tour part deux and the London launch of the LMGI's new United Kingdom, Europe &
Africa (UKEA) Region Committee and new UK Subcommittee round out the whirlwind of activities by
our members who have
stepped up to keep the Guild growing and more relevant than ever.
Finally, our "Martini Shot" features a striking view of New York from LM Miguel Fernandez/LMGI.
Until next time,
Stevie Nelson, Diane Friedman, Paul Messana, Edward Mazurek, Dodd Vickers and JJ Levine
FROM THE
EDITORS' DESK
"Appreciation is a
wonderful thing.
It makes what is
excellent in others
belong to us as
well."
–VOLTAIRE
