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
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1545239
12 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2026 Building a More Global Guild: Inside the LMGI's Inclusive Regional Membership Pricing Model At the close of 2025, the Location Managers Guild International ratified a bylaws amendment introducing regionally adjusted membership pricing, creating a more inclusive framework for qualified location professionals around the world to join and participate in the Guild. Developed by LMGI 1st Vice President Angus Ledgerwood, the plan responds to a practical challenge facing an increasingly international craft: how to maintain a single professional standard while acknowledging that the cost of membership is experienced very differently across global markets. The proposal was first presented to the Board at the 2025 Board Retreat in Los Angeles, where it sparked a broader conversation around access, growth, regional representation and the long-term structure of LMGI membership. Over the following months, the model was reviewed, discussed and refined, culminating in a revised version in September 2025. By the close of the year, the membership had ratified the bylaws amendment, allowing the updated regional pricing structure to move from proposal to implementation beginning January 1, 2026. The shift reflects both a philosophical and practical reality. The LMGI is an international organization, but the global production landscape has changed significantly over the past decade. Productions now move across borders with greater frequency, studios and producers routinely seek experienced local guidance in unfamiliar territories, and location professionals increasingly rely on trusted networks to identify colleagues abroad. To keep pace, the Guild's membership needs to reflect the full breadth of the profession—not only in long-established production centers, but also in growing and emerging markets where skilled location professionals are working under very different economic conditions. The new pricing model preserves a central principle: one membership, one standard. Membership qualifications, professional expectations, benefits, voting rights and inclusion in the LMGI Member Directory remain the same for all members, regardless of where they live or work. What changes is how access is priced. The model applies to a country-based pricing structure using internationally recognized economic data, allowing dues to better align with a member's regional economic environment while keeping the Guild's professional standards consistent globally. The methodology is based on World Bank income classifications, which group economies, according to Gross National Income per capita. For clarity and usability, the LMGI translates those classifications into three pricing tiers. Tier 1 countries remain at the full membership rate and include high-income countries with established film and television sectors. Tier 2 countries receive a 25% discount and generally represent upper-middle-income countries with growing or moderately developed production sectors. Tier 3 countries receive a 50% discount, with a reduced application fee, and include lower middle and low-income countries, as well as markets with developing production infrastructure or strategic industry potential. The result is a system that is transparent, data-informed and straightforward to administer, grounded in an external benchmark rather than subjective, case-by-case judgment. The intended impact is broader than affordability alone. A more globally representative membership strengthens and deepens the LMGI Member Directory, making it a more reliable tool for members, producers, studios and industry partners seeking vetted location professionals in territories around the world. In regions where cost has historically limited participation, regional pricing helps address that issue directly by encouraging qualified professionals in underrepresented markets to join, connect and become visible within the Guild's international network. As participation expands across more regions, the value of that network compounds—for the organization and for the craft as a whole. The development and implementation process also reflected the importance of making the system workable, not merely aspirational. It needed to be clear to communicate, practical to administer through the membership platform and durable enough to hold up over time. Pricing is applied through the application process based on address, allowing the final cost to be clearly presented before payment. The accompanying country lists also provide clarity so applicants, members, regional film commissions and industry partners can understand how the structure applies. Ultimately, the inclusive regional membership pricing model is a structural response to the way the location profession is developing today: internationally connected, locally led and strengthened by a broader range of regional experience and perspective. By aligning pricing with global economic realities while maintaining uniform standards, the LMGI expands access without diluting the value of membership. It is a practical step toward growing the member base, strengthening the Directory and ensuring that the Guild represents the craft not only where it has been strongest, but where it is actively growing.