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 | Fall 2026 • 9 couple said to me while on a spontaneous scout, 'Of course, you'll stay for dinner and I just got to know them so well, they even sent my son a meaningful gift when we were all done filming. It's the simple stuff like that—that is so very special.' "As a location manager, one of my favorite moments is when at some point you get an email from a producer, sign an NDA and then boom, a script drops in to your inbox," says Ryan Schaetzle, (The Blind Side, Peacemaker, Loki, Dawson's Creek). "And you're like, 'WOW—they really entrust me with all of this,' because we are one of the first to look at it, read it, get boots on the ground and ask the question: What is this show going to look like? It's exciting to realize that we get the first crack at it." Cefalu chimes back in, "For the most recent Star Wars, I was given free reign where to look for locations worldwide because we didn't have to bring the entire cast and crew to every location. We would use all the locations I found on the volume stage in Los Angeles." Questions from the crowd also focused on what was the best or favorite part of the job? D. Zachary Heine (Yellowstone, Lioness, 1923, Landman, Fear of the Walking Dead) offers this about the irony and surprising schedules that can become a favorite memory. "It's something new every day like one morning, I wake up in a boat, scouting for a dock scene and then fly eight hours away to a canyon to scout and I end up scouting on horseback. Oddly enough, it is rewarding after a tough day to show up at an apocalyptic territory, and suddenly, you're at catering in basecamp navigating through 1,000 zombie background and just grabbing some chicken wings, and each show is unique—just remembering how we put together some background holding I never expected to need. Not for the people but for 2,500 cattle, 3,000 sheep and 300 horses. It's very satisfying to know you can come through for unusual requests." The panel also emphasized the spontaneity of the unexpected parts of the job. Kelly Harris mentions showing up at 4 a.m. to discover the chosen secret staircase had been artistically painted overnight, forcing her to pivot the visual direction for the scene that could still work at that location. It's a location manager's biggest nightmare, and yet in keeping a calm mind with creative council, she ended up the big hero for the day. Heine shares how he enjoys the impact of a successful show. He states, Yellowstone put Montana on the map and created a cultural wave that people rode out of city life and into ranching. So much so that the real estate market was affected during post- COVID. And it created a ripple effect in fashion and society." Harry Medved attributes this to growing population of location tourism. And Kronen mentioned that anyone who hears she was connected to Modern Family for so many years, only wants to talk about that—even as far away as Paris! Time flew by at a pace worthy of sci-fi time travel, and it's evident that next year's panel will require more time and a larger space. And while all the answers varied greatly for the question of what was the best location, they all agreed that Harris said it best: "After working a job a very long time, my favorite location is always HOME." Special thanks to our sponsors: Big Bear Lake Film Commission Temecula Film Commission San Dimas Film Commission City of Palm Springs National Orange Show in San Bernardino Film LA Big Bear Mountain Resorts The Freaky Cookie The Mission Inn Riverside County Film Commission And our good friend Dan Taylor of the Inland Empire Film Services To view the 2026 Comic-Con Hollywood Scouts panel, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=xqzJCqH1NXQ L-R: LMGI members Jill Naumann, Kelly Harris, Zach Heine, Ryan Schaetzle, moderator Harry Medved, John Cefalu, Scott Trimble, Jordana Kronen, Sonia Villerias Harry Medved, the moderator for the second year of the LMGI Comic-Con panel, is a huge fan of both location managers and the LMGI. As the author of Hollywood Escapes and Location Filming in Los Angeles, Medved is the perfect choice. He calls location managers the 'unsung heroes' of the film industry and is celebrating an Emmy nomination for his wildly popular show, Locationland, which showcases location managers and the fascinating journey that brings a script to the screen through the eyes of a location scout. Look for an exclusive interview with Harry Medved in an upcoming issue of the Compass!