LMGI COMPASS
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Fall 2026
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43
Taking It to the Streets
Even a "simple" city street presents enormous challenges. Daniels
considers streets among the hardest locations to manage because
control extends far beyond the frame. "A stunt that takes place
out in the street may require, as anyone reading this will likely
know all too well, various municipalities, police, transportation
authorities, residents, postal routes, utilities and businesses all to
function as temporary production partners."
Ultimately, what makes it all come together is the city and the
people of Fort Worth. They make the show's velocity possible. LM
Paul Knaus/LMGI describes officials who "answer their phones
after hours, businesses accustomed to the footprint and a local
network built through repeated collaboration."
When a downtown action sequence required an unplanned
additional day, that relationship was put to the test. "We started
calling people when they were at home having dinner with their
kids … and they could've ignored us, sent us to voicemail," he
recalls. "But by the following morning, businesses, police and
permits had been rearranged. I really doubt the same turnaround
could have been achieved even in Dallas, much less New York or
Los Angeles."
While goodwill is valuable, it is not inexhaustible. That's why
Daniels insists on fair dealing rather than exploiting a community's
enthusiasm. And some property owners realize the long afterlife of
having a famous screen address, which means that those doors
simply will not open. Others see opportunity, like the owners of
the cafe property. Whichever side of that line a property owner
may fall, the location team discusses the potential long-tail of
attention with owners before a deal is made.
L-R: James Jordan, Sam Elliott and Billy Bob Thornton contemplate life
L-R: Kayla Wallace, Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore
