I
t was an exceptionally warm autumn day, and bot-
tomless Mimosas were flowing in my favorite Hol-
lywood adjacent brunch garden, where I had the
pleasure of meeting with one of my favorite col-
leagues—Michael J. Burmeister, LMGI for drinks and
conversation. He graciously joins me to separate the
myths from reality in a location career that spans
four decades. His story reads like a pop culture his-
tory lesson in modern-day cinema. The adventures of
"Bur-Man" are many, from outwi ing mob influence
to a near-death experience, Mike has seen and done
it all. We gratefully wait for the more comfortable
booth for him to se le his six-foot frame into. This is
a conversation to be savored as much as the chorizo
and burrata.
Climbing Everest
Discovering the Makings of
a Location Meister
by Jill Naumann
Jill: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR
CAREER FIELD?
Mike: When you're in that rarified domain, the
momentum keeps you going. It's like climbing
Mount Everest. There are not a lot of people up
there, the air is thin, and if you exert yourself
too much, you pass out. It's SO high profile if
you do make a mistake or if you are caught in
a situation that reflects negatively on you, like
a politician with a scandal, you can disappear
overnight. It's like a roller coaster, you hop on,
and when it's over, it's over. Ride the coaster as
long as you can. You laugh, you cry, you want
to throw up, it's just a normal day at work. I'm
like the Sherpa to Mount Everest. I help the big
boys and girls get up there, sneak in with some
cool supplies, get a little woozy, and then it's
"Thanks! Please leave."
Jill: YOUR RÉSUMÉ READS LIKE A HISTORY OF AMERI-
CAN POP CULTURE: TRANSFORMERS, TERMINATOR, THE
TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN 1 & 2, BACK TO THE
FUTURE PART II & PART III, VEGAS VACATION, TWISTER,
CASINO, TROPIC THUNDER, THE X-FILES AND ALWAYS.
YOU ARE CREDITED AS "PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE" ON
SPIELBERG'S E.T. IS THAT LIKE PA ADJACENT?
Mike: Yep! AND, I was in the movie as Michael
Burmeister, my first starring role. There is a
scene where Peter Coyote walks through the
tube going into Elliott's house. As soon as he
enters, I am Papersuit #2. I had a little four-inch
to six-inch eye opening in a full-body white pa-
per suit. It's my claim to fame as the camera
pans by at 100 mph. I'm working on my little
machine when Coyote walks by and nods. My
first and last starring role. Check the call sheet,
Papersuit #2.
All
photos
courtesy
of
Michael
J.
Burmeister/LMGI
except
as
noted
