Prsrt Std SPRING 2017 The Official Magazine of the Location Managers Guild International U.S. Postage Paid Location Managers Guild International Santa Ana, CA 8033 Sunset Blvd., Suite 1017 Permit No. 450 Los Angeles, CA 90046 SPRING 2017 / IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 5 / ISSUE 2 4 EDITORS’ DESK “The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare.”

–THANE HOST 6 36 LETTER FROM FURIOUS 8 From left: Eric Hooge, Ariel Races to Cuba Montenegro and Matt Prisk

THE PRESIDENT Prisk/LMGI Matt by Photo 8 30 CONTRIBUTORS LMGI AWARDS Warner Bros. hosts an unforgettable gala

16 CAREER FOCUS Managing with aloha, Laura Sode-Matteson 54 MARTINI SHOT 10 36° 28' 19" N / 118° 00' 65" W IN THE NEWS • AFCI Trifecta • Kokayi Ampah ever ready • Spotlighting the Dominican Republic • LMGI Administrative Director Kikelomo “Kiki” Akinrele • Remembering Michael Cassidy • The LMGI opens at Sundance 22 46 IN MY CITY CHASING THE ON THE COVER Ariel Leon Isacovitch explores PUCK Vin Diesel. Courtesy of a South American gem Adrian Knight on location Universal Pictures

LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 3 FROM THE

EDITORS’ DESK Your settings play a We spent 10 years preparing for our LMGI Awards and have just enjoyed a wildly successful fourth annual gala. Kudos to all of our nominees and winners. Among the winners? Each and ev- leading role in the ery LMGI member, for we have built an impressive international community in a very short period of time. It was great to see storytelling process. so many of you grinning from ear to ear while celebrating our craft. Read more about our sold-out affair captured by former Sedona Film Commissioner, Judy Schultz. Transport your next film

In keeping with the importance of preparing and the pleasure to the vivid and exciting of accomplishing the impossible, The Fate of the Furious crew was the first major production to shoot in Havana, Cuba. In world of Glendale. our cover story, supervising location manager Eric Hooge and manager Matt Prisk share their once-in-a lifetime experiences “The will to win is worthless if you do not with reporter Nancy Mills. Glendale provides the ultimate have the will to prepare.” Mills also ventures to Montreal with member Adrian Knight to —THANE HOST explore the demanding schedule of 19-2, the popular Cana- backdrop 18 hours a day. From a vibrant “So many of our dreams at first seem im- dian cop drama that is always on location, pushing budget lim- its with creativity and hard work in “19-2: Chasing the Puck.” downtown brimming with possibilities, possible, then they seem improbable, and to lush hillsides and manicured parks, then, when we summon the will, they soon In our featured columns, “In My City” invites us to join location manager Ariel Leon Isacovitch for an intimate look at Santiago, to charming neighborhoods like the become inevitable.” Chile. Location pro Laura Sode-Matteson traces her journey —CHRISTOPHER REEVE from the Hawaiian Islands to Hollywood in “Career Focus.” bohemian Adams Hills, quaint Kenneth “In the News” details the LMGI’s debut at the Sundance Film Village and picturesque Montrose. Festival and our triple crown participation at this year’s AFCI Location Trade Show. Sasha Denisoff checks in with fellow Discover your next far away adventure, member Kokayi Ampah as he starts a new producing chapter in his storied career. Denisoff also catches up with members JJ right here in Glendale. Levine and Rebecca “Puck” Stair as they journey to the Domini- can Republic and visit LMGI Business member Lantica Media. And we are very excited to welcome the LMGI’s new Adminis- trative Director, Kikelomo “Kiki” Akinrele. Contact us to set up your next film project: 818-548-2090 On a sad note, we mark the passing of our friend, Michael Cas- sidy. As the head of the LMGI sales efforts, Michael was a criti- glendaleca.gov/businesses/filming-in-glendale cal collaborator in the growth of the Guild once we joined forces with IngleDodd Media. He will be greatly missed.

Looking forward, the LMGI Board annual elections will be com- Follow Us #MyGlendale ing up in May. All active and retired members are encouraged to run for a seat on the Board. The Board is organizing a strategic planning session this summer to chart the Guild’s course in the coming years. The Guild exists to serve its members. Please be @ChooseGlendale sure to respond to the strategic planning survey that will be go- ing out to members so that your voice can be heard as we plan www.glendaleca.gov for our future!

Always a pleasure, never too busy, Ken Haber, Lori Balton and Stevie Nelson

4 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 C M Y B

LETTER C MPASS InspI re ✶ IllumI nate ✶ IgnI te ✶ ImagI ne FROM THE Official Magazine of Location Professionals Promoting Excellence Show and tell your story PRESIDENT on Location Worldwide

Dear Members, rsr at the historic Alex Theatre. Editors The 4th Annual Location Managers Guild International Lori Balton Awards were a rousing success. We’re glad so many of you Stevie Nelson Ext. Int. could join us as we honored the location professionals and Ken Haber film commissions that delivered the real-world locales 1,400-seAt providing the sense of time and place for films, television LMGI Officers AuDitoriuM shows and commercials. Congratulations to the winners Eric Klosterman, President and all the nominees. Jennifer “JJ” Levine, 1st Vice President Mike Fantasia, 2nd Vice President The LMGI is proud to be an international association. We seek to build bridges Sinclair Anderson, Treasurer between filmmakers not walls. To that end, we participate in trade shows such Melissa DeMonaco, Secretary as FOCUS in London and AFCI in Burbank. We present panel discussions by LMGI Administrative Director location professionals at Comic-Con and Sundance, and we join forces with our Kikelomo “Kiki” Akinrele new industry partners: the Directors Guild Canada, Ontario and British Colum- bia. Our members have traveled to Poland, South Korea, Chile, Cambodia and a LMGI Board of Directors host of countries in between, to broaden our understanding of these cultures and Kokayi Ampah Art Deco MArquee share best practices for filming on location. Our members share their interna- Jimmy Ayoub tional experience and expertise in a spirit of mutual respect. Going forward, we opeN-Air New DressiNg rooMs Bob Decker Forecourt will continue our immersion in one another’s culture and experience through trade Wes Hagan shows, fam tours, workshops, media interviews and photo exhibitions that raise Phill Kane awareness of how we do what we do and the results of our work as it shows up on Matt Palmer C M C M Y B Y B big and small screens everywhere. Mario Ramirez Rick Schuler In a world where the sum total of all human knowledge and history is readily avail- Rebecca “Puck” Stair able at the click of a mouse or a screen swipe, we do well to remember that it takes Dorion Thomas human vision and understanding to find that needle in the haystack, the place that corresponds to the script, enhancing the director’s intention. LMGI Chairman Emeritus Orin Kennedy We are blessed today with an increasing number of platforms requiring visual content. The incentives race demands an even greater skill in finding the place eAsy-Access that matches both what is written and what’s in the budget. It’s a delicate balance. The LMGI Compass is published quarterly by LoADiNg Dock the Location Managers Guild International. The task falls on all of you to keep the Guild vital and relevant. I urge you to reach locationmanagers.org out to your counterparts in other regions and countries, share your experience and build the bridges that will take us all to the next level of global excellence on Comments, editorial and photo submissions location. can be sent to:     [email protected] Eric Klosterman,   Publisher  stAte-oF-the-Art President IngleDodd Media   souND AND Lights TM Advertising  

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C M Y B publication: LMGI Awards Program October 2016 client: Glendale Arts size: 8.375”w x 10.875”h trim + .125” bleed color: 4/C ad due: 10/12/16 designer: Mike Diehl • 818.552.4110 FILM AT CONTRIBUTORS

Sasha Denisoff Nancy Mills Judy Schultz WE ARE IN THE Sasha was born and raised in San Rafael, Nancy Mills is a freelance entertainment A marketing major interested in film, Judy California, and has spent the past 15 years writer whose work has appeared in dozens of created her own internship with the STUDIO ZONE exploring and moving between San Francisco, magazines and newspapers around the world, Connecticut state film office, where she New York and Los Angeles. including USA Today, USA Weekend magazine, was introduced to the production industry. Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly, People, After 11 years freelancing as a location Variety of backdrops on Cosmopolitan, Elle, The Costco Connection, scout/assistant (Message in a Bottle, Her love of film and photography, and a knack for Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, New ESPN, Judging Amy, Gilmore Girls), script one versatile campus problem-solving led her to pursue locations upon York Daily News, The Guardian, International supervisor (Martha Stewart Living, Dick her return to Los Angeles in 2014. Since then, she Herald Tribune and The New York Times Wolf Prods), production coordinator has been proud to work on NBC’s The Voice, Amazon Syndicate. Over the years, she has visited (Rescue 911, America’s Most Wanted) and » 500 acres of private, adaptable Studios’ Just Add Magic and the COLA-nominated hundreds of TV and film locations in such AD (Discovery Channel), Judy became the NEW filming film environment team of Hulu’s forthcoming series Future Man. far-flung spots as China, India, Italy, France, project manager for the CT Film Office, Germany, England, Mexico, Australia and Fiji. where she always hoped to return. Judy » 300,000 square feet of sound stages A writer by inclination and education, she has She is a graduate of Cornell University. was then recruited to open a film office in opportunity: contributed articles to Zink magazine and Sedona, Arizona, which she successfully » 225 acres of open parking lots Popmatters.com, holds a BFA in writing from Pratt operated as director for three years while completing several master classes as a Institute and an MFA in writing from Columbia » 9,000-seat grandstand with member of AFCI. A former fitness two full-size soccer University, and is presently working on her debut grass infield instructor, Judy enjoys working out & time novel as well as a book about plant-based cuisine. outdoors as well as reading and writing. » 5-acre self-sustaining urban farm After a hiatus to take care of family fields with lights members, Judy is exploring fresh » 244 all-suite Sheraton Fairplex opportunities in the industry that will utilize her production, marketing and Hotel, KOA RV Park and equipment administrative skills while volunteering rental company all on-site with the LMGI. » Flexible and professional staff

Contact: Melissa DeMonaco at 909.865.4042 or [email protected]

8 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 IN THE Produced by NEWS Kokayi Ampah AFCI Location Expo 2017 We’re here

The LMGI was a triple threat (Westworld), Robert Foulkes, Above: Veteran location scout

Lori Balton fields questions from Ampah/LMGI Kokayi of courtesy Photo at this year’s AFCI Show. LMGI (La La Land), Pat Karam Film Commissioners. when need us From a dynamic booth to (The Crown) and Nevada Film Photo courtesy of LMGI by Sasha Denisoff our informative “Meet the Commissioner Eric Preiss Below, from left: Pat Karam, Mandi Nominees” panel, to an AFCI (Jason Bourne). Dillin, Robert Foulkes, Eric Preiss, Kokayi Ampah, LMGI is University class, the Location Nevada Film Office, and moderator a legend in the world of Andy Edmunds, Virginia Film Office. Managers Guild International Organized by Awards Photo by Eric Klosterman/LMGI locations. His four-decade was present and accounted for. career as a location manager includes credits such as Our booth was well attended Mystic River, Million Dollar and well staffed, featuring Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, President Eric Klosterman and The Color Purple, The new Administrative Director Shawshank Redemption and Kikelomo “Kiki” Akinrele. The Soloist. He is only the Volunteers included Ken Haber, second location pro granted Kenny Brant, Val Douroux, membership to the Academy Jeff Morris, Kent Matsuoka, of Motion Picture Arts and Melissa DeMonaco, Angela Sciences. Fogg, Kokayi Ampah, Karen Woodland Hills Bryden, Nicole Young, Dorion Semi-retired from location Office hours to fit the hectic life of Jack H. Skirball Health Center Thomas and Rebecca “Puck” management since 2013, MPTF Wasserman Campus Stair. Everyone did a great his focus has turned toward the entertainment industry 23388 Mulholland Dr job of reaching out to people Committee Co-chair Robin Conversations ranged from producing. His recent (818) 876-1050 Citrin, the entertaining event how you deal with naked projects include A Beautiful who came by. A number of UCLA and MPTF working together means you can see a network of M-F, 7 am – 9 pm / Sat, Sun, Holidays 9 am – 5 pm was moderated by Andy people painted blue, to how film commissions expressed Day, a 2016 short, on which Toluca Lake Edmunds of the Virginia Film often you can crash a car great UCLA Health specialists at the times that work best for you. interest in hosting fam tours he is an associate producer. Toluca Lake Health Center and becoming members. Office. His first question to onto a casino floor. The panel He co-produced the We understand that the entertainment industry doesn’t just work 4323 Riverside Dr Pat Karam was “How did you provided insider info on top upcoming Cliffs of Freedom, (818) 556-2700 convince the Queen to allow a productions and was a great “Meet the Nominees” panelists a feature about the Greek 9 to 5, Monday through Friday — and neither do we. M-F, 7 am – 6 pm / Sat, 8 am – 4 pm were Mandi Dillin, LMGI film crew into her bedroom?” way for international location Revolution of the 1820s. Santa Clarita professionals to connect. He additionally produced Our extended hours, seven-day schedules and our Health Wheels Santa Clarita Health Center two shorts that deal with 25751 McBean Pkwy #210 Location scout Lori Balton, homelessness, inspired by mobile office make it easy to keep your health in check and keep (661) 284-3100 LMGI taught a seminar his experiences working working. That’s care the entertainment industry can count on. M-F, 8 am – 5 pm / Sat, 8 am – 4 pm outlining various scenarios, on Los Angeles’ Skid Row resources, best practices during production of The And care that begins with U. West Los Angeles and latest technologies used Soloist. Westside Health Center to find the right locations. 1950 Sawtelle Blvd #130 After a lively Q&A covering Transitioning from location (310) 996-9355 everything from incentives to management to producing M-F, 8 am – 6 pm websites, to fam tours and to seems a natural move, not Los Angeles, Hollywood, Mid-City courting second unit, Balton just for Ampah, but for many Bob Hope Health Center reminded attending film location professionals, as 335 N. La Brea Ave commissioners that they are the work requires interaction (323) 634-3850 a critical asset for location and an understanding of 1-800-876-8320 uclahealth.org/mptf M-F, 8:30 am – 5 pm / Sat, 8 am – 4 pm From left: Kent Matsuoka, President Eric Klosterman, Administrative scouts—our relationship is every single department. Director Kiki Akinrele and Jeff Morris. Photo by Ken Haber/LMGI mutually beneficial. Location management proves

10 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 MPTF/AC

UCLA1825 MPTF Ad Update-LMGA Compass Round: PRS

Date 10.23.16 Colors 4/0 (Process) Trim 8.375”w x 10.875”h Production Mgr Andrew Edelstein Materials Date 12.16.16 Publication LMGA Compass MPTF/IDM Bleed 8.625”w x 11.125”h Project Mgr Sheryl Evans Insertion Date Advertiser UCLA Health Live N/A Client UCLA Health Client Contact Debbie Rogers, Jennifer Fagen Publication Contact: IngleDodd Media, [email protected], [email protected] Alternate Contact Judi Goodfriend

Donenfeld & Associates 8367 W 4th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048 310.756.5700 to be a fertile training ground for anyone moving Michael Paul into producing. Ampah, however, is no stranger Cassidy to producing. In fact, he Oct. 19, 1961 – Feb. 16, 2017 began his career in 1968 as a producer of an hour- long weekly show at a TBS affiliate in Minneapolis. In that role, Ampah says he “did everything. I produced, I directed, I was behind the camera.” He continued exploring various avenues for the next 10 years, as a director of photography, dolly grip and assistant director, before joining the Hollywood Teamsters Local 399 in 1978, where his lauded career in location management began.

With such a varied and Michael was the senior extensive background, account manager at it’s fitting that Ampah’s IngleDodd Media (IDM) and career comes full circle a critical part of our growth as he anticipates his next and success over the past professional chapter. 11 years. He managed hundreds of advertiser and sponsor relationships for a variety of film and television Facilities Use & industry guilds, including the Filming LMGI. He had a rock-solid Managed by work ethics and delivered incredibly consistent results year after year. He was patient, professional and kind with everyone he encountered, qualities his co-workers and clients will both miss. Moreover, he was Kokayi Ampah with Debbie Allen and Ted Lange. a dear friend to many of us Photo by Craig Mathew at IDM and we’ll miss his quirky personality as much as we’ll miss the security of For more information on knowing “Michael’s on it.” Cliffs of Freedom He enjoyed engaging in long intellectual conversations http://www.nmfilm.com/ uploads/PressRelease/ about life and art to break b3d3607ac74e4ab- the tension of our frequent 79d3032138ece88d3/Cliff_ (and sometimes crushing) of_Freedom.pdf deadlines. We wish he knew how much he mattered, and http://www.imdb.com/title/ • In The Zone how much we miss him… tt2275629/ • One-stop Shopping Film-friendly Policies –Dan Dodd • IngleDodd Media • Competitive Rates For a 360 look at • Convenient Parking CSU Northridge facilities, visit: www.csun.edu/licensing 12 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 experience as a successful sheer depth of location LMGI Hires New freelancer specializing in LMGI Steps Up management. “The job is business development and big. Everyone on this panel Administrative design for several start-up to Sundance has been responsible for the companies. She has experi- aesthetic value of a project. Director ence in project management, Five veteran location That’s a huge contribution graphic/web/fashion design, managers assembled in to the picture. And then, you The Board of Directors is as well as copywriting, snowy Park City to reveal are working with budgets pleased to welcome Kikelomo bookkeeping, sales and office “Secrets to Filming on of millions and millions of “Kiki” Akinrele as our new administration. Location.” Jointly conceived dollars. And then, you’re LMGI Administrative Director. and executed by the Utah negotiating [contracts] and This part-time position is the After speaking with many Film Commission (UFC) you’re supervising a crew, only paid appointment of the members during the LMGI and the LMGI Regional/ and you’re dealing with Guild, and with it comes a lot Awards voter campaign, International Committee government officials. The Lantica Media at Pinewood Dominican Republic Studios. of responsibility. Kiki found our members to (RIC), the panel discussed job is so diverse—it runs the Spotlight on Photo by Puck Stair/LMGI be passionate about their the continued necessity of gambit.” She concluded, “It the Dominican Kiki will define, develop and craft. She looks forward to filming on location, strategies takes a lot of multitasking gentle Caribbean side of the implement a social media supporting that passion in for doubling one location talent.” Republic island—is impressive. “It’s plan, monitor membership any way she can. Kiki wants for another, the breadth of the best water tank I’ve ever applications and payments, to know YOUR issues and location management and Virginia Pearce, UFC’s What began as a conversation seen, and easily one of the coordinate promotional concerns. How would YOU the uniqueness of Utah’s Commissioner, concurred. at AFM (American Film top three in the world,” says campaigns, assist with like to see the LMGI grow? locations. “The role of the Location Market) last year, led to an Stair. planning events and maintain She will share your input with Department is often invitation from LMGI Business the master calendar. As the the Board of Directors as Panelists were LMGI overlooked, yet it can make member Lantica Media (an Even more impressive is the Guild grows, so will her role they make plans to conduct members Andrew Hodge, or break a production. entertainment and media island itself. “The Dominican within it. a strategic planning session Nancy Haecker, Laura Sode- We were thrilled to offer company based out of the Republic has the potential this summer. Kiki can be Matteson, David Smith and the expertise of these Dominican Republic) to LMGI to be one huge backlot that Kiki embodies our reached at [email protected]. Scott Trimble. RIC Co-chair remarkable, award-winning 1st Vice President JJ Levine could look like Vietnam international outreach. Rebecca “Puck” Stair, LMGI panelists to attendees of the and LMGI Board member or Africa or New York. It’s Born in Nigeria, she is Thanks to former moderated the panel. Sundance Film Festival.” Rebecca “Puck” Stair. amazing the places it could the daughter of an African Administrative Director Marc double for,” says Levine, Diplomat engaged by the Blackbird, who served for two “Each panelist shared The panel was followed by a Their trip to the Dominican adamant that the Dominican European Commission in years. Marc was instrumental decades of wide-ranging two-hour reception. Notable Republic in January marks Republic is not limited to a Belgium. She is fluent in in the Guild’s rebranding last experiences and wisdom with attendees included the a continuation of the LMGI’s mere island look. French and Spanish and year as well as the relaunch an inquisitive, appreciative Vienna Film Commission, members being tapped adept at connecting with of the LMGI’s website. Marc audience,” enthused Stair. Kentucky Film Commission, for their expertise to help After seeing the modern cultures around the world. As will now focus his efforts in the Directors Guild of Ontario develop filming from the facilities and the variety of the creative director for KLF cause-related marketing and During the panel, former and Film France, along ground up. They were asked potential filming locations, Concepts in Culver City, Kiki events. LMGI President Nancy with many independent to take a look at the island Stair and Levine concluded will be able to draw from her Haecker explained the filmmakers. and consult with them on an that a fam tour needed to be overall marketing strategy developed in order to market to bring filming to the the island to the worldwide Dominican Republic. film industry, and spent much of their week-long trip Among the island’s helping develop an itinerary production resources is for a fam tour that Lantica Lantica Media’s home base, Media hopes to launch later Pinewood Studios—a modern, this year. world-class facility in the Kikelomo “Kiki” Akinrele, remote Juan Dolio area, our new LMGI Administrative which boasts a recently Director. built water tank. The tank—a 60,500-square-foot horizon Kiki can be reached at Panelists Nancy Haecker, Andrew Hodge, Laura Sode-Matteson, David water tank situated on the [email protected]. Smith and Scott Trimble. Moderated by Puck Stair. Photo courtesy of LMGI 14 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 15      CAREER Managing Locations with Aloha    TM

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to go to Hollywood and learn production facilities, which more about production. This helped me get a job with Aaron was a turning point in my life. Spelling on Matt Houston as I planned to do social work a production coordinator. It in family advocacy, hoping to was a heavy location show and make changes in the world. I ended up working closely I now found myself deeply with the location department, Jurassic World beach load-in involved in the film industry. finding myself intrigued. Although I did not complete When an opportunity to be an episode. Who knew Bruce Los Angeles instead. It took We have two children, Nicole and Carline Davis-Dyer for a my master’s degree, my assistant location manager Willis and Cybill Shepherd amazing teamwork, but we Kiele and Michael Ke’alii. documentary called Waging training was invaluable in on Matt Houston came up, would carry it through five did it. On top of everything, I Being a mother while working Peace. It was about the dealing with the demanding I jumped at it. I loved being acclaimed seasons? It was an was pregnant. Although hired in locations was a very American Youth Ambassadors dynamics of production and out and about looking for intense but valuable learning for only a few months, the job challenging juggle. I could hosting Soviet children to the crews. the perfect location. I had experience. stretched on. There was an write a book about au pairs United States. Michael York found my niche in locations, elusive location that required and nannies. Balancing work narrated our little movie—it On one of my first jobs in Los eventually joined the Teamsters Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra me taking a water taxi out into and home was important was a wonderful labor of love. Angeles, I worked in wardrobe, 399, and became a member of and necessary. Taking time We enlisted so many talented All photos courtesy of Laura Sode-Matteson/LMGI and played a hooker on the the LMGI. off between movie jobs for colleagues volunteering their opening sequence of the my family meant sometimes time, energy and equipment When I was young, I loved of filmmaking. I learned so same movie, Vice Squad. My first location manager having to say no to projects. hoping to make a difference in movies so much that I much from the camera’s This movie is a sentimental gig was on Moonlighting. I believe it made me a better the relationship between the pretended to be sick so I could perspective, from f-stops favorite because it is where It was a crazy mid-season location manager and mother. youth of Russia and the United stay home and watch my and angles to actors’ I met my husband Michael replacement, which never States. It was important to favorites over and over. I never dialogue and staging. I was Matteson, key grip. I ended had a complete script before This led to being part of a work on a project like this that dreamed that one day I would exposed to the how and why up at Filmways working in shooting began on each producing team with Val Kim might affect positive change. work in the industry. I fell into of lighting and equipment the entertainment business usage. It was like going to completely by accident. I was film school, only I was being a starving student working paid. This was also my first on my master’s degree in exposure to the location social work at the University department and discovering of Hawaii. Some of my friends how much they contribute to Jurassic World jungle worked on the original Hawaii a film. I got hooked. I went introduced me to the world the night. While seven months’ Five-O TV series and put my from dreaming about movies of feature films. The movie pregnant, I found myself name in to be an extra. As it to making them. was set to be shot in Seattle having to climb up the side of turned out, I was called to be and the crew was scheduled a ship, in order to secure the a stand-in. I had no idea what Then a crazy thing happened. to leave on a Monday. On signature of the owner. We got a stand-in was. I was asked by Jack Lord to the Wednesday before, they the location and I was a hero. play his secretary “Luana,” pulled out of Seattle, and Needless to say, when my Stand-in work turned out which I did for the last three gave us a week and a half husband found out, it was time to be the best education for seasons. When the series to find all the locations in to leave the show. learning the nuts and bolts ended, I decided it was time Laura Sode-Matteson with director Ang Lee on the set of Hulk The Jurassic World location crew in Kauai

16 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 17 I had an opportunity to work removed the closures, as they with Taylor Hackford on Blood were enjoying the safety and In, Blood Out, based on a peaceful quiet. true story about three guys in an East L.A. gang. Taylor Being from Hawaii, I am a RECCE ON US is a passionate director and perpetual tourist—always on demanded realism. We filmed the hunt for the next location, all over East Los Angeles hopefully, one that was never and worked with and met shot before. Exploring new some of the nicest people. locations, I meet interesting Off the Map base camp But we found ourselves in people while gaining rare the middle of gang territory. insights into their lives. It was a time when the Vicariously learning how police gang task force had others live, whether on an their work cut out for them. oil rig or in a mansion, they Some local gang members all have stories. Once, while Mayhem during G.I. Joe in Vitkova, Prague signed up to be extras, and scouting Muhammad Ali’s Spaceport America Crew invites one night, we had a random home, he came downstairs magazines, and said, “Please USS Missouri out at sea … a Location Managers, Film Producers, drive-by shooting. We were and smiling, he introduced find this.” Again, teamwork monumental event that will Creative Directors and Photographers to then allowed to close blocks himself as Joe Frazier. Meeting came heavily into play. We likely never happen again—a spend the day with us scouting Earth’s around our filming locations him was one of the highlights were able to research and magic movie moment! ultimate space venue in New Mexico. Be and in one day alone, I had of my career. find them, scout them and our guest at a local hotel (commercial 54 security personnel in some report back whether a first Hawaii is a film-friendly airfare not included) or bring your own capacity—LAPD, sheriffs, My favorite movie was working unit, second unit, VFX unit or state, but is culturally diverse Housing Authority PD and with Ang Lee on Hulk. He even a smaller still unit could and can be complicated. jet and land on us. security. It is probably the came into the office and shoot there. This was the Being born and raised in Jet or drive in to New Mexico and be our guest at a only time local residents showed us pictures clipped best scouting adventure ever. Hawaii has helped in opening local hotel. After a complimentary breakfast our crew From top: Battleship H3 closure; Sode-Matteson on the USS Missouri were actually sad when we from National Geographic I remember sitting on top doors and finding the right will pick you up for an adventurous journey through the of the Delicate Arch in Utah connections that could make historic El Camino Real Valley. Along the way you can thinking how amazing it was a difference. Being aware of take in wide-open vistas, working cattle ranches, and that I was being paid to hike important cultural sensitivities our unique wildlife. Allow yourself to be seduced by the and photograph every rock and having the respect for quality of New Mexico’s amazing light as you venture formation in Arches National the people and the land to one of the most futuristic places on Earth. If you are Park. This was my dream is a major component for jetting in, you will experience the unique opportunity to job, even when it entailed successful filming in Hawaii. land on our 2 mile long spaceway 16/34 (9NM9). tearing up the streets of San I also love that it has some You will be free to photograph and film on our 18,000 Francisco and chasing the of the best accessible jungles acre campus capturing terrain and textures similar to Giant Sequoias! without snakes, alligators, Mars, the old west or Afghanistan and our out-of-this- chiggers or other critters world architecture! I have been lucky to work in that hide out in trees, and • 18,000 acres with 360° unobstructed views my home state of Hawaii on wonderful waterfalls. • Acreage available for a permanent or temporary movies such as Jurassic Park film set III, Pirates of the Caribbean: Another adventure was filming • Dark night sky covenants At World’s End, Battleship, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead • 340+ days of sunshine and mild winter Jurassic World, and more Man’s Chest and Pirates of the temperatures recently, Jumanji. While Caribbean: At World’s End. We • 24/7 security, EMT and fire protection doing Pete Berg’s Battleship, utilized locations as diverse • Access by road or air the story plot had the USS as California’s beautiful • New Mexico’s favorable film production Missouri battleship saving Guadalupe dunes and beach; environment • Spaceport America crew at your service! the day. Coincidentally, Utah’s stark Bonneville Salt my cousin was working as Flats, the magnificent cliffs of operations manager for the Maui and remote beaches of Book your RECCE ON US today! Missouri and while scouting, Molokai, Hawaii. We built three we discovered the Missouri full-sized pirate ships, which 575-267-8500 or email was coming out of dry dock. moved around via air jacks [email protected] Before the ship settled back inside the gigantic Palmdale, into its permanent dock, we California, hangar. The ships www.gatewaytospace.com towed it out to sea for miles were completely surrounded while shooting aerials. The by a 72’-high blue screen

18 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 John Carter of Mars base camp in Hanksville, Utah and raining water. Our average discovered during production. of action. I loved filming in gravity rig, which worked out crew was 750 people a day. Sometimes we had to drive places like the Kost Castle and really well. Ahh … the glamour 10 miles just to get a cell Kolodeje Mansion, filled with of moviemaking. We had the Gone in 60 Seconds boasts signal. Many of the locations incredible historical stories. real families of the Deepwater the longest car-chase scene, were BLM properties and we Horizon consulting and visiting running through Los Angeles, spent a fortune on studies for Deepwater Horizon brought our sets. I am very proud to Long Beach and San Pedro. endangered plants or animals. me to Louisiana, where we have been involved with this We were the first company to It was all worth it. The built a simulated 73’-tall oil movie as it is based on real-life completely close the Vincent locations were magnificent, rig, 54’ to the main deck, events and real people. Thomas Bridge, which took and we had found Barsoom! complete with a surrounding five months of negotiations 250’ x 300’ water tank in the I will be forever grateful for and permitting. Prague served as a stand-in parking lot of an abandoned that first job as a stand-in. for Paris on G.I. Joe. We did amusement park. We had two It lead to traveling the world, On John Carter of Mars, we car chases and flipped and industrial elevators for access learning about intriguing people filmed the amazing endless blew up vehicles all over the to the set. We were able to with great stories, working deserts of Utah. Because we city. We had a 40’ rig that bring in electrical power and with talented colleagues, were looking for Mars (or would literally flip cars off water to this parking lot, but and ultimately, the ability to Barsoom), our director wanted of it and land on the road. one of the most challenging contribute to the magic of the most interesting, remote We called it the SS Flipova. location issues was figuring movies. I feel very fortunate. and pristine locations. One Prague had seen a lot of out a bathroom solution on top I couldn’t have wanted or location was so remote that filming, but I was told they of the rig. We hired someone imagined a better career. dinosaur bones were actually weren’t used to this kind who came up with a bathroom

The Deepwater Horizon crew At the Bonneville Salt Flats for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

20 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 Co-editor Stevie Nelson gets a tour of Santiago from member Ariel Leon Isacovitch

Stevie: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORK- IN MY CITY: SANTIAGO ING IN LOCATIONS? HOW DID YOU START & Q&A with Ariel Leon Isacovitch WHAT DO YOU PRIMARILY WORK ON? Ariel Leon Isacovitch: I am an Israeli, 33° 26' 51" S/ 70° 40' 25" W born and raised. I still travel to Israel every year to maintain contact with the country and with my family. Chile is my base now but Israel will always Photo courtesy of Ariel Leon Isacovitch/LMGI have my heart and soul. I started lo- cation managing 12 years ago, on a Chilean feature film owners feel confident that we are not unprofessional or dis- called Radio Corazón with the late producer Luigi Araneda. organized, which had been their past experience. I have location managed & scouted a few local movies but commercial work is my bread-and-butter. I started with small things like location reports to our pro- ducers sharing all the required information they needed to When I was 17, I moved to New York and worked for a bit know in order to understand if the location was right for the before returning to Israel to complete my military service. project. Today, all the local industry here uses these reports When I finished, I traveled back to New York and started and producers require them from their location managers or working as a waiter. I got into photography because of love, scouts. not with the camera, but with a woman. She was in the mid- dle of a documentary about famed blind New York street Whether someone’s home or at city hall, I worked hard to photographer Ralph Baker. I came in and helped her with make sure everything was done professionally, i.e., the truck the shooting and structuring the edit. I then fell in love with drivers are not yelling outside a location at 5 a.m. and pro- the camera—with the strength and patience needed to be a duction trash was taken out and not left in the streets. It was photographer. This was 15 years ago. a process of re-educating the industry. At the government’s behest, in 2016, I taught a large workshop to university stu- I was working at an Italian restaurant in the West Village. dents from the Valparaiso and Viña Del la Mar area on our The owner was a good friend who fell in love with a Chilean profession and industry. I covered the real-world practices theatre actor, Manuel. One day, I answered the phone and it of what needs to be done and how to properly communicate happens to be Manuel and he tells me “mi casa es su casa.” and share all information with the client, the location and the I wasn’t familiar with Spanish just yet, but at least I could crew. I combined theory with a field scout and photography understand that. As you can imagine, I didn’t want to miss and then I gave them a script and asked them to scout and out on an opportunity to explore a new continent and cities present their work. It was very rewarding. with a different rhythm than New York, so I flew out to Chile. Stevie: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE PRIMARY DRAW FOR FILMING Manuel was also doing some location work for his friends IN & AROUND SANTIAGO? WHAT KIND OF “LOOKS” ARE THERE? who were producers and directors. He taught me the basics. A year later, we started the first location-managing company ALI: Chile is attractive for multi-vignette projects where we in the country. It was called AlaVista Locations, now Loca- need to impersonate different countries in just a few days. tions Chile. We have two to four scouts on staff for the range Within two hours of Santiago, we have mountains, an ocean, of projects that we do. After speaking with local produc- valleys, lakes and modern/classic city settings. We can dou- tion companies and property owners, I quickly saw there was ble downtown New York or Paris streets and also achieve a room for improvement in how production was being done. I nature shot in a short drive from the city center. wanted to do something to elevate the quality and credibility

All photos by Ariel Leon Isacovitch/LMGI, except as noted except Isacovitch/LMGI, Ariel Leon by All photos of our industry. It was important for me to make property Stevie: WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTIONS FILM IN SANTIAGO?

LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 23 IN MY CITY: SANTIAGO

ALI: We have become a playground for Los Angeles and Toronto for their proj- ects. The cost-effectiveness and the ease of working with our talent, pool together with our excellent connec- tivity and time zone, plays to everyone’s benefit. There is now a special empha- sis on car spots and stills projects. We are a country that has the ATA Carnet, which makes it easier to bring in all kinds of inter- national products and cars for shoots. Not to mention, it’s very fast and efficient.

Stevie: WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE IN YOUR JOB?

ALI: Permits. Santiago city is divided by 37 districts, of which each has its own mayor. It makes it pretty challenging to handle and you need a lot of contacts and good PR to get every- thing in order. Also, every time a new mayor comes into office, new politics can come into play with shooting in their area.

Stevie: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES TO FILMING IN, SPECIFICALLY, AROUND SANTIAGO?

ALI: Getting permits is the biggest hindrance and is still something that isn’t For example: Camino Farellones for the mountain shot, For a Porsche project, we had to close down one of the main well structured but works great for our market modern houses in Santiago, followed by Santa Augusta highways during the weekend. and for the ones that know how to manage this Quintay or Tunquen Beach. special situation. For a CheBanca project, we had to close down a famous Stevie: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE OR MOST MEMORABLE plaza called Sotomayor Square in Valparaiso, Chile, on a Stevie: WHAT ARE A LOCATION MANAGER’S FAVORITE FILMING EXPERIENCES? Saturday. These are only a handful of the crazy things our “LOOKS” OR LOCATIONS IN SANTIAGO? WHAT ARE YOUR job requires us to arrange and produce. PERSONAL FAVORITES & WHY? ALI: There are the experiences where you are able to get a permit to do something incredibly crazy. Or the ones where Stevie: DOES CHILE OFFER ANY INCENTIVES TO HOLLYWOOD ALI: I love the days when we get started with an you just feel inspired by shooting a scene in a naturally FILMMAKERS? epic shot of the sunrise on a mountain, then beautiful place, shooting it in all its glory. I am a huge fan of shoot and have lunch in an incredible house with sunrises and sunsets. One of my favorite spots was a Lexus ALI: It’s a work in progress. We are improving this matter modern architecture in the city of Santiago, and project we did for LX/RX done in the Atacama Desert, north with the government in order to open up our doors for more then finish it off with a beautiful sunset scene in of Chile. It was stunning. For nine days, we only worked with project variety to come. the ocean. Santiago lets you do it all. sunrises and sunsets.

LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 25 IN MY CITY: SANTIAGO

Stevie: WHAT ARE YOUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE?

ALI: I have my equipment bag ready to go at all times, with the cameras charged and cleaned. I use Mac computers and products. My favorite cameras are Nikon D800. I have a collection of lenses that I love, but I also use my Sony RX100 V, which is an amazing point-and-shoot camera and it is always on me. I always keep in mind that these images are not just for a particular scout, but might be used for a future study, reference or a part of history. And last but not least, a list of great ideas and/or a route I prepare the night before.

Stevie: WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE JOB?

ALI: It’s a constant play on your imagination. Each scene starts written down or drawn on paper and begins to come to life with our images. I feel like a pioneer, at least with what I have to do for each specific project I take on. Going to the location with my clients and organizing the logistics is my real passion. I love looking at a perfectly organized base camp and parking zones, it makes my day! We help the whole crew by being well organized. With that being said after 10 years of hard work with the international filming industry, I have recently opened a production services company called The Roots Productions, which will soon have additional offices in Spain, Uruguay and Portugal. I realized that Chile is going to be one of the most important shooting hubs in the world. The endless variety of locations, country infrastructure and safety are allowing that. Coming from a location manager background has made me well-versed in serving and finding the best solutions for all my clients.

Stevie: WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE LMGI & HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MEMBER?

ALI: I joined because of member Mike Fantasia. It’s my second year with LMGI, and I am a fan and sup- porter. I’ve always wanted to be a part of it, and then I met Mike in Chile when he came to the conference of Valparaiso. I have a close working relationship with the government and Film Commission Chile. Being a proactive person, I volunteered to take Mike scouting to some cool places, one-on-one. And because of that, I have become the first Chilean & Israeli member of LMGI!

LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 27 Ariel’s Private Tour

MUST-SEE PLACE: FAVORITE RESTAURANT: in the Andes Mountains, which was Putaendo Village and the sculptures Jewel of India. I think it’s the best Indi- created to provide water to the city of Park Cemetery of Carts (1.2 hrs from an restaurant in the world. For Chilean Santiago. You can enjoy a spectacular

Santiago city center). I think images food, I would go with Del Beto Restau- view and ride around the lagoon. The ™ speak louder than words, but if I were rant. Great local taste. restaurant at Cascada de Las Animas STUDIO to describe it: it is a mystical small vil- is a perfect oasis in nature, close to the FACILITIES lage where I love to have lunch at this PLACE TO SEE BY NIGHT: main river and perfect to enjoy after the classic Chilean place and breathe in Lastarria Neighborhood. It’s a very hip, off-road experience. some fresh mountain air. It’s simple artsy neighborhood with things always and indigenous—a perfect quick trip for going on in the streets that include FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD: the weekend. some great restaurants, cafés and art Providencia. This popular filming loca- deco buildings. A great place to walk, tion is a neighborhood where you can FAVORITE SHOP: meet new people and chill. find everything. There are green areas Kosher Market, which sells meat, chick- for kids and outdoor activities/sports, corporated with some movement. en, cheese, milk, yogurt, frozen pizza, BEST DAY TRIP: bicycle paths and a weekend farmers’ He has some windmill-style pastries and a variety of kosher prod- Embalse el Yeso and lunch in Cascada market. Providencia is one of the ar- sculptures and he incorporates ucts. It feels like home and with some de Las Animas. It’s an outdoors day eas in the city that has a wide variety of items in his sculptures like one unforgettable tastes. Depto51, run by a trip adventure, conveniently located features for every type of person. that functions as a beautiful mag- nice Chilean couple is an online store not too far from one’s hotel in Santia- nifying-glass structure. for eclectic, home accessories. VOP go. You want to take your SUV or jeep FAVORITE LOCAL ARTIST: (Very Organic People) Organic Market for a drive to enjoy the weekend. It’s Sculptor Rodrigo Villalobos. This local BEST BAR/CLUB: Store, which sells great produce and definitely a must-do. The landscape sculptor works with wood and metal. Jardín de Mallinkrodt, Club La has a café and juice bar. includes a pure-water lagoon nestled His sculptures are interactive and in- Feria. Jardín de Mallinkrodt is a perfect patio bar area. Located in the popular Bellavista Neighbor- hood, it’s perfect for a few drinks or beers with the gang, but also for a nice outdoor date. It’s locat- ed in a big eclectic-looking park- ing lot that includes menus from the finest food trucks, and cool drinks and some local craft beers. Club La Feria is also in the Bel- lavista Neighborhood and is the best electronic underground club.

BEST PLACE TO HEAR MUSIC: Teatro Caupolicán. A theatre and music venue located on the San Diego street, it opened in 1936. Caupolicán is an important con- cert venue for popular Chilean and international artists, with a seating capacity of 4,500 and a total capacity of 5,400 (including standing places).

BEST VANTAGE POINT/SCENIC VIEW: In the city, San Cristóbal Hill at about 20:24 p.m. in the summer. For a view of nature: La Leonera, a road to Farellones. It has breath- taking views of the Andes Moun- tains and is one hour away from the city center.

LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 29 A MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR DANNY BOYLE NO, IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT “Locations are the foundation of a film—a key building block, providing life and establishing culture. From early mornings in London for an apocalyptic deserted city in 28 Years Later to the THE PARKING three amazing theatre on Steve Jobs, to the teeming extraordi- nary complexity of the sound of India, I’ve always benefited from the mad inspiration real locations provide.

LMGI AWARDS CELEBRATE “I’m absolutely delighted and flattered to be receiving the Eva Monley Award … I really have thought for a long time there are THE CREATIVITY OF LOCATIONS two departments that are severely, critically under recognized on a film and they are the building blocks … literally the hydrogen by Judy Schultz and oxygen of a movie—the casting and locations departments.

arner Bros. set an impressive stage for the sold- “Because they come so early in the process, they tend to get out 4th Annual LMGI Awards gala. Guests toured swamped by the over-recognized departments who turn up Wthe backlot, visited the museum and walked the noisily, and they’re all great and essential, but there is some- red carpet. The ceremony took place on April 8 at the thing fundamental in those two beginnings, particularly loca- Steven J. Ross Theater with opening remarks from Guild tions. President Eric Klosterman; welcome by Gabe Anderson, Warner Bros. Studio Operations; and monologue from “I think the studios move out from protected environments into dynamic host Rico Gagliano (American Public Media’s real locations, and the expressive power of real locations, what Dinner Party Download). The house was packed to capac- you can actually contribute to a movie through tech is a funda- ity with location professionals from around the world, Clockwise from mental huge growth like moving from black and white to color top right: LMGI studio executives, film commissioners and vendors. Lo- President Eric … if you could imagine what it would be like to see only created cations took center stage, shining a light on the creativ- Klosterman; environments rather than harnessed real environments. Production designer ity of LMGI members everywhere. Guy Hendrix Dyas accepts the Eva “I’m very honored to receive this award, especially in Eva Monley’s Monley Award The first award of the evening was presented by location on Danny Boyle’s name because she worked extensively in Africa and Asia. And manager Chris Baugh, LMGI. Oscar winner Danny Boyle behalf from Chris Baugh; director one of the films I did that got a lot of recognition was Slumdog received the Eva Monley Award, which honors industry Joe Pytka presents Millionaire. We took that principle of moving from the studios professionals who support the work of location pros. the Lifetime Achievement where in India they still shoot very much in studios because they Boyle accepted the award via video from an “undisclosed Award to Stuart find it very difficult to handle all their film stars out in the real Raven Barter; the location.” Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas ac- after party; Lori world. They tend to build everything. But we insisted on shooting cepted the award on Boyle’s behalf, the astounding skill Balton receives the in real slums in India. And the teeming extraordinary complexity Trailblazer Award set of the location department: “Professional photograp- from director Brad of life that you got there comes across and enhances the film. ers, mountaineers, art historians, architecture buffs, film Silberling; in the The building blocks of life and the building blocks of a movie fuse theater; on the red fanatics and salesmen.” Dyas reflected that this award carpet. in the best possible way, and enhance your movie. will be treasured by Boyle who is known for creating film environments with very little use of sets, preferring to Photos by “So thank you very much for this. I’m thrilled and delighted to be utilize real locations. Craig Mathew honored in Eva Monley’s name.” 30 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 31     Ë   

 







 



 



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 LMGI        N     AWARDS    O       G  I T U A I N L D R I N T E WE CONGRATULATE THE WINNERS AND HONOREES OF THE 4TH ANNUAL LMGI AWARDS! because she does not just take photographs, she “tells a story,” making her a filmmaker in her own OUTSTANDING LOCATIONS IN A PERIOD FILM right. Accompanied to the stage by a standing ova- HIDDEN FIGURES tion, Balton said she is grateful to the Academy for Legendary commercial director icon Joe Pytka regaled the (Wes Hagan/LMGI, Dan Gorman/LMGI) crowd with a humorous history lesson on the evolution of acknowledging the creative contributions made by location scouts and managers prefacing his presentation of location professionals. Stating that location manag- OUTSTANDING LOCATIONS IN A CONTEMPORARY FILM ers have the hardest job on set, Balton quipped, the Lifetime Achievement Award to recipient Stuart Raven LA LA LAND Barter. “Stuart is what we call a ‘go-to guy’—someone you “If something goes wrong, no matter what depart- (Robert Foulkes/LMGI, Steve Beimler/LMGI) could trust to do the job. This kind of trust is something ment, it’s always your fault; and if something goes right, there are five producers and an AD standing you earn on our various battlefields … precious and most- OUTSTANDING LOCATIONS IN A PERIOD TELEVISION SERIES ahead of you to take the credit.” ly irreplaceable, he was a delight, unique, dependable, in- ***TIE*** sightful and creative.” Pytka joked that his “go-to guy” was THE CROWN always going … to directors Tony and Ridley Scott, as well Bringing his forte for the art of the interview into (Pat Karam, Robert Bentley/LMGI) as Bob Giraldi. the audience, host Rico Gagliano climbed into the crowd. Film Poland’s Commissioner, Tomasz Dab- WESTWORLD An unassuming Barter noted that he considers his finest rowski, Game of Thrones location manager Naomi (Mandi Dillin/LMGI) achievement to have worked with world-class filmmakers. Liston, LMGI, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story loca- tion manager David O’Reilly, LMGI all played along OUTSTANDING LOCATIONS IN A Actress Katie Von Till (Conan, The Big Bang Theory) pre- splendidly to the amusement of the house. CONTEMPORARY TELEVISION SERIES THE NIGHT MANAGER sented the Commercial Award, a tie, to David Doumeng, Clockwise from top left: Contemporary Film winners Robert LMGI & Charlie Love, LMGI for “Bulbs” (Apple Mac Pro) Foulkes and Steve Beimler for La La Land; Mary Ann Marino, (Tom Howard, Daniel Sampedro Palerm) Amazon Studios Original Movies Executive in Charge of Physical and JJ Levine, LMGI, Will Brewster, LMGI, Dana Hanby & Production (left) with Period Film winner Dan Gorman for Hidden Patrick Burn for “This Land Is Your Land” (Johnnie Walk- Figures; Colleen and Peter Martorano, Joaquin Nunez, Unreel OUTSTANDING LOCATIONS IN A COMMERCIAL Locations, and Peg Meehan; the after party; Outstanding Film ***TIE*** er). Former award host Doumeng didn’t hesitate to inject Commission winners for The Royal Film Commission of Jordan his own brand of humor into his acceptance speech. (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) with presenter Ravi Mehta; “BULBS” (MAC BOOK PRO) Commercial winners Will Brewster and JJ Levine for “This Land Is Your Land” (Johnnie Walker), presenter Katherine Von Till (David Doumeng/LMGI, Charlie Love/LMGI) The Trailblazer Award was presented by director Brad Sil- and Commercial winners Charlie Love and David Doumeng for “THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND” (JOHNNIE WALKER) “Bulbs” (MacBook Pro); Contemporary Television Series win- berling to location scout Lori Balton, LMGI. Silberling said ners Daniel Sampedro Palerm (left), Tom Howard and presenter (JJ Levine/LMGI, Will Brewster/LMGI, Patrick Burn, Amir Talai; Period Television Series winners Pat Karam (The Dana Hanby) his first partnerships on any film are with the designer Crown) and Mandi Dillin (Westworld) with presenter Michael and location scout. He enjoys collaborating with Balton Connelly. OUTSTANDING FILM COMMISSION THE ROYAL FILM COMMISSION OF JORDAN (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

EVA MONLEY AWARD RECIPIENT DANNY BOYLE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT STUART RAVEN BARTER/LMGI TRAILBLAZER AWARD RECIPIENT LORI BALTON/LMGI

LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 33 Best-selling author and Bosch executive producer Mi- location manager Robert Foulkes, LMGI thanked area film chael Connelly presented the Period TV Series Award to commissions and agencies who assisted the production, a second tie: Pat Karam and Robert Bentley, LMGI for The while scout Steve Beimler, LMGI thanked the writers for Crown, and Mandi Dillin, LMGI for Westworld. The Night the content that inspires him on the job. Beimler brought Manager’s Tom Howard and Daniel Sampedro Palerm the evening full circle by acknowledging Stuart Barter’s took the win for Contemporary TV Series, presented by training. “Everything good, I learned from Stuart. Every- actor Amir Talai (The Circle, American Horror Story). thing bad, I picked up on my own.”

Ravi Mehta (Warner Bros. Exec VP, Physical Production) As a side note, many of the winners thanked their fami- presented The Royal Film Commission of Jordan the Film lies for supporting their work that so often entails scout- Commission Award for its contributions to Rogue One: A ing and managing on locations away from home. Star Wars Story. The night’s festivities ended with a lavish set-themed re- Mary Ann Marino, Amazon Studios Original Movies Head ception on Brownstone Street. Comfy seating and bars of Physical Production, presented the award for Period were interspersed between food stations representing Film to Hidden Figures’ Wes Hagan, LMGI and Dan Gor- film genres: Fantasy, ’50s Diner, Havana, Hollywood Glam man, LMGI who thanked the women of NASA. Marino and the Old West. commented on an AFCI panel earlier that she works to give creative vision first priority at Amazon. It was a deserving reward for the critical input by loca- Clockwise from top right: Einar Tómasson (left) tion professionals who not only coordinate many logis- and Hlynur Gudjonsson (right) of Film Iceland with Robin Citrin, LMGI Awards Co-chair; Netflix VP of La La Land took the win for Contemporary Film. The award tics on the shoot (yes, including the parking), but also Worldwide Physical Production Ty Warren; from left: was presented by Ty Warren (VP Worldwide Physical Pro- inspire the creation of the artistic backdrop for any com- Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, Mari Gallas, Variety 411, Rebecca “Puck” Stair and Peter duction, Netflix) who said some of the best memories of mercial, TV show or film. Caranicas, Variety; Andrea Marcus, adjunct, Santa his career were spent with location managers. Supervising Barbara Film Commission (left) with Ronnie Mel- len, Santa Barbara Location Services; from left: Ken Haber, Debbie Donaldson Dorsey, director, Baltimore Clockwise from right: Tomasz Dabrowski and Dana Pohl, Film Film Office, Rosemary Brandenburg, set decora- Commission Poland; from left: the incomparable David Dou- tor, and Jack Gerbes, director, Maryland Film Office; meng, Corrina Lesser, Scripps College, and host Rico Gagliano; Veronique Vowell (left) with Jason Kaplon. from left: Annette Nias, Barbados Film Commission, Luana Wheatley, USVI FIlm Commission, Koyaki Ampah, Jonathan Slator and Kiki Akinrele.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS LMGI Award sponsors included Premier Level Netflix; Gold Level Devo- tion Vodka, Film L.A., Langham Hotels, NBC Universal Operations, Ne- whall Film Locations, Premier Events, Ready Set Go, Reel Security, Reel Waste & Recycling, Samy’s Camera, Walt Disney Motion Pictures, War- ner Bros. Studio Facilities; Silver Level Blue Cloud Movie Ranch, Fairplex of Southern California, Film Fiji, Film US Virgin Islands, Gran Canaria, Hilton Worldwide, Marriott Hotels, Master Chefs Catering, New Mexico State Film Office, Pacific Production Services, Santa Barbara Film Com- 2017 COMMITTEE MEMBERS: mission, Skye Rentals, Teamsters Local 399, The Royal Film Commis- sion of Jordan, Utah Film Commission, Venice Duck Brewery, Vienna Jimmy Ayoub Chris Fuentes Film Commission; Bronze Level Busan Film Commission, California Film Lori Balton Jason Kaplon Commission, Cast Locations, Classic Tents & Events, Film City, Film Chris Beal Eric Klosterman, Co-chair Commission Poland, Hint Water, Hotel Sofitel, Los Angeles Center Stu- Robin Citrin, Co-chair JJ Levine dios, Nevada Film Office, Oakwood, Palace Production Center, Rodney Melissa DeMonaco Stevie Nelson Strong Vineyards, Star Waggons, The Americana at Brand & The Grove, Sasha Denisoff Rick Schuler The Location Portal, Virginia Film Office, Weather Trends International, Diane Friedman Patti Stammer Rumchata, Agave Loco Tequila; Media Sponsors SHOOT online, The Hol- lywood Reporter, The Location Guide.

34 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 LOCATION MANAGER ERIC HOOGE GOES WITH THE FIRST AMERICAN STUDIO TEAM THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS EVER TO SHOOT IN CUBA The men, who had worked together on Furious 7, “be- information around the world, and he was integral at our by Nancy Mills gan digging into it,” Hooge says. “We had to start from end. We had no idea what we were doing, to be honest. Cuba scratch because there was nobody to call.” is such a sanctioned place. The embargo is still in place, and it’s technically still illegal to do business in Cuba. But despite he Fast and Furious franchise has “A lot of independents from other countries go to Cuba, but Back in the fall of 2015, when their research began, the those technicalities, you can get permission to do business.” we were the first American studio ever to shoot there,” says U.S. embargo against Cuba, which had been in effect for shot in some pretty exotic locales. supervising location manager Eric Hooge, LMGI, 44. No won- more than 50 years, was still in place. “I aligned myself Fottrell arranged for an OFAC license to do business in Cuba. But nothing will top its adventures in der he felt like Christopher Columbus discovering the New with an advisor, Rich Klein, as I normally do when I go “We also had to get a BICS license from the Department of T World. into countries that may need some political navigation,” Commerce,” he says. “That allows you to export and import Cuba for The Fate of the Furious. Installment says Fottrell, who also produced 2003’s 2 Fast 2 Furious all your equipment. Everything you take to Cuba has to be No. 8, about what happens when Vin Die- “(Producer) Michael Fottrell and I were sitting in a bungalow and 2009’s Fast & Furious. “Rich used to work in Presi- itemized very clearly, especially communication devices. sel’s character, Dom, visits family in Havana at Universal, just the two of us,” Hooge recalls, “when we got dent Clinton’s administration, but now he’s in private word that the studio wanted to shoot in Cuba. The Furious practice. “I met with Jesse Moore, Associate Director of Public En- and gets seduced into criminal activities, films are a very international franchise now, and they always gagement at the White House, who was basically, President opened April 14. want to go somewhere amazing.” “He helped me navigate the D.C. waters. He can access Obama’s aide for the entertainment industry. We needed a

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

The starting line on Galiano Street in front of Parque El Curita

36 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 lot of support because we had to push this through very quick- four of us—Adam McCarthy (Vice President of Physical Pro- a major car race through Havana. “We drove around for an hour ly and get the license done so we could start shooting in April, duction at Universal), production designer Bill Brzeski, Michael and then decided to walk the streets,” Hooge says. “We walked before it got too hot. and I—decided to go into Cuba on ‘professional research’ visas. for miles and miles every day, just scouting. “No airlines were flying from the U.S. at the time, so we got a “We also met with the Cuban Ambassador, José Ramón Caba- charter from Florida. A production services company took us “We saw wonderful colors on crumbling buildings. It’s hard ñas, who resides in the Cuban Embassy in D.C. And we got ad- around. Bill and I went to look at locations while Adam and for the people to get anything fixed. Their buildings are falling vice from their state department. The Cuban government has Michael went off to look at logistics.” down around them. Some have no running water, so they keep to want you.” refilling water tanks on the roof. There are no elevators.” “We wanted to be sure we could do what we wanted to do Meanwhile, Hooge focused on the practicalities of working on and give the director (F. Gary Gray) some choices,” Fottrell Havana surprised Hooge. “I was expecting a bigger Communist the island. “I called some small production services that have explains. “We wanted to shoot Havana for what it is. We also presence,” he says. “I thought there would be armed police filmed in Cuba on a limited basis,” he says. “They started vying wanted to see the infrastructure and what we’d have to bring or military and that the people would seem a little more de- to get our business because it would be huge. in. It was great for the timing of Obama’s agenda. Breaking the pressed. I wouldn’t say they were happy or sad, but they were embargo was looked on as a good thing.” super-friendly. I was also surprised to see a lot of technology. I “We used ITACA Films out of Mexico to interface directly with think the country was getting the internet from Venezuela. Just the Cuban government. On our level, the government entity we That initial trip opened the team’s eyes to dozens of upcoming about every young person there had a smartphone or an iPad. directly interfaced with the most was ICAIC (Cuban Institute of challenges. “After leaving there, I could tell I was so naïve about Relatives that are allowed to go back-and-forth bring in TVs. We Cinematographic Art and Industry). They would take our re- the language,” Fortrell says. “A lot of people spoke English but were able to get an interesting perspective.” quests to different levels within the government. the older regime, which deals with the permits and the bureau- cracy of it all, is all Spanish and Russian. I had to put a Spanish- Brzeski credits the Cuban people with making their work eas- The ICAIC team worked tirelessly and was the main entity as- speaking location team in place.” He also decided not to bring ier. “They were so jazzed to make the movie happen there,” sisting us in gaining our permissions,” Cuban unit location in a second unit to shoot the action sequences. “Ninety percent he says. “We would have been lost without them. Local loca- manager Matt Prisk, LMGI adds. “They would attend meetings of what we shot was the car race,” he says. “The first unit can tion assistant Paola Larramendi was particularly helpful. She and deliver the request to upper government offices by hand be just as good as an action unit, so we brought down an action guided us to many of our locations.” with officially-stamped letters.” unit director and shot for seven days. Then we segued to the principal actors.” Almost everything was shot outdoors, although Hooge notes, Luckily for Furious, the political climate was improving for a “We got some plate shots based on the interior of a building, Cuba shoot. “Obama began to relax relations with Cuba, and On that initial scout, Hooge and Brzeski spent much of their but we then shot it onstage.”

Above: Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel. Below: Cardenas Street Americans were traveling there,” Hooge says. “In November, Eric Hooge/LMGI by Photo Below: Pictures. Universal of courtesy Photo Left: time canvassing for locations for the film’s opening sequence— During their preliminary visit, they realized that the Cuban government would be closely watching the production. “Every- thing we said on a phone or typed into an internet browser would be monitored,” Hooge says. “Communication is key to what we do. Being able to talk to the LM on a daily basis and by email is critical.”

And yet, that often didn’t happen. “Without the internet, it’s so hard to send and receive visual material,” says Brzeski, who found service sporadic. “Even our cellphones weren’t working.”

With Cuba being just one of several locations for The Fate of the Furious, Hooge couldn’t spend all his time there. “Once I did the initial scouting and the director was happy, I hired Matt Prisk to go down and be location manager,” he says. “I needed someone who would dig in and be relentless and make it happen. That was an unbelievable task.”

Prisk brought KALM Miguel Tapia out of Atlanta in the begin- ning of February. “Miguel was a great help, assisting in making the initial permits, additional scouting and setting up our sup- port base camps,” he says. “Then he worked to prepare specific locations.”

Prisk also began hiring and training a bilingual Cuban location team. Then at the beginning of April, KALM Alex Oyarbide, LMGI arrived from Los Angeles. He injected a sense of calm. “If the cellphone didn’t work, it didn’t work,” Oyarbide says. “What can you do? You have to adapt. It was a completely dif- ferent pace in Cuba. It wasn’t fast or furious.”

38 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 39 “We all spoke Spanish,” Prisk says of his team. “I come from “Eric and Bill, the production designer, had done a good a Mexican-Italian family and was raised in a Spanish-speaking amount of scouting, but we had more to do in order to put to- area of California in bilingual schools. At first, my Spanish was gether what the director wanted. We were very scheduled in a little rusty but it improved rapidly. I made location deals and terms of what we could show. We had police and buses to host talked my way out of a few traffic tickets and basically lived a our scout. Then we took a big presentation around to different daily life in Cuba for four months. If needed, there were several government authorities.” translators. Miguel’s family is from Puerto Rico, and he was raised bilingual. Alex spoke Spanish fluently in a Cuban dialect Furious shot in Cuba between April 21 and May 5, mostly in Ha- from his Cuban-American upbringing, and ALM Alejandro Urie- vana. “Filming there was incredibly complicated,” Hooge says. gas’ first language was Spanish, native from Mexico.” “They’d never had a major production come in, so we were in- venting the wheel. Even if there were no language barrier, moving the unit around the city proved difficult. “The size of our trucks versus the size “The Cubans didn’t have a permit process. Matt put together of their streets was a problem,” Oyarbide says. “The Cuban from scratch a book as big as a telephone book because of the government wanted us to go from point A to point B by cara- demands of the government. The simplest little things had to van. I don’t think they realized the amount of vehicles we were go into the book. They gave us a timeline. ‘If you don’t have this bringing. Imagine caravanning 30-plus vehicles through these done by this date, you’re not going to have the location.’” little streets. We wanted to do it in bits and pieces, like we do here in the States.” Making sure every government department knew what the oth- ers were doing was key. “The government was being very strict,” “We had to find a way to get things done despite not having the Hooge says. “It was hard to work with them to invent a permit. same resources we were used to having,” Prisk says. “This took planning and backup planning. There were no last-minute calls to “Once we chose locations, we had to figure out how logisti- our favorite vendors, but we created a system that worked for us. cally to keep the thousands of Cubans who wanted to watch from getting hurt. We created a very secure perimeter. Guys on “Time had to be allotted to get things done the most efficient trucks would jump out and put barricades up, and then we’d people. On some days, we had 200 PAs and 160 cops around producer says. “That’s why Eric and I get along so well. He is a way we could in the moment, and this could make for some put a police officer, a PA or a security guard to hold everything the areas.” solid individual and looks out for a movie’s best interests. He’s long days for us. If the attachment wouldn’t email, then some- down. It was very complicated to put together.” very calm. When things start to go wrong, he doesn’t get tightly one would drive a thumb drive over. If the government request- Hooge moved back-and-forth between Furious locations. “I had wound and create a lot of drama for unnecessary reasons. He ed 20 more permit books for the next day and the production “The book detailed every single day and every single thing Ian MacGregor in Iceland, and I felt very comfortable with him keeps his head down and focuses on the job. printer was broken, we’d find someone in town with a printer we’d do on that day,” Prisk adds. “Because we were not able to after the initial scouting. I knew he’d get things done while I was and hire them to print and bind books all night. There was no bring all the people from L.A., we hired and trained locals. They bouncing between New York, Cleveland, Atlanta and Cuba.” “Eric’s creative. When he reads the script, he doesn’t take it lit- Fed Ex office.” learned fast and were really excited to be on the project. erally. Instead, he comes up with different ideas. ‘Maybe it says The SLM was involved with one sequence shot in the south- “warehouse,” but this other location could be more appealing,’ Instead of sweating, Prisk chose to be an optimist. “There were “We were able to hire a security vendor, but some of the things eastern part of the country. “It’s called Broom of the Witch,” he might say.” a lot of unknowns when we started, which made it exciting,” he we had to do in Cuba would normally have been done by ven- Hooge says. “It’s like the Cuban Keys—a big winding snake from says. “When Miguel and I got there at the beginning of Febru- dors. We hired location assistants to carry around hair and the mainland out to a little resort island. I spent two days doing Before getting into location work, Hooge was a ski racer in Colo- ary, some things were nailed down but we didn’t always have makeup and all the pop-up tents. We hired others who had a second unit plate shot and a helicopter shot of a car driving rado. “The day I was done with my skiing career, I packed up full permission to film. trucks. People weren’t familiar with the needs of a large film along this road to the mainland. my bags and went to L.A,” he says. “I thought it would be cool crew, so it took a lot of time to make sure it went well. to be a stunt guy. “I also came out for a week before shooting to help the loca- “On some days, we had a couple thousand people on set, when tion team. I didn’t have to do that, but I was there to be a “I took whatever jobs I could as PAs and ended up at a commer- you count the police, the Cuban crew, the U.S. crew and the utility knife.” cial production company. I constantly bugged the crap out of extras. Part of our prep was getting ready to support that many the location manager. Eventually, he made me his assistant and This page: Photo by Matt Prisk/LMGI. Opposite page: Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures Universal of courtesy Photo page: Opposite Prisk/LMGI. Matt by Photo page: This That’s how Hooge found himself in charge of handing out water. brought me into the Hollywood Teamsters 399 union in 1999. I “Craft Services usually handles water distribution to the crew,” had been doing nonunion commercials, and then the window Malecón esplanade at the he says. “But our Craft Services person was completely over- opened up for commercials people to join the union. I did a mouth of Havana Harbor whelmed by the size of our crew. We had water stations, but it stretch on TV shows and then feature films.” was hard for the crew to get to them. Brzeski worked with Hooge on Furious 7. “Eric’s team is basi- “The producers asked us if we could figure it out. I hired three cally my team too,” he says. “We came up with a strategy to able-bodied kids watching the shoot. We cleaned out trashcans, work on the island using the assets of the local crews. We broke lined them and put in ice and water, and these kids became our down the scenes into different areas of Havana that would rep- own water boys. They’d go out with water in their hands. There resent what was going on in the scene we were going to shoot was a shortage of water on the island, so we had to be careful there. We raced cars all over the city!” showing how much water we had. We couldn’t flaunt it.” The car factor had a huge influence on local cooperation. “The Hooge’s down-to-earth approach to problem-solving has en- Cubans’ love of cars is something I have never found anywhere deared him to Fottrell. “I used to be a location manager,” the else in the world,” Brzeski says. “They truly love our classic

40 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 41 cars. It has become an obsession with them. Our movie’s roots “He was a big deal. He had power, and he wanted you to know people in the helicopter? That way, you’re in control, and you are about cars and racing, and the Cuban people love that in he had power. You had to ask for permission. can monitor us.’ After a lot of running around, they finally agreed their souls.” to put in the head of their air force. That was monumental to us.” “Leonardo would say ‘NO,’ and Matt would explain with respect The production team brought the hero car with them and used the reasoning behind why we really needed something. Matt “It’s one of the first times a U.S. helicopter has ever flown in Cu- local cars as background. “We put out a general casting call developed a really great relationship with him, and he came to ban airspace,” Fottrell adds. “When the President goes to Cuba, across the island for cars,” Brzeski says. “We also held a party trust Matt. Leonardo did us a favor and let us do this big chase they put the helicopter down there just in case he needs to be to find the best clubs in town for basic classic cars. sequence on the Malecón.” evacuated. Once they reassemble the rotors, the Cubans only let them turn it on to see if it operates properly, and then they “We were very much involved in picking the color palette for Prisk got to know Leonardo fairly well. “My assistants were as- shut it down.” each scene so we would not have repeats or all one color. We signed to different locations,” he says, “but I would open all of hired a Cuban car coordinator to help manage all this. The the sets with different assistants each day. Leonardo was the Hooge remembers the Furious helicopter’s first official appear- first day of shooting, I remember how many people showed up constant for me from set to set. Very early in the morning, we ance. “We locked up the road, and here would come a very so- Keeping the location crew comfortable and as rested as pos- with each car to show them off. Entire families would come all would be the only ones out there in the dark setting up the clo- phisticated camera ship, flying in low over the capitol build- sible was a prime concern. “We worked six days a week, often packed into the car, and it turned into a large street party with sures. Sometimes he’d be waiting there before I arrived. ing,” he says. “The Cubans had never seen anything like it. 12 to 14 hours a day,” Oyarbide says. “We’d start at 6 a.m. and music and food.” “He was very dedicated to making sure everything worked out. They were crying and cheering.” end at 7 p.m. and sometimes have meetings until 9 p.m., just Sometimes if I had a request, he would say, ‘Let’s go look at it.’ to get ahead and prep for the next day. I was the only one in Filming the car race took nearly a week. “Most of the Cuban It was a good feeling having him in the car while I was driving The 11 actual filming days of The Fate of the Furious were the my department to stay in a hotel: Memories Miramar Havana. part of the script is based on this particular race,” Prisk says. because I knew I wasn’t going to be pulled over.” culmination of long and arduous planning. The initial scouting It was easier for me if I had to go down to the office and work The company zeroed in on the Malecón, Havana’s main thor- effort in November made it clear that anything the cast and late.” Others stayed in Airbnbs. oughfare. The road itself is five miles long and hugs the Havana One potential problem involved Cuban President Raúl Castro. crew might need would have to be brought into the country. coast. Locals and tourists like to congregate on its esplanade. “Raúl reached out to Karl Lagerfeld to do a Chanel runway event Housing the entire crew turned out to be a major worry. “Every- Getting approval and then preparing the location was one of in Havana,” Fottrell says. “They closed a section of the Malecón, “We got a cargo ship,” Hooge says. “We had to build the mani- thing was booked because of tourism,” Fottrell says. “We found the production’s great coups. and I was worried about how we would work alongside them. fests for the Cubans so they would know what we were bring- a small cruise ship that had an infirmary and a kitchen so we ing and for the U.S. government so they’d know what we were could feed the crew. We figured out where it could dock, but Wanting access and getting access were two different things. “It was a big challenge for our location team. The event was sending. Everything we brought, we had to bring back. as time progressed, the stabilization device went out, which “The government kept saying ‘NO. It would cause too much just one night, and we had to work around their lighting, their meant the boat had to be dry-docked and would be out of ser- chaos in the city,’” Hooge says. “We needed a mile-and-a-half stages and their bleachers.” “That was a lot of stress. Departments had to provide detailed vice for three months. lockup in the middle of Havana for the car chase. It would be manifests. Once that ship sailed, anything that couldn’t go on a like closing off a mile and a half of Wilshire Boulevard. Out of necessity, the Furious team found another nearby spot to flight, we weren’t getting. Every few days, we had a runner com- “Then through our travel people, we found 200 rooms that had shoot. “On that day, we filmed a lot on Reina Street,” Prisk says, ing from the U.S. with things like printer ink. You can’t just go been booked by a Spanish travel agency. They didn’t put down “Although it’s more efficient to get the whole thing, we thought “and it ended up being amazing.” down to the corner store and get paper clips and pens. a deposit, so we cut in line a little bit.” we’d only get bits and pieces of it. I’ve never seen a lockup that long. It was the equivalent of 28 city blocks, and we had to lock Flexibility seems to be the key to getting things done in Cuba. “When that ship docked and dropped its gates, it was like the Finding suitable base camps required diligence. “Our main base up all the side streets. This was in the middle of Havana, and we “There was no infrastructure in place,” Hooge says. “I never storming of the beaches at Normandy. We had every giant truck camp was at the port,” Prisk says. Parque Marti, an old stadi- needed it for three days.” knew how much things would cost: the police, the permits, the you can imagine stuffed with equipment—vans, 53-footers, um, was another, and we housed tons of our extras there. The road closures. I didn’t know how to budget because I didn’t camera trucks, the personnel vehicle. We brought everything third we called Dragoness because that was the street name.” It was a big ask, but ultimately, they got a yes from an official know how they were coming up with the price. Somehow we and 300 crew members to go with it.” known only as Leonardo, who was in charge of the Cuban Na- ended up being on budget.” Making sure onlookers were safe fell to the location team. “Some tional Police. “Leonardo was the guy who made things hap- Portable bathrooms were also onboard. “Because Cuba of the assistants and I would run up the stairs and tell people pen,” Hooge says. “He was the guy you didn’t mess with. He Everything required special attention. Getting a helicopter ap- doesn’t have the kind of bathrooms we’re used to, we brought to get off rooftops when the helicopter was flying,” Hooge says. was a tough, machismo guy. When people saw him coming, proved for aerial shots “was a whole to-do,” Hooge says. From some VIP restrooms,” Hooge says, “along with basic Andy “Hundreds would be watching filming. It was something to see.” they either obeyed or else. Day One, we were told we weren’t going to be able to bring an Gump portas.” American helicopter into Cuban airspace, so we weren’t going “It could be dangerous just standing on the ground,” Prisk says. to be able to use our camera ship to film sequences. They also Toilet paper became an issue. “The Cubans have a hard time get- “Rocks fell from buildings next to me twice. One was the size wouldn’t let us use drones. ting the simplest things,” Hooge says. “Take paint, for instance. If of a bowling ball. The police said, ‘That’s why we don’t stand your house is blue and you need blue paint, they might not have in gutters.’ “Michael and I talked about how we were going to get around it, so you take red paint because that’s what’s there. “One night, we were putting some of our base camp stuff back this, and we suggested, ‘Why don’t we put one of your air force Eric Hooge/LMGI by Photos “As Americans, we don’t think about these things. At a restau- in the fenced area. It was the night before our last shooting day, This page: Cayo Las Brujas (Broom of the Witch). rant restroom, you sit down and oops, there’s no toilet paper.” and a big storm came up. A window and window frame fell and Opposite page: Parque Martí base camp. Hooge laughs. “You look up on the shelf, and there’s a magazine exploded 15 feet from me. Rain was pounding my face, so the with pages torn out of it. person who was helping me said, ‘Let’s go into this building,’ which was a courthouse. Another window started shaking, and “That’s one thing I remembered from our initial scouting ex- a tile fell off the roof and exploded. perience. Cubans have a hard time getting toilet paper, so we brought pallets of it. But it would disappear. We had to hire “We went into an apartment to wait for the rain to stop, and a people to stand outside the bathrooms and break off pieces for bunch of electrical wires were on the wall. I said, ‘This is like people. Otherwise, it would get stolen.” one of those movies where someone’s trying to kill me today!’

42 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 43 “But Cuba is probably one of the safest places I’ve ever visited. I think it’s safer than L.A. I never felt I was going to be robbed or someone wanted to hurt me.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for all those who were involved. It was more than just making a movie. It was a team effort between the Cuban government and crew and our U.S. crew to make this all happen. Everyone was very hard-working and dedicated to the project.

“While I was there, the Rolling Stones played and Obama visit- ed. It was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life.” THE FURTHEST REACHES OF YOUR IMAGINATION “That’s for sure!” Brzeski says. “We had so many firsts on this movie—from flying a helicopter down the middle of Havana to ARE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK. closing down entire neighborhoods for shooting.”

Working in Cuba had a major impact on Oyarbide, who was born in the U.S. one month after his mother fled the island. “I “Need a paradise? have family in Cuba that I’d never met,” he says. “I had my first Call The Huntington.” contact with my sister from my dad’s side while we were shoot- ing. I’d seen her on Facebook, and we’d talked on the phone. It —Pasadena Star News was quite an emotional experience.” Other heavenly options include: themed gardens, lawns, ponds, Hooge’s memories are more practical. “I lost 15 pounds during mature trees, statues, and architecture production, and it probably took a year off my life. But it was great!” 626.405.2215 | FilmHuntington.org CUBA LOCATION TEAM: Supervising Location Manager: Eric Hooge, LMGI Location Manager Cuba: Matt Prisk, LMGI Key Assistant Location Managers: Miguel Tapia, Alex Oyarbide, LMGI Assistant Location Manager: Alejandro Uriegas Location Assistants: Paola Larramendi, Roque Nunez, Ariel Montenegro, Alvaro Careaga, Liuba Esperon Otero Location Coordinator: Yussuan Rivero Location PAs: Magdelin Rojas Rosales,

Camila Lores Prisk/LMGI Matt of courtesy Photo

Left to right: Miguel Tapia, Eric Hooge, Alex Oyarbide and Matt Prisk

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AGENCY: JWT/Atlanta SPECS: 4C Page Bleed PUB: 2017 LMGI Compass Magazine CLIENT: USVI TRIM: 8.375” x 10.875” AD#: USVI_17010 BLEED: 8.625” x 11.125” DATE: 2017 Spring Issue HEAD: “The Furthest Reaches of LIVE: 7.5” x 10.25” your Imagination...” 19-2 is not the first series to have a French and an English version. immense challenges and delivered spectacular results, with by Nancy Mills “We have many shows that cater to a French audience,” Knight Montreal as a key character. The show takes us throughout the says. “Every now and then, one breaks out.” 19-2 was wildly pop- city, over it, inside it and underground. We show our audience ular in Quebec, primarily because everything was done on loca- places lifelong Montrealers have never seen. tion. The English version adopted the same approach.” 19-2: “The location demands were excessive, and I was putting un- Their hard work paid off. Not only was the English-language believable stress on Adrian. The fact that we never went into a show popular with audiences but it also impressed critics. The studio meant that Adrian and his team never had a break. Wall Street Journal said of the English-language version of 19-2, Chasing the Puck “[It] makes the [cop] genre seem new again.” That version also “We were really pushing the strengths of the show, which are its won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Drama in 2016. handheld nature and the characters. It’s two guys who get out of High praise is one thing. Exhaustion is another. Knight and his team a car, so wherever they get out is the show. The locations were so never had any downtime. They were constantly searching for good in Season 2 that we pushed harder in Season 3. In Season 4, new spots, getting permissions and then clearing them after use. we said, ‘Now we’ve shown we can do this. We’re able to do this intensely.’ We got more ambitious as we got more successful.” “We averaged between 80 and 150 locations per season,” Knight says, “and that’s based on a 55-to-70-day shooting schedule. In “19-2 has not been easy,” Knight admits. “But then nothing worth one shooting block, we might have had three-to-four days at the having comes easily. If you accomplish something difficult, it feels police station, where we were shooting interiors and another good. Challenge is exciting, even if we’re pulling our hair out.” three-to-four days in the camera car. Basically, we were shooting two-to-three separate locations every day. That could mean a full Knight had good reason to be stressed on 19-2. “We only had one company or tech truck move at least once a day.” permanent set, the police station, and it was not in a studio but in a shopping mall,” he says. “So we still had to deal with resi- Smith adds, “In 25 years working in television, I have never worked dents in the neighborhood and parking the trucks. on a show that relied on locations as much as 19-2—not even close. A standard cop show will maybe be on location three days “Basically, we didn’t have the budget to build permanent sets out of seven, at most, four. 19-2 was on location every single day.” or rent studio space for months on end. We had good prices for many of our locations, partly because 19-2 was a popular show. Complimenting his location manager, he says, “Adrian has faced People were willing to accept a reasonable fee.”

“At university, one of my minors was photography,” he says. “My friend Elissa told me an independent film would be shooting at her family farm. “They asked me to help out, so I was scrambling eggs in the morning and shooting stills in the afternoon—doing anything I could to help out. I ended up working with the unit manager and location manager on all kinds of projects.” Recent- ly, Knight worked as LM on Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming film, Mother! Location manager Adrian Knight

The concept of 19-2 is far from unique. Two mismatched beat Knight/LMGI Adrian by Photo LM Adrian Knight, LMGI uses a sports metaphor cops (Nick, played by Adrian Holmes, and Ben, played by Jared Keeso), struggle to get along. The title of the series comes from

when describing how he has tracked down hundreds 19-2 Turcotte/ Yan by Photo the identification number on the police car. Audiences watch of unique locations for the popular Canadian cop se- them in their vehicle as they go about their jobs, whether they’re ries 19-2. “In a hockey game, you’re always chasing dealing with a school shooting, a snake or a department mole. after the puck,” he says. “You never know from one Because of the way the show is filmed—100 percent on loca- second to the next which way it’s going to go. That’s tion and often with handheld cameras—it feels somewhat like what we do—we just ‘follow the puck.’” It’s a tactic a documentary. that has worked since Knight took over as location To confuse matters, there are two versions of 19-2. The original manager in Season 1, Episode 3 of 19-2. He recent- French-Canadian version launched in 2011 and ran for three ly completed Season 4 and now knows more about seasons (10 episodes each season) without any involvement Montreal than he ever expected. from Knight, showrunner/producer Bruce Smith or director Louis Choquette. However, production designer André Guimond The 46-year-old location manager has been doing location work worked on both. The English-language version launched in 2014, for more than two decades, but he got his start as a child actor, with its fourth season of eight episodes due to air this year. At doing voice work on TV shows and animation series. He moved the moment, there are no plans for a fifth season. into locations by accident in 1994.

46 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 19-2 Turcotte/ Yan by Photo Knight/LMGI Adrian by Photo

Smith met Knight through 19-2 director Louis Choquette. “Louis A big believer in working on location, Knight adds, “You get so had worked with him before and thought very highly of him,” much more authenticity with location work. Rarely does any Smith says. “Louis and I made key decisions together, and if he built set have an authentic feel to it. Rental fees for a stage and had a strong choice, I was very unlikely to oppose it. Adrian’s the cost of building a set on the stage are high, so by shooting on work was exceptional, and he showed what he could do when location the savings can be considerable.” budgets were small and timelines tight.” Knight worked closely with Smith to make sure they were in “Adrian and his team were very efficient.” Choquette adds. “Ef- agreement. “When changes needed to be made, we’d deal with ficiency is very important because you don’t have a lot of time Bruce directly,” he said. “Bruce was always willing and available. to prepare for shoots and a creative approach. Adrian has very We’d always find solutions together. He was a great ally for the strong artistic skills, and he worked with (PD) Guimond very locations department.” closely.” Knight valued having a proactive boss. “We had so many prob- Guimond concurs. “Usually, we prepared three-to-four episodes lems,” he says. “One of the most difficult locations was the police per block of filming,” he explains. “Adrian prepared a list of station. In Season 1, we were able to shoot inside and outside a shooting locations with an estimate of the shooting time for each building that was a former police station. In Season 2, we could of the main locations. We started by exchanging ideas about the only use the exterior because the police department decided to different types of places that come to mind when we read the reinvigorate the old station. “It became the cyber crime unit. They script. Then we discussed the characters and the spirit that I had servers and delicate information and interior access became would like for each of them.” off-limits. That caused a whole bunch of problems with scheduling and continuity. We couldn’t even film a door to the building open- Guimond went scouting with Knight’s team. “We discovered plac- ing. We had to film the actor just after he had come through the es unknown to us and that could inspire us for later episodes,” door. We did a lot of juggling. Had we known this restriction would he says. “Also, the time we spent on the road allowed us to ex- come into place, we could have blown up the station at the end of change ideas and develop the project positively. At the beginning Season 1 and moved to a new one.” of the project, the difficulty of how to approach certain places meant that we had to work very closely so as to make the best The production worked closely with the police. “We often had choices for history and also not forget about the budget.” officers on the set as consultants or extras,” Knight says. “They would verify or correct any gun handling or procedural things Smith was so eager to make the all-on-location approach work like dealing with convicts.” that he was extremely flexible. “If we couldn’t get the locations we wanted, I’d rewrite the script,” he says. “Sometimes a location “When we could afford practical locations, it helped a lot,” Cho- would inspire us to make more of a scene or a storyline. quette says. “There is a realistic aspect to it. The traffic, the cars and people walking in the background provide it. Reality is very “Often I’d give Adrian a heads-up on what future locations we important to us. That’s why we used lots of handheld cameras.” would be needing—maybe a character’s secret place or his dream home or something that has a lot of history tied to it. We’d Even with intense planning, nothing came easy on 19-2. “Each have ongoing discussions.” season, we might have five locations per block that were real problems,” Smith says. “Adrian and I would figure out how im- Observing how actors respond to working on location, Smith portant the location was and how much budget to commit. We says, “It has an effect on the performance. When you’re out on a both got a chuckle about how insane the demands were but also street putting someone in front of a car in public, there’s a pres- how much room for creativity there was.” The need for speed sure and feeling of reality that comes with that. drove everyone crazy. “We would have to prepare the next epi- sodes and shoot at the same time,” Guimond says. “This is very “We’re trying to give you the real emotional experience of what demanding but also exciting. We also needed a lot of meetings to cops go through. We try to show what they’re doing and go inside prepare episodes (special makeup, SFX, vehicles, stunts, props, their minds rather than have them tell you how they’re feeling.” shooting locations, animals and decorators). 48 • LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 49 He recalls one of the more complicated locations. “We always had a few places that forced us to be very clever,” he says. “In the third season, we had to find a house which had burned down, and we were to discover a dead person buried in a con- crete slab in the basement. Adrian and his team searched for abandoned houses that would be demolished eventually, so that I could work without any real constraint. He also found a house that had just burned and from which I could recover the burned materials (lumber, objects and debris) and place them in our lo- cation. It was complicated to find this house, to have the engi- neers check the safety of the structure and inspectors check the

sanitary conditions.” A. Carrizey by Photo

Although money often controlled the decisions, flexibility was 3 really backed away from the French Season 3. Season 4 was Camera-wise and light-wise it became a very different show. We placed. Often we had to deal with city construction crews dig- paramount. “We had to always think about our budget,” Gui- completely fresh.” didn’t need to use the same locations.” ging up the street across from our location. Or we would arrive mond says, “but at the same time, we couldn’t let that censor us. on a location only to discover that the city had also issued a con- That was a big challenge. Each set was important, so you had to Curiously, the English-language version used very few of the That would have been too simple. “Why do something easy when struction permit to someone else for the same parking spaces bring a lot of attention to each one of them.” locations selected by the French team. “None of the directors you can make it complicated?” Knight says, only partly joking. we had requested for our trucks.” wanted to tell the exact same story in the exact same way,” However, he says there was one benefit gleaned from the French- One way the production cut costs was on dressing rooms. “We Knight says. “They wanted a different feel. The way the French language series. “When we went into neighborhoods most used in Complicating matters further was the difficulty of finding loca- were lucky that the stars of our show are two committed actors series was written, it really focused on the East End of the city, the French version, we had knowledge about what to avoid and tions when the scripts were still being finalized. “There were so who very selflessly took two reasonable trailers,” Smith says. which is a more downtrodden area. The English version is more what would work. Also, I tried to bring in as much of the French many obstacles,” Knight sighs. “Sometimes we’d lose a location “That saved us a lot of money. Their attitude trickled down.” gritty and urban. We shot mostly downtown, and every season at crew as possible to work on our version. They had contacts in at the last minute.” least once in a remote location because character Ben Chartier some neighborhoods because they’d been there so often.” Although it would seem that the French version of 19-2 might heav- is from a small town about an hour’s drive outside of Montreal. He vividly remembers a Season 3 courtroom scene scheduled to ily influence its English-language sister, the new series was not “Also, 19-2 was such a popular series in Quebec that it was quite be shot on a Sunday. “At 4:30 p.m. on Friday, we got a call from simply a remake. At first, a lot of the storyline was the same, but According to director Choquette, “We started from the same easy for people to open their doors to us. Our first season was so the Justice Ministry saying, ‘The courtroom has been sealed be- as time progressed, the two shows veered away from each other. base, but when you change the cast, you have a different en- popular that many fans contacted us, wanting the show to come cause we have to rush through some biker gang trials,’” he says. “Things started to change in Season 2,” Knight says, “and Season ergy. The characters began to change from the original version. and shoot in their neighborhoods, homes and businesses. Apart “So we had to scramble at the last minute to find another court- from an episode set in a high school, which involved a school house to film in.” shooting and used the same school premises, just about every other location in the English version was new.” What kept Knight going was the thrill of discovering new locations. “In Southwest Montreal, there is a neighborhood, Ville-Émard, Sometimes revisiting locations raised problems. “Nick’s apart- which is not filmed much,” he says. “There were a lot of low-rise, ment changed four times,” Choquette says, “and same thing hap- working-class row houses, grid-pattern streets and some industry. pened with Ben’s apartment. We weren’t able to sign long-term It wasn’t ‘sexy’ and not often featured in any productions, but it contracts because we didn’t know if the show would get a green was a great experience. People were curious and open. The small light for upcoming seasons.” apartment we used was challenging but worked quite well.”

Knight adds, “After we went back a few times to Ben’s apart- Smith particularly liked the locations in Season 2. “It was all ment, the neighbors downstairs started to become belligerent. about a neighborhood being gentrified,” he says. “We filmed in One time, they were extremely drunk and made noise while we Griffintown (an area of Montreal actually undergoing gentrifica- were filming. They complained because we were taking up too tion). We captured a neighborhood that was disappearing. Now much parking. In Season 3, Ben got a new apartment.” it’s gone, but we have a record of it.”

Weather was an ongoing issue. “We had to schedule scenes He was also intrigued with “the scene where two cops are found around actors’ availability,” Knight says. “Sometimes you’d have standing in front of an empty grave in someone’s lawn,” he says. an actor appearing at the beginning and at the end of a four- “Digging graves on city property is a difficult thing to do because episode block. By the time we got back to him, there would be there are power lines. It was a matter of getting permission and issues of foliage or shorter days or snowflakes hitting cars while permits, and Adrian did.” he’s in short sleeves.” One location that stands out in Knight’s memory is the day that “One year, it started snowing in mid-October. Another year, it reality interrupted filming. “A woman jumped off her building didn’t start till Christmas. It’s very erratic. The pressure on Adri- about half a block from where we were filming,” he recalls. “We an was to make sure we had enough interior locations so we had our picture cars and picture ambulances, and the real thing weren’t at the mercy of the weather all the time,” Smith says. was going on just up the street.”

“Meanwhile, all the usual obstacles were going on,” Knight says. Knight’s Team: ALM Lou Bengle, ALM Véronique Mathieu,

Knight/LMGI Adrian by Photo 19-2. Right: Turcotte/ Yan by Photo Left: “Roads, highways, bridges and sewage systems were being re- ALM Amélie Carrizey, ALM Charline Pomerleau LMGI COMPASS | Spring 2017 • 51 LMGI MEMBERS Promoting Excellence on Location Worldwide

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