Lori Balton has become the first location professional to be accepted as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the US. Balton is an industry veteran and has worked on productions including the Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers franchises.
Green-coloured cycle lanes in downtown Los Angeles have been frustrating location filming professionals and now they’re about to be re-painted. More than a mile of neon green lanes was painted for cyclists in 2011 but the distinct design causes problems for the production industry.
I was surprised by the diversity of lifestyles and locations on Thailand’s largest island, Phuket. It’s known as a party destination so I expected to find overcrowded beaches and discount hotels. That is exactly what I found, but Phuket is also so much more.
Nancy Haecker, The Location Managers Guild of America's Vice President and International Committee Chair, and other top Location Managers have been invited to Thailand by the film office in an attempt to boost its industry. Nancy will keep us up-to-date on the trip.
The Thailand Film Office is hosting a familiarisation trip with a group of top Location Managers. International location filming surged in Thailand in the first half of 2012 as the film office worked hard to raise the country’s profile around the world.
Filmmaker Ben Affleck recreated Iran on location in the Californian cities of Los Angeles and Ontario for his new movie Argo. Set in 1979, Affleck’s film tells the true story of a team of CIA agents who posed as sci-fi moviemakers as they set out to rescue US diplomats caught in the Iranian revolution.
Upcoming period crime feature Gangster Squad has filmed reshoots in the Chinatown region of Los Angeles. The community is considered film-friendly as the small streets and alleyways are easy to control, while period production design is straightforward.
An exhibit showcasing the artistic talents of America’s professional location scouts and managers - members of the Location Managers Guild of America (LMGA) - will open in Los Angeles on April 16th 2011. ‘Downtown: Incomplete LA’ will be exhibited at the Terrell Moore Gallery for two weeks.