As my interest in and knowledge of film and architecture have grown, I’ve become more and more absorbed by how backlot sets and actual locations are employed to make movies (and television series). Some of this site’s pieces reflect that and there are more to come. It’s why I was at the May Fair hotel off Piccadilly on Thursday evening for Behind the Lens: an Entertainment industry insights event, which brought together professionals from the film and television production, location and hospitality sectors. It was a chance to share stories and ideas and of course to meet those involved in some of the best small and big screen entertainment around.
The fun began even before the discussions got going. I was thrilled to meet Alex Boden, who produced both seasons of the brilliant Tokyo Vice, made for HBO and seen here on the BBC. We talked about how the urban texture of the locations enhanced the drama, including several small nightclubs (the main venue was a set), and how the quiet, slow-burn nature of the series provides a challenge in terms of gaining traction with the public – no third season is likely, sadly, though only the other week Alex had been with the superb actor Shô Kasamatsu who plays Sato. We also discovered a neat personal connection through architecture.
I’d been invited to the event by Loria Balton, a hugely experienced American location scout who’s worked on many of Michael Mann’s films and with whom I’d been in touch regarding a forthcoming project of mine (watch this space). In the first panel session Lori explained how she does the initial research that leads to a selection of possibilities for directors to explore in more detail. Her focus is always on how location drives the story, increasingly these days for background plate work as well as principal photography, and her lesson for those thinking of joining the industry was to take pride in getting the job done and not to expect any praise for this rather unsung profession – as location work is not yet eligible for the Academy Awards, Lori co-founded the Location Managers Guild of America a few years ago.
Running the location falls to supervising location managers like fellow American Becky Brake, who – having worked on the spectacular Mission: Impossible series – spoke of different drivers governing where other kinds of films shoot. Becky emphasised how she doesn’t always know if the necessary access to a given location will be possible until she tries, though it seems that in one instance where everything went to plan she was also fortunate to receive those thanks.
Chatting to me over drinks and nibbles later Becky explained the importance of reading the culture when on location, making any necessary local arrangements and the tricky trade-offs that can sometimes entail. An example is where those who operate in the criminal world have to be involved to ensure the cast and crew’s safety. Sometimes the challenges are not those an outsider would expect; in the Middle East, for example, as Ghost Protocol was being shot, she did have to work to be respected and listened to and yet didn’t have to contend with some of the issues a woman might face if working in the West.
The truly international nature of the business came through very strongly across the evening, with Studio Babelsberg production executive Markus Bensch (The Reader) talking about the staggering effort required to secure the real-life Glienicke Bridge as a location for Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies – this included setting up 30-mile detour for the tens of thousands of cars that would otherwise use it each day, something Markus admitted was possible only because of the kudos of the director. Meanwhile Brits Harriet Lawrence, another supervising location manager, and Hayley Armstrong from Creative England demonstrated how English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish locations have brought investment of all kinds into those nations, from basic but necessary infrastructure like new roads to the purchase by Warner Brothers of Leavesden Studios.
With support from the irrepressible Bridgette Thelen, Senior Director, US-International Sales, and her multi-lingual team at the Radisson Hotel Group, this was a fascinating and intriguing dip into an adjacent world to my own whose efforts aren’t always appreciated by all who enjoy the final product. I left still talking shop, even as some of those I walked to the tube with were preparing for a 4am taxi to Heathrow…
With special thanks to Lori, Bridgette, Lisa Ray of Boutique Editions and Maria and Elodie from RGH.
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