Ambassador Announcement
Shot from the fire escape of the Gaylord Apartments, Feb 15, 2007
a last last look at the Ambassador Hotel by Diane Friedman
LAST LOOKS: THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL
before its demolition. The exhibit showcases the photography of
professional Location Managers and students from the Jefferson High
School Academy of Film and Theatre Arts.
The exhibit was on display in December-January 2006 in City Hall East.
Exhibit
.
The Ambassador has always held a special place in Hollywood’s heart. It has served as the backdrop for many film and television productions, including The Graduate, Hoffa, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Forrest Gump, Pretty Woman, and L.A. Story.
In March of 2005 the Location Managers Guild of America conducted a
two-day photo event designed to capture a parting vision of the hotel and provide an opportunity to mentor students in the art and craft of location scouting.
Together they chronicled the final days of the Ambassador Hotel and created
LAST LOOKS as a tribute to one of Hollywood’s favorite locations.
The jury for the competition included:
Lillian Benson – Editor, A.C.E.
(EYES ON THE PRIZE, SOUL FOOD – THE SERIES)
Shane Black – Director/Screenwriter
(KISS KISS BANG BANG, LETHAL WEAPON)
Bill Bowling – Location Manager
(THE INSIDER, RUSH HOUR 2)
Robert Brinkmann - Director of Photography
(TRUTH ABOUT CATS AND DOGS, RULES OF ATTRACTION)
Steve Dayan– Business Agent, Teamsters local 399, representing Location
Managers
(VOLCANO, MOONLIGHTING, THE SERIES)
Kristi Frankenheimer – Location Manager
(PATH TO WAR, LEGALLY BLONDE 2)
Barry Shabaka Henley – Actor
(COLLATERAL, THE TERMINAL)
Jessica Kender – Production Designer
(MEDIUM)
Phillip Linson – Vice Dean, American Film Institute
(THE INDIAN RUNNER, LATINO)
Aaron Osborne – Production Designer
(I AM SAM, DON’T BE A MENACE IN SOUTH CENTRAL WHILE DRINKING YOUR JUICE IN
THE HOOD, Emmy winner for WITHOUT A TRACE)
Missy Stewart – Production Designer
(MONSTER-IN-LAW, GOOD WILL HUNTING)
Alice West – Executive Producer and 6-time Emmy Award winner
(PICKET FENCES, LA LAW, ALLY MCBEAL, INCONCEIVABLE)
In June of 2005 an Awards Ceremony was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel honoring all of the students for their work and winners were presented digital cameras by sponsor Fuji Film.
Top student photographers were:
Lorraine Fuentes
Gabi Rivas
Christina Varela
LeKeysha Brown
Gerardo Soto
Diane Friedman coordinated this prodigious task as well as overseeing display graphics along with Doug Magnuson and
Veronique Vowell and the help of several LMGA members.
The presentation included a 10-minute documentary which chronicled the event and captured the essence of what a Location Manager does in the course of their work.
Directed by Lisa Blok-Linson with Beth Tate, the documentary was edited at The American Film Institute which so graciously donated their time and equipment in this endeavor.
LMGA Chairman of the Board, Orin Kennedy was Master of Ceremonies along with LMGA President Kayla Thames-Berge
Of the featured speakers,Steve Bachrach, Coordinator of the Jefferson Academy of Film and Theater Arts whose program has been in a constant struggle to survive, delivered a most poignant "thank you" to the Guild when he pointed out :
"the poetry of the association between a building the District (LAUSD) didn't want, and a program the District didn't want... well, that was a powerful thing for all of us”.
