Location Managers Guild of America

Story and Photos: Dave Berthiaume, LMGA

 

In these difficult economic times, people working within the entertainment industry have found it very challenging to find employment. Location Professionals have been hard hit. The employment picture of the past is just that, the PAST. Times have changed and we as Location Professionals need to adjust to a new business model of Film and TV production.

Because of serious unemployment among Location Professionals in LA’s Film industry, the Education Committee of the Location Managers Guild of America (LMGA), chaired by Bill Bowling, presented an informative and intriguing seminar “Finding Your Niche in a Changing Industry” hosted by the W Los Angeles on Saturday January 23, 2010. The focus of the seminar was to educate Location Professionals on present and future economic realities and employment opportunities. The seminar was mediated by Bill Bowling, and featured expert speakers from the industry including Ed Duffy, Teamsters Local 399; Amy Lemisch, State of California; Paul Audley, Film LA; Michael Walbrecht, Warner Brothers Studios; Lisa Strout, New Mexico Film Office and Art Dielhenn, Los Angeles Coaching.

Ed Duffy	Amy Lemisch
Paul Audley	Michael Walbrecht

Speakers from the industry provided current information relative to the present status of our industry within California in contrast to the various incentive programs offered by other states. It’s not all good news, but with the advice of people like Art Dielhenn, from Los Angeles Coaching, people within the industry may be able to dig their way out of this pit and reinvent themselves.

Ed Duffy, Business Agent from Teamsters Local 399 spoke to the incentives offered by both Canada and various states and discussed the problems with incentives as they relate to local competition for employment.

Amy Lemisch, Executive Director of the California Film Commission provided information relative to the levels of production since the introduction of tax credits. The numbers are very intriguing when you consider “runaway” production. Amy also indicated that several states and countries are having trouble maintaining their incentive programs. That may be good for us but it will be an ever-changing landscape.

Paul Audley, President of FilmLA (the Los Angeles film permit office) spoke to the statistics related to film, TV, and comercial production. It wasn’t good, but not as bad as it could have been. Based on the incentive program from the State of California, local production has increased overall some 19.4% for the year 2009. That supported information supplied by Amy Lemisch. He also indicated that their estimates on replacing the Jay Leno Show with scripted drama would result in an increase of income of 15 million a week and an increase of employment of 1500 jobs, good news for location professionals.

Michael Walbrecht from Warner Bros. spoke to the current state of film production. He indicated that features films produced by Warner Bros., in California have changed drastically. Within the past 75% of the films were produced in California and 25% were produced outside California. Now 25% are produced in California and 75% are produced outside California. On the bright side Warner Bros produced 20% more TV in California within the Los Angeles Studio 30-Mile Zone between 2005 and 2009.

Lisa Strout	Art Dielhenn
Bill Bowling	Audience Members taking a break.

Lisa Strout, former Location Manager and now the Film Commissioner from New Mexico joined the conference via video chat. She explained that New Mexico looked more toward film production than manufacturing mainly because of the lack of water in New Mexico. She also indicated that New Mexico welcomes film production since it provides employment for its residents, because of their incentives. Lisa indicated that New Mexico receives a return of $1.50 for every $1.00 received. She also indicated that New Mexico has 3,000 full time employees working in the film TV production business with an additional 6.000 people indirectly employed in the industry.

With respect to looking toward the future and where the job market may be going, and possibly trying to re-invent yourself, Art Dielhenn of Los Angeles Coaching, offered the most insight. Dielhenn was a TV director and now a life coach who has also had to make some life changes. One of his best statements revolved around “investing in yourself” which leads to looking at a “ Forced Changed Perspective” when you are faced with a possible career change.

The information provided by this excellent seminar offered location professionals in attendance with a great deal to ponder and some possible avenues of change.