Location Manager

Location Manager Career

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A Location Manager finds and obtains permission to use set locations for film projects, and serves as the face of the movie to the community surrounding the set. Your job as a Location Manager begins in the pre-production stage of the film, where you work closely with the Director to better understand their vision for the movie. You then set off with your Location Scouts to translate that vision into a physical location.

Finding a location as a Location Manager, is not just about picking a pretty background: You must deal with things like finding crew parking, remembering a movie’s budget restrictions, dealing with camera and lighting needs as well as more random issues like weather, flight paths or possible road construction. After you’ve found a suitable location, you obtain permission from property owners, file any needed permits for filming approval, and coordinate all of your negotiations with the filming schedule.

But your job doesn’t stop there! Once filming is under way you are in charge of the safety of the crew and serve as the public relations person for the film. This means you are the first and last person the local community sees during filming and you deal with any complaints or problems that may arise.

Be aware the Location Manager is mainly unknown position, except when something goes wrong! You will often work long, odd hours, dealing with strange problems that require you think quickly on your feet and handle complaints diplomatically with ease and grace.

How do I become a Location Manager?

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Location Managers work their way up into their position, often starting out as a Location Scout. Finding entry-level positions is easier with contacts, often found during school or internships. In order to secure the highest number of contacts you should position yourself in a larger city where movie production begins, such as in New York or Los Angeles.