Overview of the role
Reporting to the supervising location manager, location managers in High-end TV, scripted film and drama, find and manage locations for productions. They research and assess potential locations for their match with the creative brief and practical requirements, such as cost, accessibility and safety. They negotiate contracts with location owners or their agents, and obtain any official permits or permissions that are required. They also organise the logistics for using locations, enabling all departments to work effectively and safely.
During the shoot, they manage the security and protection of locations and the organisation of all location activities, including facilities for cast and crew, as well as the location budget and supplies. On wrap they oversee the delivery of locations back to location owners. The location manager may delegate some of the responsibilities to their assistant location manager.
On smaller productions, the location manager may also be the head of department. (Please refer to the location head of department job profile for supervising location managers and location managers on small productions.)
Download the PDF version of this skills checklist here: Location Manager Skills Checklist.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities on a particular production will vary depending on the scale and budget band.
- Read and breakdown scripts
- Research possible locations that meet creative needs
- Scout locations to be considered, taking photographs, videos and detailed notes
- Identify required permissions, licences and any logistical or other issues with locations
- Negotiate hire fees and identify costs associated with each location
- Arrange for designers and directors to recce locations
- Arrange tech recce pack and schedule, in consultation with first assistant director when appropriate
- Obtain each departments requirements and assess the impact on locations and budget
- Assess traffic management requirements, environmental implications and locations with specific needs, including sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) and historic properties
- Agree the use of locations, terms, conditions and any changes to locations with owners and help prepare contracts for their use
- Check insurance, risk assessments and signed contracts are in place
- Organise parking facilities for technical vehicles, equipment, unit bases, cast, crew and suppliers
- Liaise with local residents, organising resident meetings and consultations when needed
- Confirm nature and schedule of filming with local authority, police and local residents and businesses and obtain permission for any parking suspensions or road closures
- Organise location security, signage and barriers
- Ascertain location department needs from scripts
- Produce and distribute a full intentions document, scheduling all required activity and equipment
- Check equipment, people and facilities are in place to match schedule requirements
- Develop contingency plans to deal with issues, including environment and
non-availability - Collaborate with own and other departments to check requirements, update plans and communicate changes to scheduled activities
- Confirm details for call sheets with second assistant directors and production coordinators
- Create and securely store health and safety files and other certifications and production information to distribute to locations
- Plan day’s shoot with first assistant directors, advising them of any location date or time restrictions they may need when developing shooting schedules
- Provide specific requirements and access for those with differing needs
- Allocate, monitor and record expenditure for own locations against budget, anticipating areas of potential overspend
- Reconcile budgets for work undertaken at locations upon completion
- Identify resources required for each stage
- Obtain tenders, estimates or quotations and select and contract with suppliers of resources, facilities and technical services that meet cost and quality requirements
- Make sure materials and equipment, including those that are fragile, valuable or potentially dangerous, are stored in safe, secure locations
- Obtain reports for lost, damaged or stolen equipment
- Work with unit managers to identify locations for unit bases that are suitable for logistics and vehicle number and size
- Work with unit managers to identify suppliers to set up unit base
- Discuss costume and make-up requirements for crowd bases with assistant directors and costume and make-up departments, and set them up or order them
- Liaise with transport and facilities about movement of department’s materials and equipment
- Make sure signs are in position and security positions and locations are secure
- Oversee systems to control access and escort visitors
- Provide for access or special needs requirements
- Monitor and record breaches in security
- Organise moves to other locations
- Pack and return equipment and materials after use
- Wrap locations so that they and any contents are protected
- Identify and report any damage to locations
- Provide second assistant director with information for daily call sheets
- Communicate daily call times to relevant people and departments
- Communicate the overtime caveats to line producers and first assistant directors when overtime starts
- Coordinate location department team on set
- Maintain line of dialogue with location owner about any developments or changes
Work in line with health and safety practice for all aspects of own role
- Collect and copy signed contracts, location releases and other legal documents
- Reinstate locations to their former condition
- Follow up with location owners, dealing with any complaints or insurance claims
Skills
Check out role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of location manager.
- Identifying and assessing locations against production and script requirements
- Planning and implementing logistics for equipment and people
- Managing the security of locations
- Create systems to manage and store documentation including contracts, permissions, clearances, insurance reports, security reports, movement orders, equipment lists, location plans, certificates and insurance of crew members and risk assessments
- Communication: interpreting other’s requirements of locations and communicating location department requirements to staff and colleagues
- Teamworking: collaboration within own and with other departments
- Research: finding locations that meet production requirements
- Negotiation: agreeing location conditions of use and costs with location owners and contract terms with staff and suppliers
- Managing costs: managing location department budgets
- Planning: planning practical requirements for locations to meet production needs
- Problem-solving: contingency planning and resolving issues with locations so that productions remain on schedule
- Management and leadership: securing resources and managing crew and suppliers of the location department during production
- Resilience, enthusiasm and curiosity: adapts positively to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met. Proactive and explores new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the production
- Productivity: organises work effectively and achieves required results within deadlines. Demonstrates the drive and energy to get things done in pressurised situations and escalates appropriately when necessary
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all their actions and interactions. Respectful and inclusive of others, and meets the ethical requirements of their profession
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements and has the flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing production environment