Assistant location manager
The Assistant Location Manager aids the Location Manager who is responsible for scouting and renting filming locations outside a studio. They collaborate with the director, the production designer, and/or the art director on a visual level. They operate under the ultimate supervision of the producer or one of their representatives, who must approve their choices and authorize the financial commitments made on behalf of the production.
The Assistant Location Manager works under the supervision of the Location Manager, to whom certain tasks are delegated. On the request of the latter, they carry out various tasks, especially administrative ones. More specifically, the Assistant Location Manager assists the Location Manager who typically, but not exclusively, performs most or all of the following tasks:
- Analyze the production’s needs in terms of filming locations;
- Identify, select, and suggest filming locations to the director, art designer, and/or art director for the final approval of the producer or one of their representatives;
- Based on the budgetary parameters set by the producer, develop, suggest, and manage the department’s budgets;
- Negotiate and finalize rental agreements with the owners of the chosen filming locations, acting as the authorized representative of the producer;
- Obtain from the competent authorities the necessary authorizations or permits for renting and using the selected filming locations and other required spaces for the production;
- Inform the various concerned departments about the hours and terms of use of the chosen space(s);
- Ensure compliance with rental agreements made for the production, particularly regarding the preservation of the general condition of the rented spaces and the terms of their use;
- Liaise with the local population of the chosen location and communicate with the appropriate local film or council office, maintaining contact throughout the crew’s stay in a given region;
- Ensure the cleanliness and proper use of the filming locations, especially by coordinating, together with the stage manager (if applicable), cleaning services, security, crew setup, and end-of-day cleanup (wrap);
- Search for filming locations, through documentary research or on-site;
- Communicate with the owners of identified locations to assess if their property can be used for the production;
- Properly document the research done, by photographing potential filming locations and recording the contact details of key individuals and any other relevant information about potential filming locations;
- Report on research.
*Please note that the male gender has been used to simplify the reading and has no discriminatory intent.
Course plan
- Department operations and responsibilities
- Screenplay analysis and breakdownà
- Creative location analysis
- Location scouting
- Photo shooting
- Quebec architectural styles
- Budgeting
- Technical visit
- Location preparation
- Set management
- Set restoration
- Professional ethics
- Laws and regulations: legal aspects
- Introduction to the building code: visual inspection
- Working with drones and helicopters
- Basic logistics, set and green room
- Working with water: rain, pool and ice field
- Big budget foreign productions versus Quebec productions
- Bureau du Cinéma et de la Télévision du Québec (BCTQ): presentation of the office and photo library
- Film Laurentides: policies, permits and photo library
- Québec : policies, permits and photo library
- Bureau du cinéma du Saguenay : policies, permits and photo library
- Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision de Montréal (BCTM) : city of Montreal bylaws
- Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision de Montréal (BCTM): street blockage management, detour plan
- Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision de Montréal (BCTM): policies on towing and on-street truck parking
- Municipal by-laws: other municipalities
- Basic software training: Word, Excel, PDF, Preview, Dropbox
- Directors’ Guide of Canada: union contract
- Tour of filming locations
- Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision de la ville de Longueuil
- Final simulation
General skill courses
Here is the content of the general skill courses that takes place in the first hours of all training programs:
- Act respecting owners, operators and drivers of heavy vehicles (Bill 430)
- Awareness of the impact of filming on the living environment and residents
- Financial income and personal taxation
- First aid in the workplace
- Hazardous products and WHMIS
- History of Quebec cinema
- Introduction to the union – AQTIS 514 IATSE
- Introductory visit to a film set
- Masterclass conference, open to the public
- Notions of ecology: application of green sets
- Occupational Health and Safety on film sets
- Penal and criminal liability (Bill C-21)
- Personal responsibility and rental equipment
- Personal finances
- Presentation of key positions in production departments
- Presentation of the AQTIS-514-IATSE union agreement
- Prevention of physical and psychological harassment
- Preventive driving
- Sanitary measures and the pandemic
- Teamwork, interdepartmental interaction and hierarchy
- The Actor’s role and relationship with the technical team
- The Producer’s role and relationship with his technical team
- Understanding direction and production documents