Location Managers Guild International

What Location Managers Guild International does

Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional guild founded in 2003 to represent location managers, scouts, and assistant location managers working in film, television, commercial, video, and print production. Headquartered at 8033 Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles with a small staff of 1-10 employees, the organization serves a globally distributed membership base spanning the USA, UK, Australia, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Iraq, and Japan. LMGI's primary offerings are non-technological community, recognition, and advocacy services, including tiered membership programs, an annual awards ceremony (13th edition in 2026), a quarterly digital magazine (Compass), organized familiarization tours (FamTours) to international filming destinations, and a searchable global member directory. The guild has secured institutional recognition including its own IMDB category and membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Television Academy.

LMGI's core products center on professional community and recognition rather than technology. Membership is structured across five tiers: Location Pro Members ($135 annually, requires 300 paid working days), Location Associate Members ($85, 150-day minimum), Location Apprentice Members ($75 for emerging professionals), Industry Members ($100 for producers, UPMs, directors, and others), and Emeritus Members ($50 for retired actives). A $35 non-refundable application fee applies across tiers. In 2025, LMGI ratified a bylaws amendment introducing regionally adjusted pricing aligned with World Bank income classifications, offering 25% discounts in Tier 2 countries and 50% discounts in Tier 3 countries. Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues, with ancillary income from events, the awards ceremony, FamTour partnerships with regional film commissions, and Compass magazine.

LMGI's go-to-market is community-led, leveraging industry events including Comic-Con panels, FOCUS London, Photoville Festival, and FamTours in destinations such as Spain, Canberra, Kurdistan, Stockholm, and Poland to attract and retain members. Distribution occurs through a self-serve application portal at app.lmgi.org and member/business partner directories. The guild serves two primary customer segments: individual location professionals (Location Managers, Scouts, Assistant Location Managers) seeking recognition, networking, career development, and advocacy, and regional film commissions and government agencies seeking access to international productions and alignment on sustainable production practices.

Name

Location Managers Guild International

Legal name

Location Managers Guild International

Website

https://locationmanagers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Location Managers Guild International is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional guild serving location managers, scouts, and assistant location managers worldwide through tiered membership, annual awards, FamTours, and a global member directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Film Industry Guild Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning Management (LMS) & Talent Development (BPACAPAG)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Film industry guild
• Location management network
• Membership organization
• Entertainment industry advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: LMGI generates revenue through annual membership dues paid by location professionals, associate members, apprentice members, industry members, and emeritus members. Dues range from $50 to $135 annually depending on membership tier, plus non-refundable application fees of $35.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LMGI is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional guild that delivers tiered membership programs for location managers, scouts, and assistant location managers working in film, television, commercials, and print production. Its deliverables include the annual LMGI Awards ceremony, organized FamTours to international filming destinations in partnership with regional film commissions, the quarterly Compass digital magazine, a searchable global Member Directory, and the Business Partner program connecting film commissions and industry organizations with location professionals.

Product overview

Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional organization founded in 2003, serving as a global guild for location managers, scouts, and assistant location managers in the film, television, commercial, video, and print industries. The organization operates a unified membership platform offering tiered membership programs (Location Pro, Associate, Apprentice, Industry, and Emeritus), an annual awards ceremony (LMGI Awards), quarterly Compass Magazine publication, organized FamTours to international filming destinations, and a searchable member directory. The guild also hosts the Shooting Locations Marketplace event in Spain and provides business partner programs for film commissions. LMGI does not offer a technology product but provides professional networking, advocacy, education, and industry recognition services to its members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LMGI Awards Annual awards ceremony recognizing outstanding location work in films, television series, commercials, and film commissions worldwide. The 13th Annual LMGI Awards ceremony is scheduled for August 22, 2026 at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica. Targeted at LMGI members, productions, and film commissions seeking industry recognition.
• LMGI Membership Programs Tiered membership structure for location professionals, industry partners, and emeritus members. Includes Location Pro Members ($135 annually, requires 300 paid working days and 3 professional references with voting rights), Location Associate Members ($85 annually, 150 days minimum), Location Apprentice Members ($75 annually for emerging professionals), Industry Members ($100 annually for producers, production designers, UPMs, directors, and photographers), and Emeritus Members ($50 annually for retired Active members).
• FamTours (Familiarization Tours) Organized tours for LMGI members to explore filming locations worldwide, including destinations such as Spain, Canberra, Reading, Kurdistan, Stockholm, and Poland, often conducted in partnership with regional film commissions. Provides members with first-hand access to international filming infrastructure and incentives.
• Compass Magazine Quarterly digital publication featuring industry news, member spotlights, location features, and guild updates. The Spring 2026 edition is the latest issue available, distributed to LMGI members and industry stakeholders.
• LMGI Member Directory Online searchable directory of LMGI members including Location Pro Members and Business Partners, enabling productions, producers, and other industry professionals to find vetted location managers and scouts worldwide.
• Business Partner Program Partnership program for film commissions, location service providers, and industry organizations to connect with LMGI members, host FamTours, and gain visibility in the Business Partners Directory. Includes access to the Member Directory and event participation.
• Shooting Locations Marketplace Annual marketplace event in Valladolid, Spain organized by Feria de Valladolid in partnership with LMGI, bringing together location managers, scouts, production executives, and film commissioners from around the world. SLM 2024 was its 4th edition.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Environmental Media Association (EMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026EMA receives LMGI Humanitarian Award at the 13th Annual LMGI Awards (August 22, 2026). EMA is recognized for leadership in sustainable production practices, including the EMA Green Seal created in 2003, a widely adopted benchmark for environmentally responsible production. Location professionals have been early adopters of the Green Seal since its inception.
• Feria de ValladolidcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Feria de Valladolid organizes the annual Shooting Locations Marketplace (SLM) in Spain's Castilla y León region, hosting location managers, scouts, production executives and designers from around the world. LMGI is a partner organization for this event. SLM 2024 was its 4th edition.
• Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025AFCI is a partner organization for the Shooting Locations Marketplace, co-promoting the event alongside LMGI, EUFCN, PGGB, Crew United, and European Producers Club.
• European Film Commissions Network (EUFCN)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025EUFCN is a partner organization for the Shooting Locations Marketplace, collaborating on promoting European filming locations.
• Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025PGGB is a partner organization for the Shooting Locations Marketplace, supporting UK and international film production networking.
• Crew UnitedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Crew United is a partner organization for the Shooting Locations Marketplace, connecting European film and TV professionals.
• European Producers Club (EPC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025EPC is a partner organization for the Shooting Locations Marketplace, representing European film producers.
• Screen CanberraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Screen Canberra hosted an LMGI FamTour to Australia's capital city, welcoming location managers to explore filming locations and participating in a panel at the Capital Film Festival on 'The Power of Place in Storytelling.'
• FilmWarsaw / Warsaw Film CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020FilmWarsaw and Warsaw Film Commission co-hosted a Virtual FamTour of Poland with LMGI during a special edition of 'Coffee Tuesdays' virtual chat series. Polish Producers Alliance (KIPA) and Postnovation post-production also participated.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Producers Guild of America (PGA): The PGA is a nonprofit trade organization representing producers, with a comparable membership, awards, and advocacy structure to LMGI. Both guilds serve film/TV professionals, run annual awards, and operate as advocacy bodies for their respective crafts.
• Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI): AFCI is the global nonprofit trade association for film commissions and a named LMGI partner. Both organizations connect production professionals to filming locations and run member-driven programs around location promotion.
• American Cinema Editors (ACE): ACE is a nonprofit honorary society of film editors with a near-identical operational model to LMGI: tiered membership, annual Eddie Awards, educational programming, and industry advocacy. Both organizations function as recognition and community bodies for a single film craft.
• European Film Commissions Network (EUFCN): EUFCN is a nonprofit network of European film commissions and a confirmed LMGI partner at the Shooting Locations Marketplace. It serves a parallel function at the regional level — connecting productions to vetted filming locations — and collaborates directly with LMGI.
• Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800): The ADG is a sister craft guild within the film industry representing art directors, production designers, and set designers. It shares LMGI's craft-recognition mission, runs an annual Excellence in Production Design Awards, and operates with a comparable membership and advocacy model.
• Visual Effects Society (VES): VES is a nonprofit professional society for VFX artists with a parallel structure: tiered membership, annual VES Awards, global chapters, and educational programming. It is the craft-recognition analog for visual effects professionals.
• Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB): PGGB is a UK-based nonprofit guild for production professionals. It is explicitly a partner organization with LMGI at the Shooting Locations Marketplace and operates a comparable membership/awards/networking model for production crew.
• Cinema Audio Society (CAS): CAS is a nonprofit professional society of sound mixers in film/TV. It mirrors LMGI's structure with tiered membership, an annual CAS Awards ceremony, and industry advocacy for a single production craft.

Broad incumbents

• Directors Guild of America (DGA): The DGA is a much larger, established film/TV industry guild with overlapping membership, awards, and advocacy functions. It represents a broader craft (directors and UPMs) and serves as a structural incumbent LMGI members often belong to as well.
• International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600): ICG is a much larger IATSE-affiliated guild representing cinematographers, with a parallel awards program (ICG Publicists Awards, etc.) and craft advocacy. It operates as an incumbent for camera professionals in the same production ecosystem LMGI serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/locationmanagersguild/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
• Xx.com/thelmgi
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheLMGI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/location-managers-guild-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Location Managers Guild International