UKL’s Lauren York appointed Regional Executive of the UK, Europe & Africa (UKEA) Location Manager Guild International

Our CEO, Lauren, says she’s honoured to take the position (alongside her work at UKL) of Regional Executive of the UK, Europe & Africa (UKEA) Location Manager Guild International, a role jointly held with Supervising Location Manager, Tom Howard.

The LMGI is a global organisation of location professionals in film, TV & photography, dedicated to connecting, elevating and advocating for its members. As well as working to uphold the highest ethical standards, the organisation “supports strong relationships between production and government agencies, businesses and communities, and promotes awareness of its members’ place in the entertainment industry as indispensable creative collaborators through a variety of innovative programs”.

Although the LMGI has members worldwide, until now the majority of its events – including its annual awards ceremonies – have taken place in the US, where the LMGI started out as the LMGA. But with the launch of the UK, Europe & Africa branch there’ll soon be more activity geared towards members on this side of the globe.

Lauren will be devising events and member benefits alongside a brilliant team of UK film and TV location professionals, including Regional Director (& 1st Vice President of the LMGI International Board), Angus Ledgerwood, Supervising Location Manager and fellow Regional Executive, Tom Howard; and committee members, Mark O’Hanlon, Camilla Stephenson, Azania Muendane, Cecile Howard, Robert Bentley & Giannis Sotiropoulos.

Why the LMGI’s UKEA branch will help secure BAFTA recognition

A positive step in itself, the launch of the UK, Europe & Africa branch will also strengthen the case for a dedicated BAFTA award for location managers.

When UK Locations launched its campaign for a dedicated BAFTA award in February 2022, the LMGI was among the first to lend its support, having previously fought – and won! – a long battle of its own to have location managers accepted as members of the prestigious Television Academy.

With over 1000 signatures on its petition, UKL went on to secure its first meeting with BAFTA, generating further industry support – most notably, in the form of video of testimonials from director Danny Boyle and several highly respected Supervising Location Managers including Naomi Liston (Game of Thrones), Amie Tridgell (Paddington), Tom Howard (The Secret Garden) and Harriet Lawrence (Saltburn).

Then, in September 2023, Lauren and Tom Howard met with the new BAFTA Chair, Sara Putt, who expressed great sympathy for the cause and recommended replicating the approach taken by the Casting Directors’ Guild (CDG) and lobbying BAFTA as a ‘Guild’ – leading them into discussions with the LMGI, which resulted in the formation of the UKEA branch.

Knowing that it took the CDG a lengthy nine years to secure a dedicated BAFTA award for its members – and determined to give the craft the recognition it deserves much sooner than that – Lauren also decided to set up the annual Location Excellence Awards.

Building the Guild

With encouragement from all corners, Lauren, Tom, Angus and the UKEA team are now ready to get to work on an exciting programme of activities that will give location professionals membership on this side of the Atlantic even more reason to join the LMGI – and lay the foundations for greater recognition within BAFTA.

If you’d like to be part of this exciting moment in the history of location management and benefit from future events and promotions organised by the LMGI’s UKEA committee, be sure to register to become a member – and don’t forget to spread the word!