Oh, what a night! This Saturday, Liverpool’s jaw-dropping setting, that’s St George’s Hall, hosted the inaugural Location Manager Awards UK, and it was truly something sensational! Jo witnessed it all!
It was a night never to forget, and one that surely will be repeated after its huge success on Saturday. So much joy was in the room, so much to celebrate, and lifted even more by the after-party hosted by Bongo’s Bingo with dance-offs, Henry Hoover prizes, men in dresses and glow sticks everywhere. Bonkers!
Organised by a committee of volunteers determined to shine the spotlight on location managers in the UK at large, who so far have not been recognised in the same way as other film departments in other prestigious ceremonies, they put on a wonderful show for over 400 location professionals. We all made the pilgrimage to Liverpool despite the resistance of Storm Amy to celebrate some of the biggest unsung heroes of the year.
At Farm Locations, we understand the challenges—and the rewards—that come with the briefs location managers work through. Without their creativity, diligence, and persistence in finding the right locations, our business wouldn’t exist, and productions wouldn’t deliver. Over the years, we’ve been lucky to work on some incredible briefs and demanding shoots, alongside calm, capable location managers who seamlessly make things happen.
Location managers have one of the toughest jobs in the industry. From turning a vision into reality, navigating logistics, permissions, ever-changing briefs and weather, to finding the right look at short notice —their work is relentless and absolutely fundamental to every production. The Awards were a long-overdue recognition of the work that goes into shaping the visual landscapes of UK film and TV.
Huge congratulations to all the nominees on the night, and special mention to the 6 winners:
Supervising Location Manager Award | Christian McWilliams
Location Department Award | Ian Pollington and team for Slow Horses
Unit Manager Award | Martin Walker
Studio Unit Manager Award | Simon Crook
Rising Star Award | Emily Turnbull
Lifetime Achievement Award | John Friend Newman
And equally, huge thanks to the organisers, led by Georgette Turner and the sponsors and partners, along with the support of the Liverpool Film Office and St George’s Hall, for pulling this together so well. It was polished, glamorous, glorious, and so much fun. We hope this event marks the start of wider recognition for location managers across the industry and that more glitz and accolades will follow.
