Location Scout Atlanta, born 1999
In 1998, I retired from the Georgia Film Commission.
Crazy Me, I could have stayed employed, had a quiet film life working in the government & be retired by now.
But the call to live as a full artist, with all the risks, made me Jump in The Water.
And I could swim, a little.
I became a Freelancer seeking work as a Location Scout, Location Manager, Location Assistant, Transportation Coordinator, Photographer, Cartographer & also gave Atlanta History Tours.
Rap Music Videos + More Videos
A Wild Ride, Fo Sho
Tough Work few wanted
But like the "poor quality food" we were given as slaves, the bad cuts of meat, the meager potions & "what was leftover " we made the most of a difficult work situation, to grow, develop & to shine.
1990's-2020 (for me)
While scouting a video, a famous rapper (worth $200 Million, Forbes)
called me & said; "Don't Take Me to the Ghetto!" I understood.
In the early 2000's there we more Rap Videos filmed in Atlanta than Movies.
So many, some outta control, & some so Big, they shut down entire neighborhoods & sometimes major corridors.
The City of Atlanta had to set up an Official Atlanta Permit Office
(Not a Film Office) to control the chaos. The Atlanta permit office still exists today, as the Mayor's Office of Film.
First, let me get this straight. The majority of Artist had great music, were cool, professional & nice to work with. An I wish I could have gotten to know them
But this was film production as a blunt object. Tough , demanding work that would make or break you.
The 1st few years, the "Animals Ran the Zoo", but not for long. Helen Urriola & I brought it under control. Or the production companies could hire someone else.
Film Production is difficult work. Made increasingly difficult if not done efficiently.
For me in Locations department, it was the production company that was producing the video that allowed production problems more than the artists or their posse's.
Because of the mixed bag of out of town producers, AD's, directors & production designers being cavalier in following production norms, people hanging out & crowing around the set, attracted by the lights & celebrities, the results were, long hours, rushed & poorly thought out shooting schedules, crowd control issues, low to no budgets, many crew members not understating filmmaking protocols because of their inexperience, or just not caring.
These issues created an atmosphere in which a production was very inefficient , and caused the crew to worked our asses off.
And at the same time, this was one of the most important times to develop as a filmmaker for Black crew. This was low budget filmmaking at it's toughest.
In the early years 1990's - 2000's, the Locations department , Was a "1 person department". And he 1st Hired.
I was Location scout,Location manager (budgeting, The contact person) photographer, neighborhood liaison & coordinator, map maker, police coordinator, in charge of creating & physically posting direction & parking signage, ( yellow signs on telephone post) , posting traffic control signs, on set PA for garbage, heat, air-conditioning, bathrooms, tents, set clean-up, security guard coordinator, Transpo Coordinator & Transpo Captain(parking & directions for All vehicles), as well as dealing with location contracts, vendor contracts, city, state, county film permits & associated Insurance. And i did this with No assistant. That was the norm for Location Manager & his/her department.
But in due time, I changed that bit of suffering & created jobs for others...On certain shows, when the work load was too much I would hire an assistant.
I didn't ask production to put them on payroll, they would have denied my request.
Unknown to the production, I had been training people at my home office when we did similar jobs. So I would hire the people I was mentoring to work as my assistant (hey Renay), & use my home office as our unofficial locations production office. Computer, printer, cell phones, contacts, maps, signs, contact lists, permits all generated in my home office.
I explained to my producers the assistants were necessary & since I would pay my assistant out of my pocket, I told production to consider them "A gift to the production" Not much they could argue with since we kicked butt & got the job done with flying colors.
It worked so well, eventually everybody in film (TV & Features & commercials) started doing the same, expanding the locations department & hiring more assistants & scouts.
So after the early 2000's, locations departments grew to what they have become today, to include , set PA's ,location coordinators & key set Location managers, all working under the Location Manager.
Music videos help start the trend.
Lets me make this clear, Rap videos Saved the Black Film Crew in Atlanta. Because of the amazing Artist's & their music, and with the strip clubs like Magic City & The Blue Flame
(hey to Ms. Jackie White) becoming a test ground for hits ,
Atlanta became the epic center of ground breaking Hip-Hop & Rap in America.
So the story is;
When no one else in Film biz in Atlanta would hire us. We got good paying jobs from Black artists.
Music videos were where you learned your craft & could work your way up to be a department head. Even today, we have few departments in TV , Feature or Commercials headed by Black folk.
Music videos were important because we got to
Work with Real Music Artists,
Collaborate with Talented Directors and crew, network and get production strong
and Sometimes, even Make Magic !
I have done over 100 videos.
For many Years, Black crews paid their bills & fed their families from Rap Music Video Productions
Thank God for them
Arrested Development
1992
Everyday People
Helped
Jamal Henry do locations with me giving advice from my files at the Ga Film Office.
Senoia Ga.
OutKast in The Inforum
1999
Right after working in the film office I started to get call to scout & manage Rap videos.
1st time working with Oatkast, & it was big. We took over part of Peachtree Center
called The Inforum.
It looks like a space ship inside & the producers loved it. Problem was, convincing the management this was a worthwhile Filming project. That's where my experience from the Film Office comes in.
We pulled it off without too many issues.
The Inforum during a video
A video Invasion
With my vast knowledge of available locations, I took Rap Videos where they had Never been before. The word got out, & I became The Go To Locations Guy in Atlanta. Lasted 15 years & today I still get calls to scout.
Mystikal
2000
Shake It Fast
Mystikal, Pharrell Williams, Little X , director.
Lot of talent on set that day at the beautiful Whitehall Plantation House.
Whitehall , a former cotton plantation, was the inspiration for Margret Michell's 12 Oaks, the Wilkes Plantation in the movie "Gone With the Wind."
We had come Full circle.
Mystikal
Shake It Fast, 2000
Covington Ga.
Country folks, owners of Whitehall Plantation, sit at lunch with
Thugs, Hooch's rappers, & Music video crew from Atlanta.
Talent was:
Mystikal, Pharrell Williams, Little X , director
From Wiki:
Since its release, the song, Shake it Fast, has been featured in several films and other media. It has been featured in the films The Hot Chick, Zoolander, Crossroads, Down to Earth, Juwanna Mann, Scary Movie 2, Identity Thief, About A Boy, and It's a Boy Girl Thing and the HBO television series Treme, also appearing in TV series Everybody Hates Chris first-season episode 'Everybody Hates Drew'. It also appeared in the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV when the player enters the Alderney strip club in the city.
You tube link;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb2mnDp68S0
Ludacris Roll Out, on Mt Paren
Sept 12, 2001
In Buckhead, the day after 9/11. It was organized madness & I won.The producers were idiots, and the director, had issues,
but I brought some sanity to the game. The crew appreciated my efforts. Thank you my crew sisters & brothers.
Ludacris Roll Out, Award winner
The director hated this mansion, and producers mimicked his attitude, meaning he & the producers weren't happy with me or my scouting options. And they acted like it while filming. The mansions I got them into wasn't what they were expecting. But we got a good one.
They weren't happy Until.
The video won an award & the song went to #1 on the charts.
Suddenly, they were ecstatic. And I suddenly became part of team Hero.
Ludacris, Saturday Ooh Ooh & the Treehouse I created
This is the computer digital version of what the director & producers had 6 scouts looking for..The Biggest Treehouse in Georgia.
It didn't exist.
But on a video you can't tell the director or producers that. So they wasted 5 days having 6 scouts looking for anything close to a real tree house. They were are their wits end.
Finally , I had an idea I had seen a lake pavilion in Stone Mountain Park. Had a 25 ft stone fire place, & no walls.
My theater mind kicked in & i suggested to the art director, put up fake walls & put a huge fake tree in the middle of the pavilion.
Voila', instant treehouse.
He agreed, created it like i envisioned it & that's where the video was shot. My idea created
The Biggest Tree House in Georgia.
I got No thank you or any credit from anyone, not even the Coke addicted producer.
Dungeon Family photos for GQ magazine cover
2011
Mark Seliger, best celebrity photographer in the country, called me to find the Perfect location for a GQ cover photo featuring Atlanta's Dungeon Family.
A reunion photo of the music legends. The location had to be special, Not just the usual park setting.
I knew just the place, no one else knew about.
Dunaway Gardens. A beautiful hidden garden compound that Walt Disney used to frequent in the 1930' & 1940's.
It was the perfect spot.
They did the photos for the cover & it was a great story.
Mark was happy,
And i got paid.
P.Ditty & T.I.
A Photo Shoot on McDaniel St.
Had All of P.Ditty's
Bad Boy Entertainment present for famed NYC photographer Johnathan Mannion. Huge stills photo job.
12 rappers, 16 Atlanta police, street closure permit, catering , parking, hair & makeup, bathrooms, Rolls Royce cars, neighbors & rap-wanna-be's. McDaniel St. was shut down & we created a Star studded happening.
Mick Jagger the Rollin Stones
Rain Come Down
A Big Deal
2012. Mick & Keith were in town for 2 sold out concerts in the Georgia Dome
(or was it the Omni)
And they wanted to do a video while in Atlanta. I got the call & the mad rush
to find an "Old Flat".
Problem was they don't really exist in Atlanta anymore, but that's what the Art Director wanted so digital camera in hand I started running, the mad rush was on. Find & take Location photos & upload on a website, prep & negotiate contracts & payments, find & secure vendors, hire & coordinate police (thanks Mike Smith) design maps, secure street closures with signage, find & securebBase camp crew, & extras parking. And scout & secure 2nd unit filming locations. All completed in 6 days & on budget.
Completed by just 1 locations guy, Albert B. Cooper.
The production was interesting on this shoot. The City of Atlanta didn't have a Permit Office, & our permits were submitted at the last minute ( I told Mayor Bill Campbell we needed an Atlanta Permit Office, but nothing came of it)
So Atlanta just had a "Permit Person", & he was at home, in bed with a fever & stomach virus & told me he is not coming to work.I reminded him, this ain't no rap video, this is the Rolling Stones, This is Big Time International Film Production. and we need to reroute traffic, & closed down Mitchell street, immediately.
The same street City Hall is located on, So get up, take some medicine & get me my permits! Which he did. Thanks Omara, Told you the job was gonna be tough.
The LA production manager was incompetent, arrogant, mean woman and a pain.
More to come on those stories.
Keith Richards & the Old Flat
Had to show this musty old room, it's a classic.
The location was an important piece of the story. A character in the video as the band members, so scouting was intense. I hired 5 scouts to look for "an Old Flat". Which there are only 1 place in Atlanta with that look.
The Scoville Hotel on Mitchell
St. across from the old C&S Bank building.
A flat is a room in a SOR Hotel, (Single Occupancy Residence) that has a sink in the room, but no bathroom. Bathroom is down the hall & shared by the renters on that floor. This was a historic type of lodging found in old urban cities.
The hotel has been closed for years & had to be cleaned for 2 days before the Stones & crew were allowed inside. A real health hazard, and a film makers paradise.
It's the Look Stupid!
Hype Williams
1991
Busta Rhymes
"Break Ya Neck"
I had approached Hype on a set somewhere & offered my services as a Location Manager & scout. He said OK & he hired me for this Video & a couple more.
Real work with a Real Filmmaker Artist and Music artist as well.
Here an article about Hype that give insight into making music videos.
https://www.complex.com/style/a/aria-hughes/hype-williams-interview
Busta & Dr. Dre
Break Ya Neck
Produced by Dr.
Big time music video with the biggest names in the industry.
Dre. Artists on set included Ludacris, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Lil Jon & East Side Boyz, Ceelo Green, Big Gipp, Diddy, Swiss Beatz, Khujo, Fabolous, & Crunchy Black.
Link to video;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7FfCJb8JZQ
Black Film Producers
A Rare photo
Finally I meet & work with Black Producers.
First on left, the NYC legend Preston Holmes,
(search IMBD for Preston) then Honey Latham,
1st A.D. Van Hayden & Cisco Newman (red hat).
Next to Cisco is my former assistant & filmmaker Crystal Furlonge. All top pros. Google the names.
Took many years to finally meet & work with Black Producers. Really good ones are few & far between.
The early years of Independent films out of New York City & Music Videos with a real budget were where the growth started.
That production work allowed talented musical artists in front of camera & producing talent behind the camera the opportunity to work , grow, expose their art to the world & to flourish.
Success, finally happened.
Carl Johnson Sr.
(black Hat on right)
Along with Jay Johnson, Carl Johnson Jr.
Carl Johnson, was the 1st Black crew member from Georgia I ever met. Georgia born & New York City trained.
In the Early 80's I was on a still photo shoot & he told me to come work as a Film Crew person. I had no idea I could get a job working on movies, I didn't know Any black people who did. But he was right.
I found my way in.
Carl set the tone for everyone, with his work ethic, aggressive pursuit of the next job & paycheck, his skill dealing with the redneck crew members & his southern kindness.
God Bless you CJ, we miss you.
Sergio Mendes & the Black Eyed Peas
During the filming of a Black Eyed peas video I met my musical hero from 1966.
In the photo I have my original Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 album I had bought in 1966. He asked where did I get it & I told him, I bought it when I was in high school. He was so excited , he signed it right away.
We filmed this video in the Peachtree Playhouse , which had been turned into a Club in the 2000's. I was back home & working behind the camera.
Loved it.
Dave Myers & Bill Nunn
Dave Myers, Director. The Best Director of Music videos in USA. Extensive credits of classic, iconic videos for All major artist. Bombs Over Baghdad is one example.
Google him.
For several years I was his go to Location Scout/ Manager in Atlanta. We spent many, many days together scouting in vans, tech scouting, getting the right look & vibe. And he was the MAN. Quiet & kind & often so tired he relied on me to pull everything together. I was quick & he liked that.
Where to scout, (small scout budget) available locations, schedule, permit issues etc. He trusted me, therefore his producers had to follow my suggestion on how to get the job done. Smart move.
Helen Urriola & Linda Burns
The 2 women most responsible for most of the iconic music video & commercial production hiring in Atlanta film business since the early 2000's.
Their resumes as production managers & producers are extensive in both areas , videos & commercials. Many crew members, especially black crew members owe them a big thank you. They hired without regard to sex, race color or creed in the truest sense.
Everybody got a fair shake to prove themselves.
I'll dig into individual stories of working with them in another chapter.
Thanks Ladies, Keep Shinning.
Rappers & the Posse
Like fried chicken & cornbread, they go together, always. On every shoot.
This photo is from a Bone Crusher video.
Custom Cars in da Hood
Almost every rap video will have custom cars. Rappers should have they own custom shop by now.
Video Girls
Can't do a music video with the pretty girls. This group was on Luda video. Their presence made the set feel like being in a night club, except they had to have changing areas, bathrooms & we fed them & keep them warm and dry.
Under a Bridge
Videos take place in obscure locations.
Structure, colors ,
light atmosphere sets the tone & we are always looking for that special visual Thing.
Street Crack
Ghetto fuel. Drugs
Get the camera ready, I'm in the right neighborhood, of dat Street Flavor Baby!
Making some money today.
Home Boy crib
BINGO !!!
Music Video gold mine! Before gentrification, Atlanta was a ghetto paradise for filmmakers. The Hood.
Old peeling paint, tar-paper siding, odd color combinations, old wall paper, the classic looks that reflect doing the best you can with what you got, because of the lack of money, opportunity or education created
a look in the south that's is well known to filmmakers, writers & photographers everywhere,. The South had the Flavor. Come get it while you can, wouldn't last long.
In the 'Burbs
D-12 video
I was brought on after 2 locations scouts got fired, couldn't get the look the director /producer wanted within the limited number of scout days in da budget. (always just a few days).
I had 1 day to pull photos, Find the Look, & Lock the location.
I found it, locked it, we filmed, nobody got hurt or arrested,I got paid. My legend continues.
Mud Wrestling
"'Strippers" mud wrestling in a white neighborhood In somebodies front yard. How we got away with this is a story you have to get directly from me. Tony & Donna, Thank You!
Trap House with
Hoe's
This is the Real, Real
Trappin'.
White women "servicing clients" here. Found this behind a real Trap House.
The Story;
A major New York City music magazine wanted to photograph a Big time rapper in a "real trap house". So I found a real trap house. Took photos, showed them what I found. They saw the photos, called me & canceled
the shoot, then wrote me a check.
Now in Atlanta where's the Trap House Museum
(clean version) for the public to go visit, for a fee. It's alway packed.
Upcoming Director & a NYC DP
This is an ole photo. Director, Maurice Marable, & Henry Adebonojo, as the DP. on this video. Henry is an ole friend & Super talented strong brother from NYC. Been in the game since we started in da 80's.
2 Chanz
At Perimeter Mall
for Adidas, i think.
Luda the 4th time
Worked on his videos more than any rappers, maybe one day I will actually meet Luda. But that's not a big deal. Long as the check don't bounce.
Jezzy
Great guy. Cool, easy to work with & not crazy. Filming in Vine City.
What I became
scouting & managing Rap music videos.
I was Thugged Out.
Forgotten Times Music Video
A demanding scout. The Director wanted a classic southern mansion. While scouting he called & said," By the way, now I want a burnt mansion" So i found one in Madison. Done.
Now pay me.
Roy Jones Jr.
I was the production manager & took an entire video crew to Pensacola Fla to film a Roy Jones Jr. Music video for HBO Sports.
All crew & equipment everybody came from Atlanta.
We filmed at his managers Mansion, his 3 houses & his Gym. This is a photo of Roy with his son's.
.
Drake & Future
Life Is Good
Another big one.And i loved the song. Funky.
With Cisco Newman producer & Director X. Had worked with both before.
Filmed at Areu Studios ( Thanks Ozzie) @ Greenbriar. (Tyler Perry old studio).
5 locations, a tight budget & the usual few scout & prep days, & 1 location person. Me. But Cisco let me hire addition crew, thank God!
They wanted a Chicken joint drive thru window, an Apple phone store, an internet data center, a Clean neighborhood, for the garbage truck scene, a full size restaurant kitchen, a stage & an auto repair garage were in the treatment. And we needed to scout multiple versions of each location for the director & client to make a final pick.Final choices are normally made 2 days before we start filming.
A lotta work on the coldest day of the year. Brrrrr!!
Take a look below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0U7SxXHkPY
B.O.B.
Big talent B.O.B.
Big Video. Big Company move to big stills shoot &
2 unit filming location. It worked , I got paid, check didn't bounce.
Thanks Helen.
Lil Baby
2020-21
I have done 100 Videos, and have done 2 for Lil Baby, but this 1st one was special. A local Westside artist makes Artist of the Year. This a special High End production with Top talent. The kinda shows I am used to working on.
I was hyped, loved his music, hired my team. Renay Nailon, Cari Watkins, Glen Callwood & Rashawn Cash came ready to work and Leshaun Cook with the City Permits, "We Rollin" baby.
in his footsteps after he got busted. Think Super Fly in the WesEnd.
I'll write it up soon.
Like to tThe interesting part was picking Locations.
It became Historical.
Baby wanted a special Street used in the video, his most hood street. We went to see it & Low & Behold, his hood street, was the same Street I used to purchase weed on in 1972. Nothing had changed. Except it became a "Stop & Cop". Quick drive by pickup spot.
This is a great story about cool 1970's reefer dealer I met, and the dope boys that followed in his footsteps after he got busted. Think Super Fly in the WesEnd.
I'll write it up soon.
Like to the video
he video