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Film Location Scouts Photograph Collection

Call Number

PR 293

Date

circa 1980-2000, inclusive

Creator

Extent

198 Linear feet (198 bankers boxes)

Language of Materials

The documents in the collection are in English.

Abstract

Collection of color snapshots taken by film location scouts between the 1980's – 2000's depicting a variety of locations in New York City (primarily Manhattan).

Biographical / Historical

Location scouting is a vital process in the pre-production stage of the film and television industry. Once writers and producers have decided on the style of scenery and locations they require, they turn to location scouts to provide them with suitable locations that meet these requirements.

Typically, location scouts and/or managers meet with production teams to discuss their needs and will scout for locations based on their requirements. They also generally have portfolios put together of certain locations that they have deemed interesting beforehand in order to have a database of locations in case of requests. The role of location managers encompasses multiple responsibilites, including: having an understanding of the production to ensure that appropriate locations are being researched and scouted; negotiating legal access to filming locations; negotiating prices, terms and conditions with location owners; and creating written agreements between the production company and venue owner and organizing any permits necessary.

A location scout is expected to take descriptive, panoramic photographs that depict a particular location's possibilities. Before the advent of digital photography, panoramas were created by pasting multiple photographic prints into a manilla folder. This practice continued into the time period of this collection, which includes separate donations of location scout photos by two New York-based location managers, Steve Horn and Lyn Pinezich. The collection reflects the beginning of the revitalization of the film industry in New York City that was later to become a hallmark of Mayor Bloomberg's administration.

Arrangement

This collection has been organized by donor into two series. The photographs retain their original organization into the categories assigned by each location scout manager. Both series cover the same time period and there is considerable overlap in the location categories. Categories within each series have been listed alphabetically, which means that box numbers do not appear in chronological order in the finding aid.

Scope and Contents

This collection spans the time period between the 1980s to the 2000s and contains an extensive range of images of locations in New York, primarily Manhattan, created for two New York-based location scout managers (Lyn Pinezich and Steve Horn).

Each location is represented by multiple color snapshots, which were then glued into file folders. All folders contain numerous photographs of each location including both exterior and interior shots. The photographs depict a broad range of locations such as abandoned buildings, offices and office spaces, famous landmarks, streets of New York, and residences. It essentially provides a snapshot of New York City during this time period. Many of the locations within the collection are not in existence anymore.

The photographs have been rehoused into 198 bankers boxes but remain organized in the categories originally assigned by the location scouts (for example; bars, residences, streets, buildings, etc). The folders within each category are arranged either alphabetically or by neighborhood.

Access Restrictions

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Use Restrictions

Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.

Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.

Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as: Film Location Scouts Photograph Collection, PR 293, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.

Location of Materials

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Provenance

Gift of Steve Horn and Christopher Gray, 2012 (Series I); gift of Lyn Pinezich, 2011 (Series II).

Related Materials

The Brooklyn Historical Society holds an additional collection of Lyn Pinezich's location scout photographs depicting locations in Brooklyn.

Collection processed by

Megan Dolan

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:48:30 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Description is in English.

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024