Location scouting is one of the most underappreciated but essential crafts in the film industry. Long before a director yells "action," location scouts are working behind the scenes, transforming words on a page into real-world settings that shape the mood, tone, and authenticity of a film.

This article explores why location scouts deserve more than just a passing mention in the credits. They deserve their own Oscar category.

What Location Scouts Actually Do

A location scout’s role is far more than simply finding places to film. They analyze scripts, understand emotional tone, interpret a director's vision, and match those abstract ideas to physical environments.

They look for locations that can tell a story without a single line of dialogue. From rundown motels and fog-drenched docks to pristine meadows and decaying industrial sites, location scouts curate the visual identity of a film.

Robert Boake, for instance, famously found the haunting tree used as "Godswood" in Game of Thrones. That single location became a visual anchor for the entire series.

The Academy’s Blind Spot

While the Oscars celebrate many aspects of filmmaking—cinematography, costume design, production design—location scouting remains invisible.

Scouts can technically apply for Academy membership through the Production Design branch, but there is still no dedicated Oscar category for their work.

Professionals in the field, including industry veteran David W. Schoner Jr., have advocated for recognition, arguing that scouting is a form of visual authorship and creative contribution.

Current Awards for Location Work

Although the Academy has yet to acknowledge the role formally, several international organizations have stepped up to celebrate the craft:

• Location Managers Guild International (LMGI Awards): Recognizes outstanding location work across film, TV, and commercials with categories like Outstanding Locations in a Period Film or Commercial.

• California On Location Awards (COLA): Highlights the best location professionals working in California, with awards for team coordination and creative excellence.

• Ischia Film Festival (Italy): Awards the Aenaria Prize to films that best incorporate their settings into the narrative.

These events have become platforms for elevating the visibility of location professionals, but they are not substitutes for Academy recognition.

A Case for Creative Copyright

Beyond award ceremonies, there's a growing movement to consider location scouting as a copyrightable creative act.

Scouts produce original photographic content, curated collections, and narrative suggestions that significantly shape the final visual product. If storyboarding, costume sketches, and moodboards qualify as intellectual property, there’s a compelling argument that scouting should as well.

The Industry Is Catching Up—But Slowly

There’s growing respect within the industry, and with platforms, communities, and recognition growing year by year, the visibility of this role is improving. But it’s still not enough.

A dedicated Oscar category for location scouting would not only give credit where it's due but would also reflect the true collaborative and visual nature of modern filmmaking.

Conclusion

Location scouts are not just technicians—they are storytellers, visual designers, and problem-solvers. Their work shapes the worlds audiences lose themselves in. It’s time the film industry, and especially the Academy, recognized this for what it is: a creative contribution worthy of the highest honor.

Location scouting isn’t just a logistical step in production—it’s an art form. And like any true art form, it deserves to be celebrated.