A competent location manager is crucial to ensuring the smoothest production for films that require road closures. A good location manager will:

• Anticipate anything.
• Is well-organized.
• Know how to navigate the red tape with an awareness of the types of things that a city will allow you to do.
• Is familiar with the incentives and fees.
• Doesn’t freak out when your script calls for some insane road closure involving precision driving, stunts and multiple blocks of a major city’s center. He or she will even be prepared to offer alternative locations, if need be.
• Has similar experience handling major road closures.
• Handles the locals with aplomb.
• Has great people skills. “Talking people into doing something they would not normally do requires great character,” said Peter Martorano, Cleveland location manager for “Spiderman III.”