This is 99% invisible. I'm Roman Mars.

So many classic movies have been made in downtown Los Angeles,

even if they didn't take place in downtown Los Angeles.

It's always fun when you're watching a movie that takes place in New York and you spot a palm tree.

It's like, I gotcha!

Palm trees are just one of the factors that a location scout has to worry about.

For most films, they really have to avoid them.

And everyone's like, oh yeah, we can just digitally remove them now, but it's at a cost.

Laurie Bolton is a location scout in LA.

She's worked on Inception, Heat, a river runs through it, a whole lot of movies.

She was the first ever location professional ever asked to join the Academy.

You're not the only one.

I am the only one, the first and the only one, yeah.

On location with Laurie is producer Avery Troubleman.

Laurie's job is to find interesting, plot- conducive locations, lots of them.

I frequently will show someone over a hundred different options for one location,

you know, before they get a sense of what they want.

But scouts also have to make sure that the locations they find are actually usable.

So a big part of Laurie's job is convincing property owners to say yes,

a part which she is really, really good at.

I have a question.

Maybe I'll have a variety answer.

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