A LEAGUE OF HER OWN: JANICE POLLEY
When Tony Scott signed on to a movie there were three must-haves….Producer, Production Designer, and Janice Polley. Studio execs asked why the location manager was one of his must-haves…and he’d always reply…. “she has my eye…she scouts locations like a director.” Locations were a character in Tony’s movies. He wouldn’t trust a character to just anyone, only to Janice.
Polley’s career spans three decades, six continents, 34 countries—and she’s still going strong. She credits two of the most demanding, acclaimed directors in the industry, Tony Scott and Michael Mann, with teaching her about cinema, relentlessly pushing her towards impossible achievements.
“Years ago, a fiery blonde walked into my office in West Hollywood,” reminisces Producer Barry Waldman (Armaggedon, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pearl Harbor). I was told by our long-time collaborator and friend, Tony Scott that he had a location manager who was “the best,” for Domino. At first I was skeptical. I did big movies with a lot of great location managers…but after all these years and all the movies we went on to do together, none could hold a candle to who Tony called “the best.” Whether closing down the Mississippi River, the Williamsburg Bridge, or the Napali Coast, Janice has been my go-to person since that tidal wave swept into my office so many years ago. As she is honored by her peers tonight, I have to say that she has honored me as my partner in crime, co-conspirator and friend.”
Director Gore Verbinski claims “there is no location too remote, no permission that’s not ‘negotiable’, and no stone left unturned when working with Janice Polley. She is dedicated, insightful and tenacious, with a keen eye for what makes a setting cinematic. As a partner in the narrative process, I can think of no one more deserving of this honor, Janice is in a league of her own.”
Mentor Michael Mann eloquently sums it up: “Janice has been opening doors to great locations around the world for me for 25 years. Together we’ve blazed a trail through Ghana, Mozambique, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, as well as the mean streets of Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Louisville and Miami.
From enabling the shootout in Heat through closing Connaught Road in Hong Kong Central to getting access to LAX approach aprons while the Unibomber was threatening to blow up LAX, nothing sways her determination. I’ve been more than lucky to have her as a critical member of my creative team and a close friend for so many years.”
Janice Polley’s ouevre includes: War Machine, Man on Fire, Heat, Unstoppable, Pirates of the Caribbean, Enemy of the State, Lone Ranger, The Last Boy Scout, The Last of the Mohicans, True Romance, The Insider, Ali, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 , Face/OFF, Collateral, Miami Vice,The Fan and Black Hat .
