30 Years of the California On Location Awards

The 30th Annual California On Location Awards (COLAs) were held in December at the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles, marking three decades of recognizing excellence in location management across California’s film, television, and commercial production industries. The milestone event brought together industry professionals to celebrate the creativity, precision, and problem-solving required to film on location in some of the state’s most challenging and iconic environments.

This year’s COLA for Location Manager of the Year for Commercials was awarded to Patrick Ranahan for his work on a spot for Transamerica. Filmed in the heart of San Francisco’s Financial District, an area known for strict weekday filming restrictions and dense urban activity, Ranahan’s work was cited as a model of expert location management under highly complex urban conditions. Judges highlighted his ability to coordinate logistics, maintain strong relationships with city agencies and stakeholders, and keep production moving efficiently in one of the most tightly regulated filming environments in the state.

The Location Team of the Year for Commercials honor went to an accomplished team for work on an OpenAI spot: Rob Karpman (Senior Location Manager), Heather MacLean (Location Manager), Michael Raziano (Location Manager), Matthew Riutta (Location Manager), and Andy Chan (Assistant Location Manager). The team was recognized for delivering a complex, fast-moving commercial shoot that spanned 12 unique San Francisco locations over just five days, a feat requiring meticulous planning, adaptability, and seamless coordination across multiple neighborhoods and jurisdictions.

The COLAs are presented by the Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS), the nonprofit professional association representing film commission offices throughout California. FLICS works to promote filming across the state, support local film offices, and advocate for policies that sustain California as a premier production destination. The awards were supported by industry partners, including the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP), which served as a Cobalt Sponsor. Among the judges and presenters for this year’s awards was AICP’s own David Michael González, Vice President of Labor Relations & External Affairs.