In Advisor Studio sessions, film and television industry professionals share field experiences and insights into their specific areas of craft, including writing, directing, and producing for TV and film. 


You know the maxim: Location, location, location. It’s the undisputed rule for real estate, but in the fast-paced world of film and television, choosing the right spot is a critical skill that can make or break your production. Beyond identifying a space that serves your story creatively, there are countless practical, aesthetic, and logistical factors to consider before signing a location agreement. 


In this Advisor Studio session, veteran producer and location scout Gerry Kim explores how to scout with both artistry and strategy. Kim reveals how to evaluate a location’s visual potential, understand the technical challenges it presents, and anticipate the real-world constraints that shape production. Kim has worked on indie films and big-budget television series alike. His presentation reveals the best practices for a location scout, no matter the size of the project. 


Kim has produced independent films across the world, including I’m No Longer Here, Across the Sea, and the documentary To Be Takei, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. He has served as a location scout on Amazon’s Hunters and Mozart in the Jungle, CBS’s The Equalizer, HBO’s Divorce, and USA Network’s The Sinner.


Whether you’re working on a scrappy indie film or a major studio project, this presentation will leave you with practical insights on how to find and secure locations like a pro. 


Topics include:

  • Location department key titles and roles
  • The process of finding the right location
  • The ins and outs of location agreements
  • Navigating insurance requirements for a location
  • Working with film commissions
  • Key questions to ask before securing your location
  • Working with location brokers or real estate agents
  • Consulting rental space websites
  • Wrapping out a location post-shoot
Gerry Kim
Gerry Kim is an award-winning producer whose work spans documentary and narrative features. His producing credits include Iris Shim’s THE HOUSE OF SUH (2010 Hot Docs Premiere), Jennifer Kroot’s TO BE TAKEI (2014 Sundance Premiere), Esra Saydam and Nisan Dağ’s ACROSS THE SEA (Audience Award, 2015 Slamdance Film Festival), and THE UNTOLD TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN (Audience Award, 2017 SXSW Film Festival). His most recent feature, Fernando Frías de la Parra’s I’M NO LONGER HERE, was released worldwide as a Netflix Original in 2020 and won 10 Mexican Ariel Awards including Best Picture. The film was also nominated for Best Iberoamerican Film at the 2021 Goya Awards, longlisted for Best Film Not in the English Language at the 2021 BAFTAs, and shortlisted for Best International Film at the 2021 Academy Awards.
Soheil Rezayazdi
Moderator | Digital Course & Event Producer
Soheil Rezayazdi is a Digital Course & Event Producer at the Sundance Institute, where he produces multi-session courses, master classes, filmmaker Q&As, and other digital programs for Sundance Collab. Prior to Sundance, Soheil served as the Nonfiction Programs Manager at the Gotham Film & Media Institute. He oversaw the Gotham’s core documentary programs: the Documentary Feature Lab, the Spotlight on Documentaries project market, and the Documentary Development Initiative in partnership with HBO Documentary Films. Soheil has worked with emerging filmmakers since 2015, when he began a seven-year tenure at the Columbia University MFA Film Program. At Columbia he managed the Columbia University Film Festival (CUFF), the Dr. Saul and Dorothy Kit Film Noir Festival, and the Carla Kuhn Memorial Speaker Series. more...
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