Who is Catbird Scouts?

We’ve been around. Here, there and everywhere.

Cathryn Blum, founder of Catbird Scouts, is a legendary force in the photography, film, video and multimedia production industries. Based in Northern California, when it comes to finding that perfect spot for a single photograph, a series of locations to film a commercial, TV show, Hollywood blockbuster, or to help you locate the setting for a new start-up’s corporate web video or marketing launch, Catbird is the place to start. Count on us to be resourceful at researching options, and adept at procuring necessary permits, coordinating the logistics, while juggling the myriad moving pieces of schedules and budgets. Old school style with new school chops.

Professional Affiliations:

APA (American Photographic Artists) 
Reel Directory
Production Paradise
ProductionvilleSF
Workbook
LMGA (Location Managers Guild of America)
IMDb

What we do

We pull rabbits out of the proverbial hat and run with scissors. Managing, negotiating, and organizing schedules, logistics, personnel and budgets—often in deadline-driven situations. It's magic.

Scouting & Research

  • Investigate options based upon parameters
  • Customize scouting for each project
  • Work within the constraints of schedules, proximity & budgets

Permits & Logistics

  • Coordinate and Manage locations for media projects and events
  • Oversee Permit applications and negotiate the procuring of necessary permission(s)
  • Handle parking arrangements, maps and all crew support requirements
  • Trouble-shooting and playing the intermediary role – before, during and after – between all involved parties of a given project

Production & Fixer Services

  • Production coordination including helping research budgets for locations
  • Crew & equipment vendor recommendations for still photography and documentary-style projects
  • Familiar with local film commissions, permit offices, a broad cross section of crew resources and vendors

Work

We've worked on projects big and small. Here’s an overview. Been there, done that! Transamerica_Skyline

FEATURE FILMS & TELEVISION

FILM

  • “Bee Season” (2005 – Fox Searchlight)
  • “Class Action” (1991 – 20th Century Fox)
  • “Godzilla” (2014 – Warner Bros.)
  • “Howard the Duck” (1986 – LucasFilm Ltd./Universal Pictures)
  • “James Bond: A View to a Kill” (1984 – Eon Productions)
  • “One Fast Move or I’m Gone: Kerouac’s Big Sur” (2008 – Kerouac Films)
  • “The Darwin Awards” (2006 – Blumhouse Productions)
  • “The Doctor” (1991 – Touchstone Pictures)
  • “The Doors” (1991 – Carolco Pictures)
  • “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006 – Sony Pictures)
  • “Yours Mine & Ours” (2005 – Paramount Pictures)

TELEVISION

 

COMMERCIALS & PRINT

  • All Star Game/Fox Sports
  • Acura
  • adidas
  • Apple Education
  • AT&T, Coca-Cola
  • Diet Pepsi
  • Dockers
  • Farm Credit
  • Footlocker
  • General Motors
  • Honda
  • Hotwire
  • IBM
  • Infiniti
  • Jeep
  • Lawyers.com
  • Lexus
  • Lincoln-Mercury
  • Manufacturers Bank
  • Mercedes-Benz
  • Michelin
  • Miller Beer
  • NBC
  • Oakland A’s
  • Oldsmobile
  • Orville Redenbacher Popcorn
  • PG&E, Pioneer Stereo, Prada
  • Polo/Ralph Lauren
  • Pottery Barn
  • Reebok
  • Renault
  • 7-11
  • Safeway
  • Samsung
  • State Farm Insurance
  • Thierry Mugler
  • Timberland
  • VISA
  • VW
  • Wausau Insurance
  • West Elm
  • Yahoo Mobile

PRODUCTION COMPANIES

  • Bars + Tone
  • Believe Media
  • Camp4 Collective
  • Chemistry Club
  • Chirp Films
  • Concrete Images
  • Dwyer Productions
  • Engine Co. One
  • EVEO
  • French Press Films
  • Herzog & Co.
  • Indigo Films
  • Kontent
  • Mega G Productions
  • Ntropic
  • Paranoid US
  • Pederson Productions
  • Phoenix Editorial
  • Radical Media
  • Razorfish
  • Uproar Productions
  • Wexley School for Girls

AD AGENCIES

  • Ammirati & Puris
  • Chiat/Day
  • DDB Needham Worldwide
  • FCB
  • Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
  • Grey
  • Hill/Holliday
  • J. Walter Thompson
  • Ketchum; McCann-SF
  • N.C.K./Paris
  • Young & Rubicam
  • Wells, Rich & Greene

DIRECTORS, PHOTOGRAPHERS & CINEMATOGRAPHERS

  • Michael Apted
  • David Bailey
  • Ed Bianchi
  • Clint Clemens
  • Timm Eubanks
  • Jon Favreau
  • Randa Haines
  • Conrad Hall
  • Brad Harris
  • Joe Hanwright
  • Steve Horn
  • Vic Huber
  • John Konkal
  • Bob Perks
  • Bob Stewart
  • John Toll
  • Brian Tufano
  • Haskel Wexler
  • Thomas Schlamme
  • Michael Seresin
  • Oliver Stone
  • Mitch Tobias
  • Bruce Weber
  • Peter Yang
  • Jeffrey Zwart

 

EVENT COMPANIES

Gallery

Flexibility counts in the location scouting game. Projects are ever-changing, and being resourceful, knowledgeable and experienced is essential. Plus, having a dollop of good humor and enthusiasm on top never hurts, either.

Please click through the galleries to visit an assortment of locales we've encountered over the years in pursuit of the all-important “location, location, location!”

Iconic

Residential

Commercial

Urban

Rural

Automotive

Personal Work

  • Cathryn really came through for us on our job. We needed a very tricky location that I thought would be difficult to find. Not only did she find it, she presented us with options. The location ended up being perfect and we got great footage. Cathryn’s personal touch really did the trick.

    - Jeff Vibes, Producer

  • I love working with Cathryn. She is a great team player who is skilled at finding custom locations. Cathryn has a great attitude and is able to really go with the flow and changes we face every job. I recommend you introduce your director to Cathryn and find out for yourself.

    - Cheryl Rosenthal, Producer

  • We had an 11th-hour change of plans and needed to find a new location instantly for a very important shoot. And in no time at all, Cathryn found us the perfect spot that was even better than the original one. It was a pleasure working with her.

    - Chris Barlow, Director

View From the Catbird Seat

How can we help you?

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