Kathy M. McCurdy

Kathy M. McCurdy is an industry veteran with 30 years experience in video, television and film production. She started her career in TV and film as a production assistant on a San Diego Zoo commercial in 1978. For the next 10 years she worked as a production coordinator and production manager on national commercials and produced several patient orientation pieces for Kaiser Permanente. After 5 years as a San Diego Location Manager for USA Network TV movies, she joined the San Diego Film Commission in 1994. During her 16 years at the Film Commission, McCurdy moved from Assistant Director TV Movies to Director Feature Films allowing her to work closely with over 178 movies shooting on location throughout San Diego during her tenure. McCurdy facilitated such blockbuster films as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Anchorman, Bruce Almighty, Antwone Fisher, Traffic, Almost Famous, and Bring It On! Mentoring students and first time producers was a gratifying part of the work at the Film Commission and served as the catalyst to create a guide and write down the basic protocols for anyone new to shooting on location.

She is the author of SHOOT ON LOCATION: The Logistics of Filming on Location, Whatever your Budget or Experience. The book is the ultimate “how-to” guide for anyone venturing out into the real world with cameras, trucks and crew people. Currently McCurdy is an educator and consultant working with students and all types of filmmakers shooting on location for the first time. McCurdy lectures at several film programs while promoting the book and she has launched workshops and seminars dedicated to learning the logistics of on location shooting. McCurdy mentors students at Montgomery High School’s KMMI media academy in Chula Vista, CA and is a member of the San Diego Media Arts Center and Film Independent.