Location Session Tartu 2025 brought together international experts

On 7–8 August, Tartu hosted the international seminar Location Session Tartu for the second time, which this year also marked the 10th anniversary of the Tartu Film Fund.
The two-day event brought renowned film location experts and practitioners from Estonia, Finland, Germany, the USA, Norway, and Lithuania to South Estonia, offering participants inspiring discussions, practical insights, and valuable new contacts.

The seminar day opened with world-class location scouts Lori Balton (USA) and Markus Bensch (GER), who shared career experiences and practical advice. In the following panel on film friendliness, participants discussed how to build trust-based cooperation with local communities when securing filming locations and how to maintain long-term relationships.

The Scout & Production Designer Cooperation panel explored the role of film locations from the perspective of the production designer, director, and scout. It was unanimously stressed that successful collaboration should begin in the earliest stages of production.

The presentations block showcased innovative technological solutions that help location scouts and film funds manage ever-expanding location databases and make planning faster and more efficient.

In the closing panel Scouting & Production 2030, there was a passionate discussion about the potential future of the scout’s work and role amid rapid technological development, as well as how both content production processes and audience consumption habits are changing.

The event confirmed that Tartu and South Estonia have the potential to be an attractive and distinctive destination in the international film industry, and highlighted the importance of bringing together professionals in the field. The recent Location Session will not be the last—see you at the next events!