Chicago Locations

"Since hiring an experienced, hard-working, smart, dedicated, problem-solving Location Manager is so critical to a successful shoot, my first call has to be to Valerie. When the shoot calls for a series of challenging, complicated locations, with budget, schedule, logistics, legal, and millions of other issues, that means the locations have to be managed by Valerie Bulinski. She is an essential member of our team. I can’t imagine doing a critical shoot without Valerie."

Phillip Koch
Producer

"Valerie is the consummate professional, she's buttoned up and her experience and connections make her a stand-out in the field. Your project will become her project and she'll treat it like it's the most important job on the planet. Valerie is a pleasure to work with."

Scott DuChene
Producer

"I love to shoot on location. I have ONLY used Valerie B. for years. "Here's what I need." Is all you have to say. Valerie comes back with not only "what I need" but options out the whazoo. Not only does Valerie come up with great locations and options - but she knows the business – she knows production – not only great looking locations but logistically smart locations."

Jeff Marpé
Director
Line 9 Productions

"Valerie Bulinski did a wonderful job for us, going way beyond the initial scout to take additional pictures for another aspect of our job, and to be sure we were well informed about permits and parking. Her commitment to the success of our shoot gave me an added boost of confidence about working in Chicago. It's great to feel you have someone you can count on when you're working in another city."

Ellen Lewis
Producer, CNBC

"In addition to Valerie's perseverance and attention to detail, she has real skill in taking pictures with a Director's eye. It is so helpful to see the location from different angles that are relevant to the spot being shot. Valerie is great at this."

Janice Doskey
Producer

"Over the years, Valerie has unfailingly delivered and managed challenging locations for me, which is why I always hope she's available to help when we are producing a shoot."

Andrew Martin
Photographer

“Whenever I come to Chicago to work, the first question I ask is:
‘Will Valerie Bulinski be doing the location work?’

I have worked with Valerie in the summer, in the winter, on big jobs and small jobs and she always comes through in surprising and original ways.

In a business that is completely built on having to come through, Valerie does it time after time. To me, that says everything.”

Robert Black
Director

“Valerie is a very resourceful and experienced location scout in Chicago. She is very familiar with a wide variety of locations and very adept at negotiating and securing good locations. She is invaluable for location jobs in the Midwest.”

Mark Androw
Executive Producer
S T O R Y

“Knowing Valerie will go the extra mile in finding and retaining the perfect location is great piece of mind for an out-of-town producer working in the Chicago market.

Valerie is a detail-oriented location scout, providing great stills and logistics to out-of-town producers like myself.”

Ken Schmidt
KEN SCHMIDT PRODUCTIONS
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

“My company was recently hired to do a photo shoot in Chicago that required four different locations. The locations had to be scouted, posted for my client, approved and locked down in less than a week. I had never worked in Chicago and was in need of some serious help. After making a few calls I was given the name of Valerie Bulinski. A contact of a close friend said she was "The best location scout in Chicago."

Well, after my experience working with her I would have to agree. Her knowledge of the windy city was second to none. Valerie found the locations I needed and did everything in her power to help me make my project a smashing success. Professional, Intelligent, Attentive, Timely and Driven all help describe Valerie.

I look forward to our next assignment together and would definitely recommend her services to anyone looking for production assistance in Chicago.”

John Kwiecien
Roe Photo
www.roephoto.com

“I feel you did a wonderfully thorough job on a challenging project, multiple locations everyday, with company moves. You never gave up on trying to get what we wanted, and were pro-active in heading off problems.
I would always work with you again.”

Michael J. Dill-Cruz
Producer

“Chicago is one of my favorite locations and Valerie is definitely the reason why Chicago is a friendly town to shoot. Her credible experience as a location manager brings less chaotic environment to production. For any locations or advice, Valerie should be the first to contact.”

Andrew Gim
Producer

“I have favorite scouts I work with in every city and area I work with on a regular basis: New York, Los Angeles, Utah, the southwest, Chicago, and so on. In Chicago, Valerie is my favorite scout. Why? Because she understands the concept and knows how to interpret it; translate it into workable location choices. When I talk to her I feel like I am having a real dialogue, and I feel like she cares. Because she does. Valerie is not only a terrific scout; she is also a wonderful person.”

Mary Pratt
Producer
Mission Photo Production

“Valerie Bulinski possesses all the tools one needs to be a successful location manager and scout: great communication skills, a deep knowledge of the community in Chicago and further afield, and good relationships within the bureaucracy. She has taste, and is a great photographer who understands a director's needs. And she is very cool under pressure.”

Betsyann Faiella
Producer

“I have used Valerie Bulinski as a location scout on my last 4 Chicago shoots and will continue to use her as long as I produce commercials in the Chicago area. From the beginning she asks the director and producer all the right questions in order to fulfill their creative and production needs.

She understands the craziness of production and works tirelessly and enthusiastically even during the most challenging of times. Valerie has always come through with the right location. She deals with the location owners with tact, diplomacy and consideration – making an excellent buffer between the location owners and production. She goes that extra length to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible with no surprises or false expectations.

Valerie is a pleasure to work with, and I can’t recommend her enough.”

Lisa Hope
Lopes Picture Company

“This summer my family and I had a unique experience in the world television production when our home was used for a regional television commercial. While this experience was new to me, I was guided through the process by Valerie Bulinski of Location Consultants.

Ms. Bulinski was extremely professional in explaining every aspect of the process from the signing of the contract to the final walk through of our home. Ms. Bulinski kept me informed daily and sometimes hourly.

I found Ms. Bulinski friendly and a delight to interact with and would say that our concerns and needs were Ms. Bulinski’s top priority.”

Lisa D’Angelo Kupferberg

“I have been associated with Valerie Bulinski, of chicagoLocations.com, for over 6 months. I have found Valerie to be extremely professional to work with. Her expertise in the business is evident in every aspect of what she does.

Valerie covers the entire basis, leaving no detail unaddressed. She will go to bat for the homeowner, should there be any disagreement with the client, in addition to follow up, if necessary.

It has been a great pleasure having Valerie Bulinski represent my home for photo shoots and I look forward to a long relationship with her.”

Cyndee Keiser
Coldwell Banker Glencoe

“We have had our home used twice for commercials through Location Consultants. The company owner Valerie Bulinski was a pleasure to work with. She was prompt for scheduled appointments, clearly explained what was to take place in our home, and saw to it that our home and it’s contents were handled with care and respect. She goes above and beyond to ensure that the whole process is as easy as possible for the homeowner.

I highly recommend Chicago Locations.”

Mary Cozzens, Oak Park, Il

“ChicagoLocations.com delivers. With their help, our house has been selected for two spots. ChicagoLocations.com managed everything, dealt beautifully with the demands of the crews and with our restrictions. We had heard horror stories about film crews going berserk in location-homes. ChicagoLocations.com does not let that happen;

We always felt Valerie was primarily concerned about what we needed. Chicago locations keeps us informed, keeps us in mind for new projects and never makes a promise it cannot deliver. We have had exceptional experiences with them.”

Steve Drickey