Shoot Latin America
ABOUT SLA
Karen Watts, a US citizen born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C. came to Los Angeles in 1982 where she embarked on her long career in advertising and marketing.
1991 marked the start of 15 ½ years’ work with the Kemps International Film, TV & Video Production Guide selling advertising, collecting data, and helping guide US producers in their worldwide search for production companies and services.
Starting in 1992, Watts started her “professional love affair” with Latin America by traveling to Mexico, representing KEMPS. Since then, she has become intimately familiar with this very diverse country through her many trips within the last 18 years.
In 1995, Watts took her first trip to South America for Kemps and has been repeatedly drawn back since, traveling extensively throughout eight of the thirteen countries of South America. She has become acquainted, both personally and professionally with the best companies and services and has found the Latin American passion for film-making contagious. “I have so much passion for their passion. So much respect for their professionalism, commitment to excellence, and hospitality. They deserve respect for their professionalism within the film industry. Whenever industry professionals travel there to work, they come back with the same respect.” Watts exclaims.
Since 1999, Watts has been the representative for Latin America for the Cannes Lions Daily News, the only official daily magazine at the prestigious Cannes Lions worldwide advertising festival held each June. She has been responsible for the editorial focus and marketing campaigns that highlight this area and attempts to attend each year.
As a consultant for FilmBrazil in 2003, Watts organized a 3-day event on a yacht at the Cannes Lions festival, educating festival attendees and promoting Brazil. That same year, she was invited but the Brazilian Minister of Culture’s office to Brasilia, to assist in setting up a film commission and consult on their marketing efforts.
Watts has worked with the Association of Film Commissions International, helping to further 
the formation of film commissions throughout Latin America. Her expertise and reputation in the industry has made Watts a sought-after speaker, panelist and writer. She was a speaker and panelist at a 2007 Locations Trade Show seminar, a speaker at the 2008 Hollywood Black Film Festival and has been quoted in numerous industry articles about filming in Latin America and is a regular writer for Production Update.
In June 2009 Watts helped to organize a scouting trip to Costa Rica, working directly with the government. Also, the same month she organized and attended an extensive scouting trip to 
Peru with the government’s division for promoting Peru as a location.
Watts foresees Latin America becoming a favorite destination for the global production world and she is dedicated to helping make this happen.
Working with SLA:
Shoot Latin America is a service that provides:
- FREE consultations to producers with a potential project for Latin America.
- A vast personal knowledge of the different countries locations and industries.
- Location advice along with submitting photos from several countries
- Cost comparisons for several countries if needed
- Recommendations for production service companies that have been researched extensively by Karen Watts
- Recommendations for boutique, yet highly experienced animation companies
- Government connections for help with tax incentives, fees, passport/visa requirements and customs.
- American attitude and work ethic.
- Public Relations and press possibilities
- Direct connection with the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival and the Daily News
- Updates on incentives offered by countries and companies
- Location scouting trips
As an agency representing production talent, Shoot Latin America connects foreign companies with Latin American companies and receives commissions from its companies on jobs that are awarded and produced.
Shoot Latin America is NOT responsible for any problems that occur during a shoot. SLA only recommends a company and then the business is done directly with that company and all laws apply only to the contract between the foreign company and the service.
Information within the context of this website has been gathered to the best of the ability of SLA’s staff. SLA does not take responsibility for the authenticity of this information.