In Chicago’s growing production landscape, The Fields Studios has built its philosophy around something simple. An experienced leadership team, reliable support, and a collaborative environment where filmmakers and television producers can focus on creating.
At the center of this effort is Shawn Papazian, Partner at Knickpoint Studios, whose decades of experience in studio development and operations are now being applied at The Fields Studios. Located at 4120 W. Diversey Avenue on Chicago’s Northwest Side, the production campus features 132,000 square feet of sound stages and more than 350,000 square feet of creative and production office space.
For Papazian, building a studio has never been an abstract business idea. It is the continuation of a life spent inside the world of film and television production.
Papazian grew up in a family deeply connected to the industry. His father, Robert A. Papazian, is an Emmy-winning television producer whose credits include Inherit the Wind and the HBO miniseries Rome. His mother, Sandy Papazian, also worked in television production and studio operations.
Film and television were simply part of everyday life in the Papazian household. Conversations about productions, studio operations and the logistics behind the work were common long before Shawn began building a career of his own.
That exposure eventually led him into the world of studio operations, where he would spend more than two decades involved in the design, development and management of film and television production facilities.
His early career began at 20th Century Fox Television, where he was brought in to run Ray Art Studios before eventually serving as the studio’s Vice President and General Manager. He later moved on to leadership roles at Sunset Gower Studios and the historic Culver Studios lot. Before joining Knickpoint Ventures, Papazian also co-developed and served as President and COO of Crimson Studios Group, which owned and operated independent studio facilities in Los Angeles.
Along the way he also pursued producing, earning an Emmy nomination and developing projects with partners including Warner Bros., Appian Way and Radar Pictures. But studio infrastructure, the physical environment where productions happen, remained his primary focus.
That experience now shapes The Fields Studios. Papazian partnered with Knickpoint Ventures to form Knickpoint Studios and now oversees the firm’s studio-related endeavors, including the development of The Fields Studios in Chicago.
Knickpoint Ventures is led by Zain Koita, Founder and Managing Partner, whose nearly two decades in commercial real estate include more than $4 billion in transactions across multiple asset classes. Prior to forming Knickpoint, Koita served as a Director at Fir Tree Partners, where he led value-add real estate investments across the United States and internationally. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Angelo, Gordon & Co. and Related Midwest, contributing to more than $1 billion in development projects in Chicago.
The daily operations at The Fields Studios are overseen by RoseMary Prodonovich, General Manager of the facility.
Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Prodonovich’s creative career began in performance and live arts. She studied Theatre and International Studies at Indiana University and spent her early professional years working in theater and opera before transitioning into film and television production. The discipline and collaboration required in live performance shaped a management style rooted in preparation and teamwork, qualities that translate directly to the demands of film production. A member of IATSE Local 476 and the Producers Guild of America, Prodonovich has contributed to productions for companies including FX, Amazon, MGM, ABC, Universal Pictures, Disney, Legendary and New Regency.
A Flexible Production Environment
The Fields Studios occupies the historic former Marshall Field’s warehouse near the border of Logan Square on Chicago’s Northwest Side. The landmark site blends a historic industrial building with purpose-built stages for modern film and television production.
The campus was designed to support productions of varying scale. The facility includes nine sound stages ranging from approximately 5,000 to 18,000 square feet, with grid heights reaching 35 feet and power capacity up to 3,000 amps. Several stages feature operable walls and large elephant doors that allow productions to expand across multiple stages when necessary.
This mix of stage sizes allows the facility to support a wide range of projects, from episodic television and feature films to national commercial campaigns and smaller independent productions.
Since opening in early 2024, the campus has hosted a variety of projects and events. Television productions have included the Apple TV+ series Dark Matter Season 2, the NBC and Peacock comedy Mr. Throwback, the Apple production Weekend Warriors, and Metronome Films’ Trash Mountain. National advertising campaigns have also filmed at the facility for brands including United Airlines, Allstate, Culligan Water, Lowe’s and Meijer.
The studio has also hosted experiential events and installations such as the Balloon Museum exhibition, Sumo & Sushi events, Redline Music showcases and ComEd’s Girls in STEM Racing initiative, demonstrating the flexibility of the campus beyond traditional production.
Chicago’s Expanding Production Landscape
Illinois’ film production environment has been strengthened by recent updates to the state’s film tax credit legislation, which has been extended through 2039 and includes increased incentives for Illinois labor and vendor spending.
Combined with Chicago’s experienced crew base and deep network of production vendors, the legislation continues to strengthen the city’s role as a destination for film and television production.
However, incentives are just a piece of the equation. Studios ultimately succeed because of the people behind them.
At The Fields Studios, that philosophy is reflected in a leadership team that understands both studio operations and the realities of production.
As Chicago’s production community continues to evolve, the team behind The Fields Studios sees the campus as more than simply a place to film. The goal is to create a place where filmmakers, crews and creative teams build lasting relationships.
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