What Is A Fixer?A fixer is someone who provides logistical support for productions that are not familiar with local filming requirements or that need assistance sourcing local crew, equipment, and other support services. Fixers can also be referred to as production coordinators or local producers. Why Are Fixers Important?Fixers are particularly important for international productions that wish to film abroad, enabling the procurement of necessary resources by providing language translations and familiarity with local culture, customs, and laws. Through the professional relationships and networks that fixers have developed over the course of their career, they help productions save both time and money by knowing where to quickly find the services needed at various budget requirements. Fixers are excellent at scouting filming locations, assisting with filming permits, arranging travel and accommodations, liaising with police and local authorities, and providing recommendations on how to keep the production crew and equipment safe. Learn more about what fixers do:
If you are looking for a fixer for your next production, check out our online Nevada Production Directory to find professional production coordinators in Nevada. You can also drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory! If you are an experienced production coordinator and are not yet listed in our Nevada Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here. We also have a variety of filming locations throughout Nevada as well as local studios offering full production services. Browse through our Nevada Filming Locations Database and contact us if you are interested in learning more about a filming location! Related Production Services: Travel Coordinator Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is deemed to be accurate and true to the best of our knowledge. All data and information provided on this site is for informational/entertainment purposes only. If there are any inaccuracies, you may submit corrections and sources by visiting our Contact page. Nevada Film Office makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. We do not sponsor or endorse anyone in our posts nor do we receive compensation of any kind in exchange for providing information about specific websites or resources unless otherwise noted, so please check for references, business licenses or credentials as you feel necessary. This entry was posted in Nevada Production Crew. Bookmark the permalink. Job description sources include (but are not limited to) imdb.com, skillset.org and wikipedia. Channel 5, Gregg Wallace’s Fun Weekends (2020) Gregg gets off a ferry boat on the Asian port of Kadıköy. Let’s Say You’re:
How do you begin to organize every last thing from your office, thousands of miles away from location? In the production industry we often need to tell a story in a foreign country. There is a different language to contend with but more importantly we need to operate within a totally alien set of rules, regulations, and customs. To navigate these unknown territories, a film crew needs reliable production services and a local guide. This guide is what many in the film industry refer to as a fixer. So What Exactly Does A Fixer Do? A fixer is someone that arranges and manages everything and anything that an out-of-town crew needs to shoot their story. National Geographic, Europe From Above (2020) Our local crew on a remotely directed shoot in the Blacksea during the Rize tea harvest
How To Work With A Fixer Turkish law requires you to hire a fixer for all filming. It is next to impossible to film or shoot any project without a local fixer in Turkey. Hire your fixer at the start of a production They are often involved from the very early stages of pre-production and scheduling all the way through to the edit and delivery. They know how to get all the ‘logistical ducks’ in a row to make a production run smoothly. Fixers help you find, research and enrich your story Good fixers are integral to television, film and journalism produced abroad. From the very start, they can contribute ideas and recommend experts or locations that really help you hone your story. ITV, Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road (2018) Joanna and the crew film the final scene of a beautiful highland shepherd story. Keep in close communication with your fixer Fixers in Turkey must not only have local ‘know-how’, but also in-depth knowledge of the film industry. One of the most important qualities a fixer must possess is the magic touch to get things done. They are efficient and bold negotiators, quick to react and very used to improvising. The Role Of A Fixer In A Production Often a fixer can also act as a production coordinator, local producer or line producer. It is common for fixers to facilitate:
An experienced fixer will have been exposed to an array of challenges throughout their career. No request from a client will faze us! Fixers save you time and money With a good knowledge of the country’s history and geography and an excellent contacts book, your fixer will know how to work most efficiently in Turkey. They can find you an experienced mountain guide, a local craftsman or a streetwise driver. They will know which underwater cameraman you need to film a plane wreck at the bottom of the Aegean Sea. Fixers make sure the production runs smoothly and efficiently The real skill of a fixer is to make everything run smoothly and yet remain almost invisible. They respond without fail to every last-minute idea change, location request or problem you encounter. Fixers make things happen more quickly Great Turkish fixers aren’t only knowledgeable about regional customs, they know most of the local authorities personally. They have in-depth knowledge and understanding of all the political processes in each region. In a highly bureaucratic country like Turkey, established relationships are the key to success. Your fixer can secure special access for filming They have strong working relationships with, for example, archaeological Site Directors and key officials at the Ministry of Culture.
Channel 5, Eight Days that Made Rome (2017) Bettany Hughes on a private rooftop in Galata with a panoramic Istanbul skyline. Fixers Keep You Safe Turkey is a vast country with 81 provinces. Fixers are always mindful of both national and local laws, as well as cultural norms. What is true in a province in the East, may be very different in a province in the West. We protect crews and locals from cultural misunderstandings. Excellent at liaising with police and local authorities, fixers are always working to keep your team and equipment safe. Fixers Love Their Work
Red Bull, Istanbul Ultimate Race (2018) The international crew meet to shoot a race between an F16 jet, Aston Martin, F1 car, Tesla and a Lamborghini. Fixers are the unsung heroes behind the scenes. Behind almost everything that is shot overseas, there is a fixer that will have paved the way. They think ahead constantly, clearing your path for a smooth shoot or recce. They are an integral part of every foreign shoot. You cannot have an efficient and successful recce or shoot in Turkey without a fixer by your side. Supporting, troubleshooting and accompanying you as your project takes shape – it is what we love to do! Red Bull, Istanbul Ultimate Race (2018) Esra, one of our wonderful fixers, enjoying a once in a lifetime opportunity behind the scenes during the shoot! |