Meissa Seck, African fixer in Senegal, By Lalie Rabeharison

The film fixer is a local film professional. 

This is what I am.

I assist producers travelling to Senegal for audio-visual projects of any kind. My contribution is focused first and foremost on my knowledge regarding the local laws that applies to film shooting, but not only !

I usually do all the necessary research during preproduction phase, before the production starts.

I fix the budget requirements and guarantees that it will match with the artistic statements, equipment/crew needs, accommodation and travel related services.

A film fixer understands how a production works and how its intervention links above the line cost and below the line cost in film production.

My main clients are coming from USA or UK. They're TV producers, other production companies, filmmakers. It's generally for films, documentaries, promotional videos, commercials, TV shows, and any related video project.

My clientele is really diversified and this is why the film fixer job is so exciting and gives the opportunity to learn at each assignment.

Senegal is a peaceful country. There's no war no tribalism troubles. People are friendly. Tourism is very developed so there's a lot of top infrastructures to welcome film crew and facilitate domestic travels. It is also a free country.

It's easy to access the country from anywhere in the world and major airlines fly to Senegal.

Also, Senegal has wonderful locations that makes the country a choice destination for any film project ! As "the tip of Africa" Senegal offers an amazing coastline and an exceptional hinterland where traditional culture is still strongly present even if the cosmopolite nature of the country is present in the major big cities.

The architecture mix traditional and contemporary, so there's many choices for the environment of a project.

Film permits process in Senegal is fast and not expansive.

"A film fixer is a professional really concerned about the goals of saving time and money, which are vital to the producer. He's totally involved in the project and ready to deploy its network and the advantages of his country to support the film production. "

Meissa Seck, AFRICAN FIXER in Senegal

Film production is a very serious thing ! It's a lot of money, time and resources... Client requirements are involved. It's the reason why it should not be left at the hand of anyone. 

The exemplary film fixer is defined by the righteous conscience of this. He's a professional really concerned about the goals of saving time and money provided by the producer. He's totally involved in the project and ready to deploy its network and the advantages of his country to support the film production. 

Advantage of Senegal is, for example, the fast and low cost of film permits process, the wide choice of domestic flights which makes inbound travels fast and easy... An exemplary film fixer knows to turn such strengths at the film production service. He's a force in bringing forward proposals, very reactive and organised to take in charge the production back office.

It's a major responsibility for responsible professionals. The exemplary film fixer takes a project -upward- with his ability to show sense of responsibility and... responsiveness !

Absolutely agree. The local guy is an appropriate film fixer as he will provide to producers the right information at a given time.

As a native from the country he possess the key codes of a culture, local habits, rules and regulations. 

It is a natural do's and don'ts knowledge completed by the fact he's an inhabitant.

Producers are in the search of a compass when they contact local film fixers. Even an agency acting as an intermediary can't do the job as they're even far from knowing basic stuff such as dealing price and the way to do it locally, getting papers in record time or getting authorisation and safety for a night shooting for example.

The more you go specific on a production, the more you need a film fixer local expertise relating to the country.

The local film fixer can find anything you want that is available and allowed in his country. He really has the ability and the talent to bring on the necessary elements to a film production. 

As I speak local language, and mainly knows the cultural cuts, I'm able to guide them in a fast and efficient way during the preproduction and the production process across the country.

I negotiate rates, hire local crew and talents. Being familiar with a people of yours is the key to act as efficient and money saving. It permits to link the producers to a reliable and 

Being local as a film fixer is an added-value in connecting with inhabitants or local professionals. I coordinate and manage local crews and I know my people, so I know how to linkup everybody within an intercultural context.