Choosing which locations to shoot in is only half the battle. There will be a need to obtain the proper permits and licenses as well. Failure to do so can delay or even halt productions entirely. Obtaining permits in a foreign country is always more difficult than doing so in one’s native homeland. This is due to the language barrier but also to differences in customs, bargaining practices, and cultural nuances.
A film fixer in Myanmar will know who to go to, which offices to visit, and when those offices are open. Film fixers have gone through permitting process hundreds if not thousands of times, so they know how to save time and money while always adhering to local Myanmar law. Essentially a Myanmar film fixer acts as a local guide, liaison, translator, and diplomat. Hiring the right film fixer is like hiring an extra producer-only at a fraction of the price. These fixers come with built-in vast knowledge of local industry standards. Now that you have your permits, there is still the matter of camera and sound equipment as well as professional operators. Our Myanmar film fixer is only just getting started.
Myanmar is a country with many locations that will be difficult to access and gain permission to film in. A Myanmar film fixer can help producers and directors choose the best locations. Film fixers have boots on the ground year-round. They are well-aware of the best locations, as well as hidden gems that have yet to grace the silver screen.
One of the most important decisions a filmmaker can make is which locations they choose to set their stories in. A location can make or break a project. Some of the best and most unique locations will inevitably be more difficult to find and access. However, investing time into this process pays off for the duration of principal photography. Characters can walk off-screen, but the location is always there, creating atmosphere and ambiance that gives productions size and scope.
A Myanmar film fixer will speak the local dialects and the national language fluently. They will be able to call upon a wealth of industry and non-film industry connections for a variety of purposes. Film fixer experts have a ‘can do’ attitude and they will rarely say no. Our film fixers have experience helping visiting productions to Myanmar to find elusive interview subjects for documentaries. Our fixers also help with contacting absentee property owners to unlock hidden, undiscovered locations. In the next section, we’ll go into further detail about how film fixers essentially act as location scouts in addition to a variety of other tasks.
Essentially, film fixers can serve as multi-tasking production support for the duration of a film or television project. Fixers are particularly useful during pre-production, however, they often remain on call and help with problem-solving until the final edit is cut. A film fixer will labor tirelessly, working at all hours to make sure all production needs are met in full. Fixers regularly go above and beyond the call of duty in order to produce results, and no task is too big or too small.