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how to find a film fixer in San Francisco Bay Area

What does a film fixer do in video production?

There are a lot of people involved in any given video production. We have all heard of Producers, Directors, Actors, Directors of Photography, etc. However, there is a crucial behind the scenes role most people have not heard of called a film fixer. Film fixers are the unsung heroes who ensure everything runs smoothly throughout the filming process. So, what exactly does a film fixer do?

Responsibilities of a film fixer

A film fixer is a key figure in film production, overseeing everything from pre-production logistics to editing and marketing efforts. They ensure smooth coordination across all stages of the filmmaking process. Not everyone will refer to this position as a “film fixer”, other terms you may have heard are local producer, production coordinator, and local fixer. Fixers are crucial, especially in new places. They use their developed connections and experience to help productions find the services they need within different budgets. This allows non-local productions to start filming smoothly without worrying about local logistical problems, saving time and money.

Locations

Firstly, a film fixer is responsible for scouting and securing locations for shooting. This involves finding the perfect spots that match the director’s vision and obtaining the necessary permits and permissions to film there. There are very specific steps involved in location scouting, and every location is different. A film fixer helps non-local producers whether it’s scouting a bustling city street, like Market street in San Francisco, or permitting a national landmark like the Golden Gate Bridge. This important role makes sure everything is in place and in accordance with local regulations.

In this article Luma Creative, a video production company and film fixer explains the importance of a local film fixer — **For our commercial with Sitpack we were able to use our local Bay Area location knowledge to find the perfect secluded beach!**

Film fixers are logistics specialists

Once the locations are locked in, your hired fixer moves on to logistics. They coordinate transportation for the cast and crew, arrange accommodation if needed, and ensure that everyone and everything arrives at the right place at the right time. Sometimes we travel with gear for an out of town shoot; a film fixer can help you understand what you should bring and how you can source equipment at the shoot location. This requires excellent organizational skills and the foresight to understand local accommodations. For turo our crew went to Austin, Maui, New Orleans, and Vancouver. In Vancouver we hired a fixer to help us with logistics, locations, crew hiring, etc. While we are experts in producing video shoots from start to finish in San Francisco, it benefited us to bring in an expert while traveling to Canada.

Film fixers are local liaisons

Furthermore, a film fixer serves as a liaison between the production team and the local community. They foster positive relationships with residents and businesses in the filming area, addressing any concerns and ensuring minimal disruption during shooting. For example, for a San Francisco based shoot we would hire crew members that we know are compatible with each other. Further, we have vetted local locations and know what will draw negative attention in the community.

Case Study: Local Fixer in Bali

There are many reasons to pick a shooting location including feasibility, story, and budget. However, picking a location in a foreign country can create new options for creative visual imagery. Film and media hubs such as Los Angeles, New York, Paris, etc can only offer a fraction of the diverse locations the world has to offer. With just a quick google search you can find film fixers in virtually any location on the globe. Want crystal clear water and island topography? Look no further than Bali. There are film fixers there who will help you with pre-production, location scouting, visa application, legal documentation, local crew, and more. In addition, the visa application process in Bali is famously rigorous, and this local company can help you breeze through customs. The scope of these local companies is endless, they can take potentially draining logistical challenges off of a producer’s hands.

Luma creative a San Francisco video production company discusses film fixers in other locations — **Example of the local scenery available in the island province of Bali. There, you can hire local film fixers to source everything from visas to transportation for your film crew**

Local Connections

In addition to their logistical duties a film fixer also assists with providing their network of local connections. They will have plenty of contacts within the industry such as talent agencies, prop houses, drone operators, gear rental companies, etc. Further, this can ease a foreign producer’s workload but can provide better rates and responsiveness from the providers.

Considering using a film fixer

Overall, the role of a film fixer is multifaceted and dynamic. They provide a combination of organizational skills, and “on the ground” knowledge that is impossible for outside productions to have. Without their behind-the-scenes efforts, many video productions would never get off the ground. So, the next time you consider planning a production in a place you are not an expert in, consider the services of a film fixer.

When to Use a Helicopter for Video Production

Recently, Luma Creative was brought on to a video production project that did not quite fit the parameters of any previous work. Our client was building out the logistics of a television commercial, and the specifics of that posed a few challenges. In order to get the desired results and stick to our budget, we decided to use helicopter video production. Our San Francisco video production crew does a lot of drone work but helicopter use was something new for our team.

Let’s paint a picture: Our client is building a massive land development and needs to not only highlight where this land development is, but how far it is from other local municipalities. To do this they came up with a simple solution. They wanted a continuous shot that went from nearby cities and followed major highways to their new land development. The idea was then to speed ramp the shot. This would allow us to give the viewer a general idea of this new land development and fit it all into potential 15, 30, and 60 second television spots. Our client knew exactly what they wanted, and while that can be invaluable in pre production, they also had no idea how to achieve this shot. That’s when we decided to get creative and take to the skies for helicopter video production.

Current Information on Helicopter Video Production

There is not a ton of information out there on when to use a helicopter for video production. First off, helicopter video production is expensive and therefore makes it inaccessible to most filmmaker’s budgets. Secondly, helicopter videography is not well advertised. It took our production team days of researching and contacting different companies to put together a sound team capable of executing the job. Sure, if you are in a big market, like Los Angeles, you will have more options. However, our project was operating out of San Francisco and we needed to come up with a unique plan in order to deliver for our clients. If you are interested in how to put together a helicopter videography production then read on to hear about our company’s experience!

Options for Aerial Videography

Drone Videography

The first option we sought out to execute our clients’ vision was drone videography. Luma Creative is no stranger to drone videography and we have utilized drones for many different types of shoots. Drone videography offers several advantages over traditional ground-based filming techniques. First off drones offer versatility and maneuverability. Secondly, they are cost-effective. They require small crews to operate, and are budget friendly to rent. For all these reasons and more, drones have become the go to aerial videography device of choice and we are no stranger to their effectiveness. However, no two shoots are the same and in this case our client’s shot went directly over “The Gateway to the Pacific”, also known as Travis Air Force Base. Drones are strictly prohibited over American airforce bases and thus we were forced to pivot to option 2.

Travis Air Force Base was directly in the way of our desired flight path. This ruled out drone videography for our aerial footage.

VFX

While the task of achieving this shot for our client seemed daunting using live action videography, we pivoted to the world of VFX and Motion graphics to answer the call. Some main advantages of VFX include unlimited creativity. This allows us filmmakers to bring visions to life in ways that were previously impossible or prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, VFX provides Realism and Immersion. Our goal was to blend the real world utilizing programs like google earth and unreal engine. Finally, VFX offers safety and control. You do not need to compromise your vision while making sure your drone isn’t shot down by air force control. We deliberated this option extensively with our in-house VFX team. However, due to a quick two week turnaround we pivoted to our third and final option.

Helicopter Video Production

Most producers, myself included, never dream of enlisting helicopters for lower budget shoots. That’s the stuff of Michael Bay and Chistopher Nolan. However, we were able to hire a local pilot and charter his Bell 206 5 seat Helicopter. From there, we brought on a seasoned helicopter Director of Photography who brought in his own Stablized Helicopter Gimbal. This allowed us to pair together two professionals while keeping costs down as opposed to a traditional hollywood helicopter company. The results were incredible. Furthermore, our client was able to ride along and direct for the exact shots they envisioned. This allowed us to utilize the local nature of our shoot to bring the budget down on a helicopter charter, and include our local clientle. This was of huge benefit to our client and a big positive in hiring a local production team.

Adding Value to Client’s Portfolio Through Helicopter Video Production

Before we took to the skies for our helicopter shoot, we sat down with our crew and clients to talk about the creative pre production for the shoot day. We set out to capture the aerial shot needed, and locked in an appropriate schedule to make sure we had ample time to capture everything needed. However, our client now was looking for photo resources to complement the TV spot for website and promotional material. As a company who also specializes in corporate photography we were able to easily add in this component. This saved our client more than $15,000 needed to schedule a whole new day of aerial photo production. We are always looking for places to add value to a budget. In this case, we were able to dramatically increase production value without raising the budget. Here are some of the final results:

Our team was able to capture a variety of images in a short time frame using the speed and versatility of helicopter video production

Takeaways From Using Helicopter Videography/ Photography

In conclusion, this recent project exemplifies the power of being adaptable in the world of production. Faced with the challenge of creating a television spot that showcased a massive land development, we leveraged helicopter videography. While drones and VFX initially seemed like viable options, the unique constraints of the project demanded a different approach. By chartering a local helicopter and enlisting a seasoned Director of Photography we achieved the continuous shot our client desired. We also also provided them with the opportunity to direct the footage firsthand. This collaboration ensured the realization of our client’s vision. Moreover, it fostered a sense of partnership and local involvement, a testament to the benefits of hiring a local production team.

Moreover, our commitment to adding value to our client’s portfolio didn’t stop at videography. We incorporated aerial photography into the project at minimal additional cost. This allowed us to fulfill our client’s needs and save them a significant amount of money. This strategic decision underscores our dedication to maximizing production value while adhering to budgetary constraints. Sometimes pushing the envelope of production will break your budget. However, there is always value in thinking outside the box, or in this case, up in the clouds.

Looking for San Francisco aerial helicopter video production? Contact us today!

San Francisco Video Production in the Post-Covid Era

Over the last several months, we have had the privilege of shooting several San Francisco video production projects. From fast-paced productions where we needed road closures and police escorts, to simple shoots where we provided video feeds for international clients to direct remotely. You may be wondering, how is San Francisco video production in the Post-Covid Era. We have seen how Covid has directly changed the SF Bay Area video scene and would love to share some of our thoughts. The four main effects we have seen are: 1. Big shoots require more time and resources to produce 2. Remote feeds are here to stay. 3. Having a backup crew is imperative 4. Video production is busier and more important to business success than ever.

Big video projects take longer to produce

In April we received a big request to shoot a brand story film over four days. This video would include on-the-road driving footage, three main storylines, and research and development footage at their headquarters. Previously, we would have proposed that production could be done in as little as a month. Knowing the permit office timelines and shortage of police officers in San Francisco, we decided to give ourselves a few extra weeks. Good thing we did, it was a close one!

Approach

We broke this production into four shoot days. Day one would capture all of the on-the-road footage. This was going to be the most intense day and it required a village to coordinate. We needed a basecamp to park all of our crew vehicles and our picture cars. Our Director, Producer, Director of Photography, and Russian Arm Car Crew did an incredible job of planning the routes and making sure we were in the optimal place at each part of the day. Securing the permitting with the city was where things got tricky. Our location manager spoke to the office many weeks ahead to detail the routes we planned to take, and which streets would require police assistance. We submitted the necessary documents several days early but at the last minute were still waiting to receive our permits. They assured us everything would work fine, it wasn’t until the Friday before the Sunday shoot that we finally heard back. They needed a change in one of our insurance documents. Nothing major… but it was 4:50pm on a Friday. We were luckily able to get ahold of our insurance agency and connect them with the San Francisco permit coordinator. They worked things out and we got our permit at 9pm that night. Phew!

Timelines

Their timeline of 14 days to receive the permit isn’t enough lead time for them to process the permits. Now, we are adamant that clients budget at least one additional week when dealing with the San Francisco Film Commission office. According to our location manager, the office staff was reduced during Covid and they have been chronically understaffed since. Extra time will ensure the permit is processed and your pre-production goes through smoothly.

Remote feeds are here to stay

Before Covid, we would shoot once or twice per week or two, on average. Roughly one out of ten clients would request for a remote feed. But during the peak of Covid, nearly every shoot was requesting a remote feed so either the client, agency, or director could view the stream from anywhere. Travel was restricted for some, and others did not want to take the risk to travel to the shoot. Yes, we are still finding that nearly one out of four shoots are looking for some sort of remote feed or streaming.

A remote feed adds extra complexity to the shoot, but Luma Creative has invested in the technology to livestream from anywhere there is a solid cell phone signal. Managing the remote feed takes extra time during the shoot. However, the remote feed ensures all key stakeholders can give their feedback, “live” instead of in post-production. Live feedback can reduce changes and mitigate costs for the post-production phase. San Francisco video production in the Post-Covid Era is definitely different, read on for more!

Having a backup crew is imperative

When Covid was at it’s peak, it was mandatory to have Covid testing and a Covid compliance officer at every set. This was risky if someone tested positive on set; we’d scramble to find a replacement crew and it would set back our projects by several hours. Now that we have had experience with this, we have backup crew for any shoot with a tight timeline. Better to be safe than sorry! San Francisco Covid numbers are significantly lower than the last few years, and hopefully going in the right direction, but it pays to be careful.

Video production is busier than ever

We have received significantly more inquiries and requests for proposals for video production since before the pandemic. This is a great thing for our business and the whole video production industry. Consumers are watching more content than ever before and the demand for video content is insatiable. Consumer demand is up in the video production sector. With many companies returning to the office full-time or with hybrid setup, clients are finding new ways to use video to bolster their business. From video productions requiring weeks of scouting and pre-production, to hybrid livestreams that have small in-person audiences, every kind of production seems to not only be back, but on the rise!

We’ve seen a few big changes in the San Francisco video production market. Each of them has made us more flexible, creative, and innovative than before. We have also learned where additional time and resources are needed. This ensures every production we take on goes off without a hitch. From small to large, we get it done the right way every time!

If you are looking for a creative and ambitious San Francisco Video Production Company, contact us today!

How we produced a commercial in two weeks

Video production can vary widely in quality, cost, and speed. When considering video production companies, it’s important to set expectations well upfront such that all parties are aware of the deliverables and when they should expect them. Check out the iron triangle to learn more about balancing the three! When Eyeque came to us looking for two-week commercial video production, we had to look in the mirror and see if it would be possible. Would we really be able to concept, pre-produce, shoot as well as edit, and revise within their two-week deadline. After coming up with an initial concept, we decided it would be possible and we’d love the challenge. In this article, we’ll break down how we made this commercial video production happen in such a short timeframe.

Timeline

To make this shoot happen we knew we’d need a rigid timeline. We broke down the 14 days as follows:

1: Finalize idea and write a treatment
2: Adjust and finalize treatment and start scripting
3: Lock shoot date, Casting for actors, start locking crew, start looking for locations
4: Lock crew and continue looking for locations. Finalize script
5: Visit potential locations, and lock crew
6: Audition actors and finalize crew
7: Lock actors and location scout final location
8: Shoot video
9: Begin editing
10: V1 delivered by 10am-client feedback by 6 pm
11: 10 am deliver v2 and wait for feedback and revisions
12: Lock final and export for color. Start sound design
13: Color v1 back and tweak, continue sound design
14: Lock and deliver the final video.

Story

As we worked on the story, we knew we had a few constraining factors. #1 was budget. This would allow us one packed day with a full crew We could have shot over two days. However, to get the look that we were going for, we decided we’d pack one 11 hour day. We decided we’d need to work with one location and settled on the idea of contrasting two worlds of the same person. A person without Eyeque who was rushing to get to an appointment and someone who had Eyeque and could simply sit at home for their vision check. Our character would be able to maximize her day and be able to enjoy the simple things in life. Two-week commercial video production would be tough given we only had one day!

Casting

For this project we knew we didn’t have much time to run an in-person audition, so we used Zoom to interview any potential talent. Our team thought about using past talent out of quick decisions sake but decided we were looking for someone who would be new to our portfolio and fit the story. We used SFcasting for this project, although we also considered backstage. We were looking to cast four actors. The main character to be our mid-aged mom. a husband to play a supporting role, as well as two kids.

Crew

Having a solid crew on any video production can make a huge difference in the final outcome. We always want to be sure to hire the most talented possible crew to maximize our tight shoot schedule. On this specific job, given the single-day limitation, we knew we’d need a prep day for camera building as well as a 1st AD. We also had a DP, production designer, set dresser, gaffer, key grip, photographer Assistant camera, production assistant, and a hair and makeup artist. This barebones but essential crew, would ensure we could still get a commercial polish but without a massive budget.

Shotlist

As soon as we lock our treatment, we usually start writing a script. This will help us time the piece to ensure it fits within the final deliverable range. Typically we’ll present it to the client to make sure that it resonates with their team and then lock the creative. Although we’d love to do the final shot list as early as possible, it’s often that we can’t lock this until we’ve seen the final locations as they tend to influence our shots. However, after our initial creative is locked we’ll typically break down the video by scene and start to rough-shot list the key shots in order to figure out what is essential and what is fluff.

Shooting

On this particular shoot, we knew we had 11 hours to get our visuals captured. Therefore we arrived early to make sure everything was on standby outside the location and then once the clock started we were off to the races! That day prior we worked with our 1st AD to finalize the shooting schedule. We had two distinct worlds we were going to create as well as two distinct looks for all our cast. This meant, we could stagger our grip and electric department with our production design team between what was being set up and shot amongst the bedroom, living room and kitchen to try and maximize our time.

By lunchtime, we were on schedule but knew we still had a lot of content to capture. We had about 50 shots to capture throughout the day, and although we would have loved to get more insert shots, there just wasn’t time. Video production is a lot of giving and taking. Should we spend more time, getting the blocking perfect on one-shot or should we move on in the hopes of getting more shots and finishing on time! Our kids did awesomely and it was a smooth finish into the end of the day!

Editing

There is a critical difference between corporate and commercial work. In commercial, where we have the whole piece storyboarded out, it’s just a matter of using the best takes. In this case, since we had a thorough shot list and script, we just took the best takes and sequenced them in order. The final editing required minimal tweaking and was part of the reason why we were able to complete the project on such a short timeline!

Color

During our treatment phase, we collect frames from other films we are trying to emulate. No we aren’t going to copy the look exactly, but we do like to use these references to guide both our set design, lighting as well as our color. Are we going to bright and airy or dark and subdued? In this video, to create contrast between our two worlds, we knew color needed to play a huge difference amongst all the shots. Our colorist got to work right away creating looks after the shoot and was ready to copy the looks over as soon as the picture was locked.

Wrapup

Hopefully, this article broke down how we were able to make two-week commercial video production happen. Are you looking to make a video with a tight turnaround? Perhaps you have more time, but just want to put our skills to the test! Check out our other work and contact us today!

Here’s the final video