If you've never hired a fixer before, the process can feel unclear. What exactly do they do? When do you bring them in? How does the relationship work on set?

Step 1: First Contact

You get in touch with a brief. This can be as detailed or as rough as you like. A lookbook with specific locations, or just "we want dramatic Scottish landscapes for a fashion campaign in September." Both work.

I'll come back to you within 24 hours (usually same day) with an initial response: what's feasible, logistics, any red flags on timing, and a rough sense of cost. This initial conversation is free.

Step 2: Scope and Quote

Once you have a clearer picture, I'll put together a formal quote covering my fee and an estimated production budget for all third-party costs. The quote is transparent. You'll see exactly what each line item covers.

Step 3: Pre-Production

This is where the real work happens. Location scouting, permit applications, crew sourcing, equipment booking, accommodation, transport, schedule building, backup locations, and call sheets. Throughout pre-production, I'm your single point of contact for everything Scotland-related.

Step 4: Shoot Days

I'm on set every day. Physically present and managing the production on the ground. Arriving before crew to confirm everything is set, managing logistics, liaising with landowners and councils, crew coordination, problem solving, and keeping the schedule on track.

The best fixers are invisible. If you don't notice me doing my job, that means everything is running smoothly.

Step 5: Wrap

Equipment returns, final cost report, crew and vendor payments, any outstanding permit obligations. You'll get a clean final invoice with no surprises.

What I Need From You

  • A brief or treatment, even a rough one
  • Reference images if you have them
  • Confirmed dates or a target window
  • Budget range
  • Key creative contacts
  • Any brand guidelines or restrictions

What You Can Expect From Me

  • Same-day response to emails and messages
  • Complete honesty about what's achievable
  • No surprises on cost, timeline, or logistics
  • One point of contact throughout, no handoffs
  • Someone who takes your production as personally as you do

When to Bring a Fixer In

The single most common mistake I see: productions bringing the fixer in after the brief is locked, the locations are notionally chosen and the dates are fixed. By that point three of the most valuable inputs a fixer has are already off the table. Bring the fixer in at the stage where you're still asking "is this idea feasible at all in Scotland?" and you get answers that shape the brief itself. Bring them in two weeks before the shoot and you get a permit-and-logistics service rather than a creative partner.

The typical sweet spot: 6-8 weeks out for a commercial, 10-12 weeks for a music video with multiple locations, 4-6 months for a feature recce, 8-12 weeks for a multi-region editorial. The longer the runway, the better the locations you can actually access.

Common Misconceptions

A few things that come up in almost every first conversation with a production that hasn't worked in Scotland before:

  • "We thought Scotland had right to roam." It does, for walking. Commercial filming is explicitly excluded from the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Every commercial frame needs permission
  • "Can you just sort the permits while we shoot?" No. NatureScot and HES timelines are non-negotiable. A two-week minimum on agreements is the floor, not the goal
  • "We'll bring all our own crew from London." You can, and many productions do. But local crew in Scotland is genuinely good, hourly rates are lower than London, and you avoid two days of travel cost per crew member. A mixed unit usually balances out best
  • "We don't need a fixer, we'll use a location library." Location libraries are useful for shortlisting and reference. They don't replace someone who can phone the landowner, secure the permits, brief the crew and stand on set

The Relationship

The best fixer relationships feel like having a trusted colleague on the ground rather than a vendor you've hired. By the time you arrive in Scotland, I'll know your project inside out, your crew will be briefed and ready, your locations will be locked, and the only thing left to do is make great work.

Most of my clients come back for their next Scotland project. That tells me the process works.