Skip to Main Content
Fixers in South Africa
Start typing to search...
Wild Coast - filming location in South Africa

SCENE 01 / PRE-PRODUCTION

Pre-Production Services

The team handles production planning and creative development and logistics which maintain your schedule and budget and creative vision.

CreativeScriptwriting, storyboarding, and pitch-ready treatments.
LogisticsPermits, budgeting, scheduling, and crew coordination.
DeliveryProduction-ready plans with South Africa-wide coverage.
Scroll

Planning with Precision

Comprehensive Pre-Production Services

From initial concept to production-ready plans, our team sets the foundation for successful films, TV, commercials, and digital content around the world.

🎬

Creative Excellence

The creative team at Canal+ and South Africa Télévisions along with international co-production partners worked together to develop scripts and storyboards and visual treatments for the project.

📋

Strategic Planning

The line producers who created USD budgets with DTI production incentive rebates included in their planning used South African holiday schedules and labour regulations to determine their production timeline.

🌍

Local Expertise

Fixers across all 13 South African regions—from northern region beaches to mountain villages to coastal area coastlines.

Service Catalog

Our Pre-Production Services

Every phase is covered—creative development, casting, permits, budgeting, crew, logistics, and compliance.

Why Fixers in South Africa

Why Choose Fixers in South Africa for Pre-Production

Integrated creative, logistics, and compliance backed by seasoned producers and local fixers.

01.

Proven Expertise

Industry-leading team across all formats and budgets, trusted by global broadcasters.

02.

Fast Response

Rapid 24-48 hour turnarounds for quotes, permits, and scheduling updates.

03.

Global Network

On-the-ground partners in 100+ countries with local permits handled for you.

04.

Full Service

End-to-end coverage from concept and casting to legal, logistics, and delivery.

On Location

South Africa Pre-Production Planning

Here is how this works in practice. From Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard to the wide plains surrounding Johannesburg, South Africa presents a production planning environment that rewards thorough preparation. Our team sets up each stage before cameras roll — managing location research, permits, scheduling, and budget allocation so that your production arrives on set fully prepared. Whether you are developing a documentary in Durban or planning a commercial campaign across the Cape Winelands, we bring the local knowledge and organisational depth needed to keep your schedule intact from day one.

Schedules built on real South African permitting timelines, DTIC rebate paperwork, and crew availability — never optimistic assumptions about any of them.

Here is the short of it. Our pre-production services cover Scriptwriting and Script Consultation, making sure your narrative is tight and camera-ready before you commit resources to the shoot. Concept Development sits at the heart of our creative work, translating briefs into detailed Storyboards and Moodboards that align your production team around a shared visual language. We also assemble Casting & Talent packages suited to local and global shoots, drawing from a deep network of South African performers and on-screen talent across Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Pretoria.

FAQs

Pre-Production FAQs

Clear answers on timelines, coverage, and how we tailor planning to your production.

What's included in pre-production services?

Here is how this works in practice. Our team gives complete production services which have script breakdown and scheduling and location selection across 9 South African provinces and Cape Town and Johannesburg agency casting and crew member selection from our OK'd network and budget development in USD with DTI incentive calculations and permit submission to the NFVF and local film commissions. You receive a production-ready package which becomes ready before the cameras start filming.

How long does pre-production take?

Here is the short of it. The process of obtaining locations and casting actors and wrapping DTI incentive forms for feature films needs a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks. The production timeline for commercials stays short because they need only 2 to 4 weeks to finish production when shoot sites have easy access. The process of getting documentary access and conducting interviews decides which film projects filmmakers can start their work on. The team can accelerate project work when needed but South African authority rules about permit processing create key time needs.

Do you work with international productions shooting in South Africa?

That's our specialty. We bridge the gap between global shoots firms and South African crews, vendors, and authorities. Our team handles everything from carnet needs for gear import to setting up with South African labour rules and handling the DTI co-production incentive rules. Most of our clients are UK, US, German, and Asian shoots shooting on South African soil.

Can you work within a specific budget?

Here is the breakdown. The firm creates budgets which use USD as currency and have detailed line items that follow the formatting needs of the South African industrial sector. If you have a target number, we'll tell you honestly what's achievable—whether that means adjusting the shooting schedule, finding alternative locations, or restructuring the crew. We'd rather have a frank conversation upfront than deliver surprises later.

What happens if permits get denied or locations fall through?

Here is what that looks like on the ground. It happens, and we plan for it. The location packages we give have backup solutions and we have set up connections with South African property owners and film commissions to handle unexpected changes in filming locations. Our location managers have pulled off same-week replacements for everything from historic estate shoots to South African apartment interiors.

On Set

Ready to Start Your Pre-Production?

We'll build a production-ready plan with detailed budgets, schedules, and permit timelines for your project.