EASIER THAN YOU THOUGHT ...
I'm happy to work with teams of all sorts: from the tiny, to the unwieldy and complex.
OVERVIEW
I’m an Italy specialist with vast experience throughout the country as a field producer, researcher, fixer and location manager on high-quality factual and entertainment TV films for broadcast, streaming and theatrical release.
I’ve worked on legions of television films, documentaries, and other coverage for BBC Documentaries, BBC History & Business, BBC Natural History, BBC Reputations, BBC Science, BBC Sport, BBC TV Features, BBC Worldwide, Channel 4, Discovery Channel, ITV, National Geographic Channel, Netflix, PBS and affiliates, Premier League Productions and Sky on archaeology, art, biography, current affairs, food, history, natural history, politics, science and sport.
I work extensively setting up and filming branded content and commercials for big international firms including Amazon Prime, Amazon Web Services, Bayer UK, Birra Moretti UK, Diageo plc, EA Sports, Ford Europe, Honda Marine, Live Nation Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Petronas, Rolls Royce Motor Cars, Samsung and Shell UK, plus TV and internet commercials for other international firms, while still occasionally working in news & current affairs when needed.
For ABC News (USA) I worked as an assignment editor and news segment producer in the UK, and in Italy as a field producer, off-air reporter and news editor.
I've also worked for NBC (Broadcast Manager at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta), for CNN (freelance producer over several years in Italy), as well as for both UPI and Jane’s Defence Weekly (print stringer).
I’m British – an English mother tongue speaker with fluent Italian, decent French and basic Spanish.
Skills and Specialist Knowledge
Experienced with production issues throughout Italy – from the Alps to Sicily – and at all the main locations: Bari, Bologna, Bergamo, Cosenza, Florence, Genoa, Mantova, Milan, Naples (Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius), Padova, Pisa, Ravenna, Rome, Siena, Treviso, Turin, Verona, Sardinia and Sicily (Agrigento, Catania, Mount Etna, Palermo, Siracusa, Trapani), Tuscany and Venice.
· Network of excellent authorised ‘critical area’ drone teams throughout Italy
· Best-cost US/UK-standard camera teams and sound recordists throughout Italy
· Best-cost camera, grip & electric equipment throughout Italy
· Track down and prep local contributors
· Location manager & location scout
· Excellent access track record & Vatican access specialist
· Vatican Library registered scholar
· Local divers and kit for underwater filming
· Authorised speleologists for underground filming
· Expert on cutting through local red tape
· Expert on Italian film archive and sources
· Experienced in transmission rights issues and pertinent Italian regulations
TESTIMONIALS
"There is no doubt in my mind that James is the best fixer in Italy and I can’t recommend him highly enough. His work ethic is second to none and you are able to rely on him implicitly and trust him to navigate you through the tricky process of filming there. James is amazingly reliable, communicates incredibly well and executes a smooth-running shoot with ease."
Kirsty Urquhart-Davies / Production Manager – Nutopia, London
"James was an absolute one in a million find to line produce my Italian production out in Maranello, for Ferrari sponsor AWS.
James is such a pleasure to work alongside and the shoot was totally seamless. His local knowledge, black book, his calm and patience while working on our production made it an absolute joy."
"I’m now patiently waiting for the next brief we can work on together!"
Naomi Berrio-Allen / Senior Producer - Studio La Plage, London
"He proved to be the perfect choice, was a delight to work with and outstanding at his job. James' preparation and organisational skills, his intelligence and acute understanding of the politics and the protocols of the Vatican proved vital."
Deborah Masters / Producer - ABC Australia
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1104336/
I worked closely with James while producing and filming the launch of the new Rolls Royce Dawn in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. James was brilliant in a number of ways: he brought an excellent gaffer to the island from Rome -with all the right lights, obtained all the correct releases for the area and was brilliant at handling RR concerns face-to-face prior to our arrival. A very nice guy who I would very much recommend."
Paul Denchfield / Producer - Fin, London
"James Walker is a treat to work with. He is hard working and unstoppable. His knowledge of how to make things happen in Italy is invaluable and his experience with productions of all sizes makes him a real asset.
I highly recommend James and would love to work with him again."
Daniel Carmenisch /Producer-Director - USA
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3597765/
"We shot an online / social media film for Ford in Rome and James sourced locations, crew, and talent - a mixture or 'real people' and actors - and the film went on to be one of the most successful online films ever for Ford Europe. James is a true professional. Good sense of humour, good negotiator, good problem-solver; I'd recommend him to anyone, and he would be my first port of call for the next shoot I did in Italy"
Lauren Colsen / Owner - Content Haus, London
"He is exactly what I want in a fixer. All but a native ... fluent and immersed in everything local you need combined with knowing how television works ... I have produced news pieces for 30 years and he is among the best I have come across."
Paolo Marenghi / Producer - Formerly of CBS News
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8228570/
