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Production Fixer • Sydney • Australia

Sydney's production fixer.
TVCs, music videos & commercial shoots - sorted.

Boots on the ground in Australia. Local knowledge, global standards - camera crew, locations, filming permits, and line production from harbour to outback. I'll make it happen.

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10+ Years Experience
100+ Productions
3 Countries
24hr Response
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TVCs • Feature Films • Music Videos • Fashion Campaigns • Branded Content • Documentaries • Photo Shoots • High-End TV • Stills Campaigns • Corporate • TVCs • Feature Films • Music Videos • Fashion Campaigns • Branded Content • Documentaries • Photo Shoots • High-End TV • Stills Campaigns • Corporate •
Jack Cowhig - Production Fixer, Sydney Australia
10+ Years on set
About

G'day. I'm Jack Cowhig - your local eye in Australia.

I've spent over a decade producing and fixing across three countries. Originally from Scotland, I've worked the length and breadth of the UK, and now I bring that same hands-on production experience to Sydney and greater Australia.

When you hire me, you're not getting passed along to a coordinator or a call centre. You're getting a direct line to someone who knows every council permit office, every golden-hour beach, and which crews actually deliver under pressure. I've run productions from Bondi to the Blue Mountains, from Sydney's laneways to the red centre - and I speak your language, no matter which side of the Pacific you're calling from.

Whether you need someone to wrangle a 50-strong crew or simply find the right rooftop with a harbour view, it's handled.

Jack Cowhig Founder & Lead Fixer, FixerSydney.com
ScottishFixer.com → HiJackProductions.com →
What We Do

Full-service production & location services
for TVCs, commercial video & international shoots.

From initial scout to final wrap - everything you need to shoot in Australia, handled by one reliable point of contact.

Location Scout Sydney & Australia

From iconic Sydney landmarks to untouched coastal wilderness, outback plains to tropical rainforest. I'll find locations that match your creative vision and your budget - and I'll send options within 48 hours of your brief.

Sydney Harbour Coastal Outback Blue Mountains Urban

Camera Crew Hire Sydney

Tap into Australia's deep pool of experienced, internationally trained crew. I'll build your team from my vetted network of DOPs, gaffers, sound recordists, art directors, and production staff - all with the credits to back it up.

MEAA Affiliated All Departments Multi-city

Filming Permits NSW & Sydney

Navigating Australian council permits, national parks approvals, road closures, drone clearances, and working-with-children checks. I handle the red tape so you don't have to learn a new bureaucracy from 10,000 miles away.

Council Permits National Parks CASA Drone Maritime

Line Producer Sydney - Production & Logistics

Full service production management on the ground. Budgeting, scheduling, travel logistics, equipment hire, catering, accommodation, transport - the full kit. I'll keep your shoot running smoothly while you focus on the creative.

Budgeting Scheduling Equipment Transport
Recent Work

Australian productions.
Delivered.

A selection of recent commercial work produced, fixed, and location-managed across Sydney and Australia.

Toyota HiLux - "The Pied Piper"

Finch Dir. Christopher Riggert Location Manager

Dozens of dogs abandon their owners' vehicles and leap into the tray of a new HiLux. Shot across multiple Sydney locations for Saatchi & Saatchi Australia.

TVC Location Management Sydney

Picklebet - "Get Your Pickle On"

Sweetshop Dir. Jesse James McElroy Location Scout

90-second hero spot for Picklebet's debut brand campaign. Dive bar, choreographed chaos, and prosthetic pickle puppetry. Agency: Kerfuffle.

TVC Location Scouting Sydney

Selleys Liquid Nails - "If You Can Take It"

Scoundrel Dir. James Dive

Real-world Sydney stunt - a kayak, arcade machine, and mounted marlin glued to a billboard with Liquid Nails. Try to pull it off, keep it. Nobody could. Agency: Howatson+Company.

TVC Location Scouting Sydney

Lyka - "For Dogs"

Photoplay Dir. Stef Smith Production Manager

Lyka pet food's first-ever TVC. 30-second spot starring 15 dogs, championing real food over processed kibble. Agency: Alchemy One.

TVC Production Manager Sydney
Watch on Instagram

Google Pixel 10

Film Reaktor Global Dir. Reiji Hamasaki Location Scout

Location scouting for Google Pixel 10's Australian campaign, produced through Film Reaktor Global's Sydney office.

TVC Location Scouting Sydney

Newcastle Permanent - "Head and Heart Approved"

Plaza Films Dir. Paul Middleditch Location Scout

Brand platform launch for Newcastle Permanent, exploring the tension between head and heart in life's big financial decisions. Agency: Enigma.

TVC Location Scouting Australia

XXXX - "Made for XXXX"

Finch Dir. Benji Weinstein Production Assistant

Brand platform launch for XXXX Gold, built on the origin story of beer - told through a giant cassowary in a Garden of Eden world. Agency: Thinkerbell.

TVC Production Assistant Queensland
Locations

Film Locations Sydney
& Across Australia.

Australia doesn't look like anywhere else on earth. Six climate zones. 25,000 kilometres of coastline. Ancient landscapes that can double for Mars or stand gloriously as themselves. From rooftop filming locations with harbour views to warehouse studios, red desert, and tropical rainforest - here's a taste of what's on offer.

Sydney Harbour & CBD

Iconic waterfronts, skyline views, heritage architecture

Blue Mountains

Ancient eucalyptus forests, dramatic cliff faces, waterfalls

The Outback

Red earth, endless horizons, otherworldly terrain

Coastal & Beaches

Bondi to Byron - turquoise water, white sand, rugged headlands

Urban & Industrial

Warehouses, street art laneways, brutalist architecture

Tropical North

Rainforests, reef islands, palm-lined coastlines
Why Shoot in Australia

World-class incentives.
Unmatched landscapes.

Australia actively courts international productions with generous tax offsets, experienced crew, and infrastructure rivalling any major market.

Australian Tax Offsets & Incentives

Location Offset (features, TV) 16.5%
PDV Offset (post/VFX) 30%
Producer Offset (Aust. content) 40%
NSW Made in NSW Fund Varies
AUD vs USD Advantage ~30%

Unrivalled Location Diversity

Desert, tropical rainforest, alpine, urban, coastal - all accessible within a single country. Australia can double for dozens of international locations.

World-Class Crew Base

Sydney and Melbourne are major production hubs with deep talent pools across every department. Crew here have worked on Marvel, HBO, and major global campaigns.

English Speaking & Timezone Friendly

No language barriers for US and UK productions. AEST overlaps with US West Coast evenings, making same-day communication practical.

Southern Hemisphere Seasons

Need summer in your northern winter? Australia's flipped seasons mean you can shoot beach scenes in January while it's snowing in New York.

Strong Production Infrastructure

Fox Studios Australia, Docklands Studios, plus countless independent facilities. World-class post-production, VFX, and sound studios on your doorstep.

How It Works

From brief to wrap.
Four simple steps.

1

Send Your Brief

Drop me a line with your project details - even if they're rough. Creative treatment, dates, budget range, wish list. Whatever you've got.

2

Same-Day Response

I'll come back to you within 24 hours with an initial assessment, location suggestions, crew availability, and a realistic cost outline.

3

Pre-Production

Locations locked, permits filed, crew booked, logistics mapped. You'll have a clear production plan before you board the plane.

4

On the Ground

I'm there on shoot day - and every day. Managing the moving parts so you can focus on what you flew here to do: make great work.

Filming Guide

What you need to know about
filming in Australia.

A quick-start primer for international producers planning their first Australian shoot.

Planning Timeline

For most commercial shoots, 4 -6 weeks lead time is comfortable. Features and high-end TV should allow 8 -12 weeks minimum for permits, crew, and logistics. That said, I've turned around fast-track shoots in under a week when needed.

Short-turnaround shoots are absolutely possible - just get in touch early.

Seasons & Light

Sydney enjoys 300+ days of sunshine. Summer (Dec -Feb) brings long golden days, while winter (Jun -Aug) offers softer, cinematic light without the extreme cold. Tropical regions have wet and dry seasons - timing matters up north.

Sydney's "magic hour" light is famously warm and long.

Permits & Access

Most councils require film permits for commercial shoots in public spaces. National parks, beaches, and heritage sites have their own approval processes. Drone filming requires CASA authorisation. I handle all of this as standard.

Tax Offsets

The Location Offset (16.5%) applies to qualifying foreign productions spending over AUD $15M in Australia. The PDV Offset (30%) covers post-production and VFX with no minimum spend. The NSW government also offers additional incentives through the Made in NSW fund.

Crew & Equipment

Sydney and Melbourne have deep crew bases across all departments. Major rental houses stock ARRI, RED, Sony, and Panavision. Sound stages, grip trucks, lighting packages - it's all here and competitively priced, especially with the AUD advantage.

Getting Here

Sydney is a major international hub with direct flights from LA (14hrs), NYC (21hrs via connection), and London (22hrs). Domestic flights connect all major cities within 1 -3 hours. Ground transport and accommodation I can organise as part of your package.

FAQ

Common questions from
international producers.

Do I need a visa to bring crew? What does a fixer actually do? How far in advance should I book? Can you work outside Sydney? What about insurance? How does payment work? Can you handle carnets and customs?
Yes - crew working in Australia will typically need either an Entertainment Visa (subclass 420) or a Temporary Activity Visa (subclass 408). The good news is that these are straightforward to apply for, and I can guide your team through the process. Processing times vary but are generally 2 -4 weeks, so factor this into your pre-production timeline. US passport holders can also enter on an ETA for short recce trips.
A fixer is your local expert and single point of contact on the ground. I handle location scouting and securing, crew and equipment hire, permits and council approvals, logistics (transport, accommodation, catering), and on-set production management. Think of me as your Australian producing partner - I bridge the gap between your vision and the realities of shooting in a country you might not know inside out. You bring the creative, I make it physically happen.
As early as possible - even at the treatment stage. For TVCs and branded content, 4 -6 weeks is a comfortable lead time. For features or series, 2 -3 months allows for proper scouting, permit applications, and crew booking. That said, I've turned around fast-track shoots with less than a week's notice. Don't let a tight timeline stop you from reaching out.
Absolutely. While I'm based in Sydney, I regularly fix shoots across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and beyond. If your project calls for outback desert, tropical Far North Queensland, or the wine regions of South Australia, I have networks and local contacts across the country. I'll also partner with trusted local fixers in other states when the project benefits from hyper-local expertise.
Most Australian locations and councils require proof of public liability insurance (minimum AUD $20M is standard). If your existing production insurance covers international shoots, we can work with that. Otherwise, I can connect you with Australian production insurance brokers who specialise in short-term policies for visiting productions. Workers' compensation is also mandatory for any locally hired crew.
I invoice in AUD or USD depending on your preference. For most projects, I work on a fixer fee plus a transparent cost-plus model for third-party expenses (crew, permits, equipment, etc.) - you see every line item. A deposit is typically required before pre-production begins, with the balance due on wrap. I can also work within your existing purchase order or cost-reporting structures.
Yes. If you're bringing your own equipment into Australia, an ATA Carnet is the standard way to temporarily import gear duty-free. I'll coordinate with customs brokers to ensure your kit clears smoothly on arrival. If the paperwork sounds like a headache, the alternative is sourcing equivalent gear locally from Sydney's major rental houses - often more cost-effective once you factor in freight and insurance.
Get in Touch

Ready to shoot down under?

Send through your brief - even if it's just a rough idea. I'll come back to you within 24 hours with an initial assessment, location ideas, and a realistic cost outline. No commitment, no hard sell.

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hello@fixersydney.com Primary contact
☎
+61 410 254 003 Phone / WhatsApp
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Sydney, NSW, Australia Available nationwide
Timezone: AEST (UTC+10 / UTC+11 during daylight saving). That's 14 -16 hours ahead of US West Coast and 11 -13 hours ahead of US East Coast. I'm responsive outside standard hours for international clients - drop me a message any time.
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