Covering the Notre-Dame Fire | ABC Australia
ABC London correspondent Bridget Brennan reporting from the Quai de Portobello along the River Seine in Paris, with the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in the background, 16/04/2019 © Fab Fixers
6 years ago this month, a fire devastated Notre-Dame de Paris, and FAB FIXERS was there to cover the event. For 4 days in April 2019 we assisted ABC Australia in reporting on the aftermath of the Notre-Dame fire from Paris.
4 days in April: the aftermath of the Notre-Dame Fire
From Tuesday 16th to Friday 19th, ABC Australia set up a special coverage of the aftermath of the Notre-Dame fire. Reporting from different vantage points around the Cathedral, London correspondent Bridget Brennan and her team held live coverages twice a day.
FAB FIXERS provided assistance in securing filming permits, translation, and finding people to interview. This included a specialist in the history of Notre-Dame, and wood workers for their expertise on renovating the structure of the Cathedral.
Notre-Dame has been a fixture of my career as a fixer, as I returned to it in 2024 for a special report for CBC News, covering the restoration works ahead of the Paris Olympics.
The challenge: securing last minute permits
When a visit to a church construction site was cancelled at the last minute, Virgile stepped in and made sure to find a replacement. The challenge wasn’t only to find craftsmen in historical monuments on such a short notice, but on the afternoon Good Friday - the start of the 4 day Easter weekend in France. After an hour of relentless calls countless master glass makers, art restorers and carpenters, he was finally able to pin down an art studio still open on that day.
Our approach: always consider that there’s an aligned solution to last-minute challenges.
ABC London correspondent Bridget Brennan reporting from the Quai de Portobello along the River Seine in Paris, with the Ile Saint-Louis in the background, 16/04/2019 © Fab Fixers
Need a fixer in Paris?
FAB FIXERS gets you filming permits to all the main Parisian landmarks, including the Esplanade du Trocadéro (that Eiffel Tower view), the Arc de Triomphe, and of course, Notre-Dame de Paris. We also arrange boat rides on the Seine and bicycle tours of the city for branded content, travels shows, documentaries and news reports.
Our fixing services include: finding people to interview, including news witnesses, experts and high-profile personalities, conducting and translating interviews and fact-checking.
We operate from everywhere in France (including overseas territories), Belgium and Europe at large.
Title: Notre-Dame Fire
Media: ABC Australia
Dates: 16-19 April 2019
Anchor: Bridget Brennan
Fixer: Virgile Demoustier for FAB FIXERS