Curriculum Vitae of Mihai Radu

Freelance fixer, researcher, local producer, location manager, reporter, interpreter, guide.

I have begun to work for The London Times during the days of the Romanian Revolution(December 1989) as a translator, fixer. My duty was to find stories, manage the office, translate interviews. After 2 years the office was moved to Belgrade and I became a freelance.

I have worked for the BBC program People Century. For the Romanian part I was researching in the TV archives for December 1989 revolution images. Than, I looked for people to be interviewed in the program. Later I accompanied the BBC crew all over Romania. I did all the translation for the interviews.

I was working for the BBC Education program: they were doing a program about the Romanian caves and the Saxons fortified churches. I was in the recce with the director of the film. I had to take care of all the demands for a good and smooth shoot.

I have worked for ITN on a documentary on the late Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The same, I was looking in the archives for the TV footage. For this program I was given several names of people to be interviewed and I had to trace them down. I ensured the necessary logistics: car or van rental, accommodation, meals.

In 1998, Sept, I have worked for Excelman Productions. I was freelance production assistant for travel section of Japanese entertainment TV show Denpa Shonen. In Romania, I was responsible for researching locations, people, preparing the film and assure the necessary logistics for the shoot.

I have worked for October Films. They were doing a documentary on Dracula for the Discovery Channel. I was in the recce trip before the shoot, looking for possible locations. I was looking for people and sometimes I had to work on convincing people to talk to the camera. I arranged different equipment rental. Did all the translation during and after the shoot.

I worked for Cronkite & Ward. They were doing a documentary called “Great Books: Dracula “for The Discovery Channel. Besides location and people for interview I had to arrange extras for the shoot, as well as the necessary extra personnel and actors and equipment for the film. I was coordinating the Romanian actors, extras and personnel. I negotiated different deals on location rental and so on. I got all the permissions and licenses for the shoot.

I have worked for the National Geographic TV on the series Taboo. The series was about the forced relocation of a gypsy community from one place to another. I was in the recce for the location place and later, finding the people to talk and getting all the licenses and permissions I came with the filming team. The last documentary for NGTV was last spring and it was about The Myth of Dracula.

I worked for Hoggard Films. They did a documentary for The National Geographic Channel. I was responsible for researching people to talk to, locations. I had to make arrangements for different locations, logistics.

I worked for BBC News TV, Berlin. They were doing news programs and I was researching for the story. When they came to Romania I was translating for them.

I used to and still work as a fixer, interpreter for : Spiegel TV, NBC Sports, ABC News, Nine Network Australia, ABC Australia, Fox News Channel, Sky TV, CB Canada, VTM (the Flemish television), BBC TV and Radio.

I worked for TalkbackThames Productions. The program was called Borat Special series. For this program I have traveled through Romania scouting for the best suitable locations and people. I have accompanied the crew and made sure that the filming went smooth. I was looking and hiring the extras, different props and everything had to be done in a short term. I provided all the necessary translation for the shoot and after.

During the events in Kosovo, in 1999, I did work as the feeding coordinator for the EBU point in Skopje.

Currently, I work, as a freelance fixer, researcher and interpreter for the BBC TV World and Radio, BBC Scotland, Wales, SKY TV, Channel 5, as well as for other TV production companies that request my services…

I work for different English speaking newspapers like : Time Magazine, The Times, The Sunday Times, Der Spiegel Magazine, Washington Post, Profile Magazine (Austria), The Guardian, National Geographic Magazine, The Globe and Mail, LA Times.

In the spring 2006 I have worked for National Geographic TV for the episode called Vampires : Is it Real ? For this shoot I had to get actors on the location for the reenactment, to find the best possible locations, to talk to locals .

I have worked for a documentary on BBC World TV story about human trafficking from Romania to abroad. This meant an extensive work to investigate, look for both traffickers and victims. After identifying a trafficker I had to work through the legal system to get in touch with the trafficker for an interview and on the other hand to work with the police to find their victims. Or look for NGO’s in charge with caring for victims. I researched the same story in Republic of Moldova for which I have worked with Der Spiegel magazine.

In the fall of 2006 I have worked for ABC Australia as the local producer on a documentary about the children of Romania.
This was an investigation on how are treated the children with mental disabilities in orphanages , to look in to the growing number of ‘street kids’, to visit other institution for child protection . I had to prepare the visit and this meant many faxes send to the Romanian authorities and talking to them a lot .For the story it was a need to travel all over the country.

Another story was for the PBS about the situation of the HIV infected children in Romania.

Close to Romanian the accession in to EU (January 2007) I was working on many stories related to this topic or about the possible migration of the Romanians to the UK . I have worked for BBC TV, SKY TV, CHANNEL 5.
I looked for the best people to be interviewed : analysts, businesspeople, specialists or ordinary people.

I have worked for Initial TV- Endemol on a short documentary of the Romanian famous opera singer Angela Gheorghiu. I was looking for the best suitable locations.

I have worked for the BBC documentary Global Adventures in Architecture in Bucharest, about the second biggest building in the world : the Romanian Parliament Palace. I had to negotiate our way in, get all the approvals to film inside and from the air with a helicopter. I was renting filming equipment and also researched in film archives for TV footage.

During the first year of Romania in EU I was covering extensively the move of the Romanians workers to Britain. I was looking for characters to film at home and to follow them all the way to Britain.

I helped made many documentaries about the so called “exodus” of the Romanians working abroad and the worst consequences to this : children left alone in Romania- the Romania’s lost generation. I was searching for the best people to talk to went to villages to find people to interview.

I was working for ABC News and BBC Scotland documentaries regarding the Romanian bears and wild life.

I have worked for BBC Science & History on a documentary called ” The Human Journey” : about the oldest human skull in Europe found in a cave in Romania. I was in charge with logistics in Romania in terms of researching caves, looking for diving specialists and equipment, lights, accommodation and I made sure that the shoot went smooth. I was getting all the filming permits.

I have worked for the Bear Grylls – Man vs. Wild / Born Survivor / Ultimate Survival a Discovery Channel show. I was doing extensive field research (to get the best location possible). I was in charge with the logistics in Romania, arranging travelling from trains, planes to helicopters and vans. The shoot meant lots of fixing for finding the right people, getting approvals for the national parks, renting equipment and material, organizing catering on the shoot location.

I have worked to Special Broadcaster Service Australia for the program called “Are You My Mother”? For this program I had to trace the parents of a girl who was adopted by Australians parents in 1990. Than I had to arrange with the former family to film with them and find the best locations. I made arrangements to film in orphanages.

I worked for the BBC Top Gear program . I was in the recce to find the best possible locations. During the shoot I made sure that filming went smooth. I was renting equipment, obtaining all the necesary filming permits for locations , clearing roads, hiring helicopters.

I have worked for the BBC production called World’s Toughest Drives. In Romania this involved tanks. I made all the necessary arrangements to work in a military unit, I worked close with a brittish team to set the courses. I was in charge with the logistics from filming permits, renting equipment, transport to hotel meals and accomodation.

I have worked for National Geographic Magazine on the rich roma in Romania . For almost one month I was accompanying the two photographers in the village of Buzescu , helping / mediating between them and the roma. After this I was with the writer for two more weeks .

I have worked as a field producer for BBC Wales on a long documentary about the Roman Empire. The title is called The Roman Empire: What Lies Beneath. This was an extensive work as fixer, translator. , for almost one month, of recceing the locations, looking for the best people to talk to , arranging the logistics (filming permits, renting equipment , transport, people).

I have worked as producer for BBC Scotland, RTL 4, Der Spiegel Magazine on stories about the acces of Romania into the Schengen Treaty . I was getting all the necessaries clearings for filming and interviewing people on the border between Romania and Republic of Moldova and with other officials in charge with the fight against corruption.

I have worked for BBC World News,BBC Scotland on a story about the last leper colony of Europe : in Tichilesti. We have folemd in the area of the hospital and interviewed people.

I have worked as producer with Popkorn TV for Channel 5 on a production of the documentary called : The Lost Orphan : Mirela’s story. This was a documentary about the conditions of orphans in Romania and especially about a girl who has to live in the system . I was tracking this girl, mediating, the entrance in to the orphanages, with the Romanian officials.

I have worked for Quick Fire Media for ARTE on a documentary called : Vampire Skeletons. In Romania we were exploring the Romanians belief in vampires / ghosts. I was researching for locations, talking to people to find out / understand their believes. Got different filming permits, convincing local priests to talk to us. I was coordinating the shoot in Romania.

I was the local producer for BBC News and BBC Scotland on making documentaries about the state of the health care system and about the big problem in Romania teenagers infected with HIV . I negotiated access to the Romanian hospitals, I got access in to many locations where teenagers infected with HIV were hospitalized. E were looking for the conditions of treatment in various hospitals and talked to doctors, NGO’s that were struggling to improve the health system.

E were looking for the conditions of treatment in various hospitals and talked to doctors, NGO’s that were struggling to improve the health system.  ” I was working on documentaries for BBC Television and Channel 4 on how
the labor migration patterns will change in Romania after 1 January 2014. I was researching for people who would go to work in Britain, I was looking for anthropologist to interview.

I have worked for the Dutch Television BNN on the street kids of Bucharest story, some of them living underground along the heating pipes. . I was researching the phenomena, looking for the best location to film, looking
for people to interview, covered logistics.

I have done extensive work for the paper Dutch paper , AD Rotterdam’s Dagblad , on the art robbery story , done by 3 Romanians on October in Rotterdam. I was researching the story and be present in court for the trial.

Among other reality/survival shows for Discovery Channel filmed in the Romanian mountains and forests , I have worked and for the “Naked/Lone Survivor”. I was doing extensive location research, getting all the
necessary filming permits for ground and from air , the best possible consultants, logistics.

I have worked for the Discovery Channel reality show called “Rock Raiders / Gem Guys”. I was looking for the best filming locations, hiring and managing the local crew. Also I was dealing with the logistics, like
accommodation, transport and filming permits.

I am doing this as a full time work .

I have many contacts throughout Romania and is very easy for me to find or settle things in advance, to investigate.

I know so many people, both in the government and in the civic society.

I know good local TV cameraman and also companies for equipment rental.