TESTIMONIALS
RICARDO PREVE
Ricardo Preve Films
“I hired Sebastian Pétion to be my fixer, guide, driver, and translator in Haiti. Sebastian did an excellent job of guiding me in a safe and efficient manner through various parts of the country. He is a hardworking, highly-qualified professional, who knows Haiti very well. Without him I could not have gotten my work done. His fluency in Creole, contacts in Haitian society, and work experience were invaluable in helping me accomplish my objectives. I highly recommend him to anyone needing his type of services in Haiti.”
HUGH LOCKE
President, Yéle Haiti
“Sebastian Pétion began working with me as a volunteer on several of our programs two years ago, and I was impressed by his resourcefulness, drive and determination. (Yéle Haiti is an organization founded and led by Haitian musician Wyclef Jean.) I subsequently hired him to assist with Yéle’s video and photo needs, and was impressed again at his ability to jump into challenging situations and deliver quality results on time.”
MARA SCHIAVOCAMPO
Correspondent, ABC News, NBC News
“I worked with Sebastian Pétion in the aftermath of hurricane-related flooding in Gonaïves, Haiti. Sebastian was an integral part of the NBC News team and vital in helping us get the elements we needed. He speaks perfect English, made all the arrangements we requested and has the contacts necessary to meet almost any request. Plus, he's a great person to work with! I wholeheartedly recommend Sebastian to other journalists working in Haiti.”
MAGALIE LAGUERRE-WILKINSON
60 Minutes, CBS
“I was the co-producer of a profile of Haitian music star and philanthropist, Wyclef Jean, that aired on the CBS news magazine, 60 Minutes. I can safely say that were it not for the hard work and determination of Mr. Pétion, helping us in areas that we could not have ventured into on our own, the piece would not have had the success it garnered. Mr. Pétion’s work ethic and journalistic eye were an added bonus. I was so satisfied upon completion of the program that I recommended Mr. Pétion to a colleague from a competing network. Mr. Pétion's hard work, desire to learn and interesting conversation make him an added bonus to any team. He can be considered for any position because when faced with a challenge he will not be intimidated.”
T. SEAN HERBERT
Producer, CBS Mornings
“As a journalist who has spent a lot of time travelling the world on assignment, I know how critical our friends with expertise on the ground are to our success. A fixer is more than someone who handles local logistics like food and fuel; he is an integral part of a team that helps ensure everyone’s safety and wellbeing. Over my career, I have been sent to Haiti nearly two dozen times, and it is one of those places in the Western Hemisphere where it doesn’t take much for things to go sideways. Yet my colleague Sebastian Pétion has never let us down. For nearly 15 years, he has been an essential and reliable member of the CBS News family. I consider him among the finest fixers I have ever worked alongside. I would urge any news organization to hire him for any task requiring his expertise in Haiti.”
YNZE BIJL
Axe Digital
“A few years ago, I had the good fortune to connect to Sebastian Pétion while shooting a documentary for a non-profit operating in the jungles of Perches, a few hours drive southeast of Cap-Haitien. I traveled from the United States with a three-person crew and camera gear to film the work of the non-profit for about five days. Sebastian organized transportation and production support as well as security. Additionally he functioned as a translator when we were interviewing locals who did not speak English. Since there was no commercial lodging in this part of the country, we camped out in the modest home of one of the locals for the duration of the shoot. Sebastian stayed with us 24/7, which was very reassuring, given the general volatility of the country. He also brought a gas-powered generator to charge our camera batteries every evening, since there is no electricity in that part of the country. There was no running water, and he sourced fresh drinking water with the locals to be delivered in big drums every other day to our base camp. When one of our audio cables broke, he managed to find a replacement by the end of the day from someone in Cap-Haitien. Overall, it was a very successful production, and we could not have done it without Mr. Pétion’s help and support. I would never venture out on a shoot in this beautiful but troubled country without Mr. Pétion.”
ROBERTA STALEY
Documentary Filmmaker, Magazine Writer
“Sebastian Pétion was my fixer when I arrived in Haiti to cover a natural disaster that nearly wiped out the coastal city of Gonaïves. Sebastian also helped me gain access to the Boys’ Detention Centre Delmas 33 to interview young inmates, some of whom were as young as 10. As well, Sebastian organized a trip into a Port-au-Prince slum to cover a midnight voodoo possession ceremony for Postmedia Network Canada. Without his guidance and advice, contacts, diplomacy, fearlessness and command of multiple languages, I would never had been able to capture these stories.”
