Tinsel town adapts to new rules

Vivek Rangachari, thinks there is a marked change in the industry’s approach to artistes and workers.

Right from the salaries of crew members to the shift timings, VIVEK RANGACHARI, thinks there is a marked change in the industry’s approach to artistes and workers.

Right from the salaries of crew members to the shift timings, VIVEK RANGACHARI, Producer, DAR Motion Pictures thinks there is a marked change in the industry’s approach to artistes and workers. The Ismail Darbar incident is an exception to the rule.

Producers have definitely become more professional. These days, several international films are being filmed in India, and their work culture rubs off on the crew that expects a certain treatment from production houses.

When a crew works with a studio, they are exposed to a certain way of working and a professional work culture. Studios are definitely more professional than independent producers, and artistes who have worked with them will expect a certain benchmark and a certain degree of professionalism.

What happened to Ismail Darbar was sad and unfortunate, but that was a one-off instance. Currently, there are various bodies within the industry to look into the grievances and redressal of complaints. Some of these may be formal while some are informal.

Right from unions for stuntmen to associations for cinematographers, several kinds of associations exist. Even with regards to crew members getting credit for their work, I have not heard of crew members who don’t get credit, however, it is imperative for
artistes to get credited.

The industry is certainly more organised than what it was five years ago. For instance, if a technician is not getting paid, he can resign, which will only hamper the production house or a producer he is employed with. He also has the option of pursuing the matter with a local body or association and getting it resolved.

While there are isolated instances of crew members falling out with their superiors, overall things have improved, especially, the shift timings and salaries. One marked change is better shift timings. While earlier shifts lasted upto 16-18 hours in order to cut costs, now, efforts are being made to ensure shifts don’t get longer as in a longer shift, the crew won’t be as productive and efficient.

Story continues below this ad

As far as producers incurring the treatment cost of an injured stuntman on the film sets in concerned, whenever one produces a film, one opts for insurance. However, it is necessary for awareness to be built in, be aware of safety measures and other do’s and don’ts. Several stuntmen also regularly contribute to the associations they are a part of and if something happens to one of their fellow stuntmen, the contribution is used for their treatment.

Proper planning can make the functioning well. Pre-production workshops are of big help. While it’s difficult to monitor and control individuals, things have certainly become far more controlled and organised now.
— As told to Kanika Rajani

Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.