Money's worth?

The debate over whether Tollywood is on the threshold of resurgence is still on. But if the technicians ��������� who stopped work on Sunday to demand greater pay ��������� are to be believed, there is still a lot more that needs to be done beyond restructuring the remuneration.
There are hierarchy issues that have to be taken into account. Safety norms are often flouted if it concerns the life of junior technicians. The result: The discontent brews even while some are still singing praise of the arrival of the golden era. Says cinematographer Sirsha Ray, ���������In Mumbai, the remuneration of a cinematographer is two to four per cent of the film���������s budget. So, if the budget is 1 crore, an average cinematographer gets a minimum of 2 lakh. In Kolkata, the scenario is different. An average cinematographer���������s remuneration is one per cent of the budget of the film. Considering that Bengali films have a smaller budget than a Hindi film, a cinematographer gets paid much less here.���������
Infrastructure is another problem area. Rusted rails are often used to mount the camera and this is appalling. The platform on which cameramen stand, is so small that it gets difficult for them to keep their balance. ���������Cinematographers from outside Bengal can���������t even dream of working within this set-up. I don���������t see any effort being made to change this scenario because nobody even thinks that this is important. There are extremely hazardous electrical layouts in most studios. Added to that is the problem of no insurance facilities being in place,��������� Sirsha adds.
Most studios, apart from a movie town, don���������t have any overhead rigging for lights. ���������There���������s the old system of putting up bamboo poles and people have to climb up those poles like monkeys, risking their lives. This system has been there for years,��������� says Sirsha.
When we go to shoot abroad, we take our camera caretakers along with us. We can afford this but can���������t hire the camera technicians who are available abroad. The reason is simple. They get paid much more than I would earn while shooting as a cinematographer abroad,��������� Sirsha adds.
Cinematographer Rana Dasgupta says, ���������The kind of shooting floors we operate in Tollywood are abysmal. The basic infrastructure facilities are not provided. Fire protection facilities are unavailable, putting everyone���������s life at risk. Earlier when a film shoot got over, it was mandatory to wash the floor. Now, with so much of work pressure, this system has become redundant. All this affecting work. There is so much of dust all around and we work with expensive equipment. Nobody seems to be bothered about that.���������
Editor Arghakamal Mitra talks about a different kind of a discrimination within the industry. Says he, ���������Of course, the guild has fixed an amount that has to be given to editors and cinematographers. But that���������s the minimum amount. No editor can be paid below that amount. But when we are working, the negotiation happens for remuneration that is above this amount. The discrimination starts then. If an editor asks for a certain amount that comes close to what a cinematographer is charging, the whole production unit will raise its eyebrow and wonder how such a thing can happen. It���������s understood that an editor in Tollywood will have to make do with half the amount that a cinematographer will command.���������
The director���������s remuneration is another grey area. ���������The guild has no specific payment structure for directors. Before the hike, the chart mentioned that a cinematographer would get paid a minimum amount of 36,000 f or 55 shifts. While an editor would get a minimum of 35,100 and an art director `29,250 for the same number of shifts. However, in case of a director or a star, there is no minimum remuneration. It has to be settled with the producer. Apart from few star directors, most filmmakers are exploited. The sad part is that we can���������t even complain to the guild if we are unhappy with the remuneration. What���������s unique is that while the director is supposed to be the captain of the ship, we are the ones who don���������t even have a minimum remuneration package in the industry. So much for Tollywood returning to its golden era,��������� says director Bappaditya Bandopadhyay.
There has to be a dialogue on the dispute. Non-cooperation is not the answer. When I went to shoot in the US, I was even asked why I wasn���������t taking people from the 22 guilds operating here! And, why did I choose a story which would require extensive shooting abroad. This attitude can���������t be right. If there is friendship, there will be prosperity. So let���������s join hands for good work. - Aniruddha Roy Choudhury
Nobody thinks about the loss we have incurred because of suddenly stopping the shoot. It���������s difficult to get dates of Rituparna Sengupta. Debshankar Halder is one of the busiest theatre artistes now. How do I get the combination dates? My camera has been hired and even if I don���������t shoot, I still have to pay the hiring charges - Shiboprosad Mukherjee
Considering that all Bengali films have smaller budgets than Hindi films, dops in Tollywood get paid much less. ��������� Sirsha Ray
Apart from few star directors, most filmmakers are exploited. The sad part is that we can���������t even complain to the guild if we are unhappy with the remuneration. ��������� Bappaditya Bandopadhyay
There needs to be an increase in the rates. The issue has been pending for three years and if the hike is justified, a consensus should be arrived at. Our production house has not suffered any loss because of the strike. But this attitude of technicians to stall work of new productions is wrong. A dialogue is always a better approach.- ShrikantMohta, Producer
It���������s a fact that the paltry amount given to technicians is not enough to sustain themselves in today���������s times. But then, if we decide to hike the fees drastically, it will be difficult for producers to pay up because we don���������t have a huge market to recover the costs. I feel the method of hiking the prices should be looked into. If we can channelize the funds that we waste on parties and use that money to pay the technicians, it will be a good way out. Instead of throwing four parties, a producer can throw two and invest the saved money to pay more to the producers. - Rana Sarkar, Producer