With Brexit, UK shoots to face talent, pocket crunch

India"s cine industry is likely to feel the heat after the Brexit vote. In the days to come, shooting of all films in the UK are going to be more expensive. Getting skilled labour, especially foreign dancers, is going to become quite tough in the UK.

Most of the foreign dancers who work in the UK belong to east European countries. Choreographer-turned-director Baba Yadav, who has just returned from the UK after having shot with them for Jeet's Eid release 'Badshah', apprehends a crunch in talent pool of foreign dancers. 'Though British dancers are very good, we also had a huge number of foreign dancers from east European nations. If they leave UK, it will be difficult for us to get so many talented dancers at the rates that we used to get earlier,' Yadav said. The skillset of British dancers is never in question because Britain is the seat of musicals that employ many talented dancers. 'But rates will surely jump,' he said.


According to Sudipto Sarkar, who is the creative director of London-based film production company called Flame Visuals, the cost of movie production is expected to shoot by 20% after the Brexit vote. 'I've four film projects lined up. Most of our technical crew is from European countries. Now, I don't know how many will stay on in the UK. If they don't, I'll have to replace my entire set-up,' said Sarkar, who has also directed 'Prem Keno Bujhini'.

At least 30% of his workforce might have to be replaced. According to him, the students of Czech, Polish and Italian film schools provide the maximum number of technical crew for films that are shot in the UK. 'Even 80 % of the technical crew of Hollywood movies that are shot in UK are from these countries. I apprehend a loss of a significant number of highly skilled talent as well as those who provide low cost labour,' Sarkar said.

On a film set, the low cost labour would be workers like drivers, carpenters, production and art department guys. 'Now, I pay 100 pounds to a carpenter. If the European workforce leaves, I will have to pay at least 120 pounds to those from Britain. The extra payment will not ensure better work,' Sarkar explained.

In September this year, producer Himanshu Dhanuka is supposed to shoot in Ireland and Scotland after having just shot four back-to-back Bengali films in Britain. 'In May, we had worked with an Italian sync sound recordist for Anjan Dutt's 'Bongs Again' that was shot in London. In the current circumstances, I might not be able to get him for my next shoot,' Dhanuka said. In another schedule, he had worked with an Italian steadycam operator for a film shot in Britain. Getting those workforce has become uncertain now. 'Most of the extras and dancers were European. I am already thinking about how to organise the vendors, extras and technicians for my next shoot,' he said. The situation has suddenly become so volatile that he is even contemplating about shifting his shooting to Italy, Switzerland and Bulgaria for cheaper options!