Bengali Television Industry Stares at Imminent Crisis
RBN Web Desk: The Bengali television industry, a source of livelihood for thousands of people associated with the trade, is staring at a clear and present crisis with a section of producers and technicians coming at loggerheads. The situation is such that shooting of several top programmes could be stopped from today.
Trouble was brewing between the producers and technicians for the last few months. Intervention from industry organisations has so far failed to resolve the impasse. Technicians have warned to halt work with immediate effect unless the matter is resolved. A meeting of the producers’ guild in this regard is slated later today.
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Technicians alleged to the media that producers increase the shooting time of fiction shows on various pretexts. They have to work beyond their shifts, and in most cases, overtime payment is denied. Their organisation has suggested to start shooting as early as possible in the morning so that work can be wrapped up within a reasonable time rather than stretching it late into the night.
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Producers, however, have said that it’s not possible to work in clockwork precision in the film and television programming industry. Working hours often extend beyond the fixed schedule. This has irked the technicians and they have resorted to a ceasework.
The situation has especially worsened over the past few weeks with top channels mounting pressure on the producers to bolster their episode bank. According to sources, channels now want an episode bank of at least seven days from the producers, and this has put both artistes and technicians in a spot.
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A leading producer, on conditions of anonymity, told the media that the entire issue now depends on the guild’s meeting. A few days of ceasework is unlikely to affect their episode bank. Whatever the guild decides, will have to be accepted by them, another producer-director said.