IFDA demands fair/humane working conditions for TV directors

Mumbai, May 15 (UNI) The Indian Film Directors' Association (IFDA), the premier body of Directors and Assistant Directors, in the film and TV industry, has urged television networks/production houses to provide fair and humane working conditions to directors.

A meeting of the IFDA was held here recently in the wake of untimely and unfortunate death of director Jagdeesh Sharma (Jaggi), who fell victim to repressive working conditions in the TV industry.

IFDA president Vinod Pande said every assignment as a Director or Assistant Director would be firmed up with the specific agreement, laying the terms of engagement like working hours, remuneration, credits, incentives. The pro forma for the same is available at the Association. No Director or an Assistant Director would be asked to leave a show without a prior notice of at least one month.

No new director would be engaged unless a no objection certificate has been obtained from the outgoing director by Channel/Production House or the new director himself.

The payment cycle should be such that the remuneration for each month's output by a Director/Assistant Director should be settled no later than 30 days after the completion of the month concerned.

No Director/Assistant Director would be asked/pressured/persuaded to work more than 12 hours at a stretch as maximum. Compulsory lay off of at least 8 hours will have to be ensured by either the same production outfit or the new production outfit who engages the Director. Any flouting of this regulation will attract penalties, as strict monitoring would be observed by IFDA/FWICE, he said.

Mr Pande said in the event of the extension of the shift after 12 hours becomes necessary, a new Director/ Asst Director has to be engaged with the concurrence of the contracted Director.

A presentation of the charter for humane working conditions, crystallised by the IFDA, will be sent to all channel heads and producers' associations with an advisory that it be followed judiciously, Mr Pande added.

UNI