Cine employees federation sends letter of shooting guidelines to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has sent a letter to the Maharashtra CM, Udhav Thackeray spotlighting the guidelines that all cast and crew in Mumbai would follow once shooting is resumed.

The entire text of the letter (enclosed) is given below:

“To Shri Uddhav Thackeray ji Honourable Chief Minister - Maharashtra State Mantralay Mumbai

Date: 26.05.2020

Sub: PROPOSED GUIDELINES FOR THE RESUMPTION OF WORKS IN THE MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

Respected Sir,

We would like to introduce ourselves to you as we are the representatives of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), which is the oldest and the largest organisation of the workers and technicians of the entire media and entertainment industry. FWICE is the mother body of 32 different crafts of the workers and technicians of the media and entertainment industry in Maharashtra comprising of more than 5 lakh members, sheltered under its huge umbrella.

The FWICE is highly concerned about the Health, Safety and Security of all these members who are now eager to join the works post the lockdown is over. We have therefore drafted the below SOP’s/Guidelines to be followed during the resumption of the works in the Media and entertainment Industry:

1. All necessary medical check-ups to be mandatory for all the crafts and crew entering the sets while shoots.

2. All the craft and crew members to be stationed in the studio premises or a hotel to avoid travels and contacts with outsiders until the complete shoot is over.

3. Further measures will have to be put in place, such as providing crew members with masks and gloves, instituting extra cleaning shifts and ensuring that makeup artists and hairdressers dispose of brushes and other tools once they use them on an actor.

4. All the necessary personal care equipments such as face masks/shields, hand sanitizers etc. should be provided to all the crew members by the producers.

5. Healthy and hygienic food to be provided to all the craft and crew members on the sets by the producers.

6. Lesser crew members to be allowed on the indoor shoots.

7. Post production activities should be carried out with minimum workforce and all the

equipments to be properly sanitised before and after each use.

8. All dubbing facilities to maintain physical distancing.

9. All the equipments on the Production units should be sanitized on regular intervals.

10. All sets to have a fumigator for people entering the set

11. Ideally all unit members to get a negative COVID test report to be allowed on shoot, and post

12. Costumes to have multiple sets for use and all cleaning must be with disinfectants.

13. All rehearsals to be carried out wearing the masks and gloves compulsorily

14. Outstanding dues amounts should be cleared by the producers before starting the shoots and the payments should be made within 30 days of the shoot.

15. People aged 60 years and above and pregnant women to be restricted on the set for 4 months from the date of start.

16. Monthly payment to be cleared end every month.

17. Daily wages workers payment to be cleared on daily basis.

18. Minimum Life Insurance Guarantee ₹ 50 Lakh.

19. Ambulance, doctor and nurse compulsory on every set.

20. Every producer should provide minimum 3 washroom and same to be sanitized every hour.

21. Proper dining area to be allowed with sufficient sitting arrangement.

22. Visitors strictly prohibited.

23. 8 hours Shift. Work to be divided into two shifts a day. Mandatorily people should be changed per shift.

24. Any person found COVID +ve during the shoots or during his travel for shoots should be mandatorily given treatment in private hospital.

We request you to kindly please consider the above guidelines and do the needful accordingly.”

Says  FWICE’s Ashoke Pandit, “The  honorable Chief Minister wanted us to send him  guidelines. And we’ve done so on his request. It is important to have clarity on the subject of shooting after the lockdown. It’s the only way we can bring  the  entertainment industry back on the right track.”

Pandit also dismisses all speculation of Mumbai ‘s television industry relocating its shooting to Hyderabad.

“Where do  such speculations come from?” Ashoke Pandit  wonders angrily.