FWICE SENDS PROPOSED GUIDELINES TO RESUME WORK IN THE FILM INDUSTRY TO CHIEF MINISTER, MAHARASHTRA

Jyothi Venkatesh

In a letter addressed to Shri Uddhav Thackeray ji, Honourable Chief Minister - Maharashtra State today on 26.05.2020 Ashoke Pandit, B.N. Tiwari, Ashok Dubey, Gangeshwarlal Shrivastav, the Chief Advisor. President, Hon Gen Secretary and The Treasurer and 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 and 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 has sent the proposed guidelines seeking resumption of work in the Media and the Entertainment industry,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 checkups 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 Rs. 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.