It's learning time for producers

 
Film industry sources told Deccan Herald that the attempt is primarily aimed at cleansing the industry of the unwanted cash flush mafia elements as also fly-by-night moneybags with the sole intention of reaping supernormal profits on their investments rather than the well-being of the industry.

The training, therefore, attempts to deal with the problem of increasing failure of Kannada movies at the box office as a result of compromises made in film-making. The training, according to Kannada Film Directors’ Association President S V Rajendrasingh Babu, is expressly aimed at imparting knowledge to producers as also inculcate in them the nitty-gritties of various aspects of film-making, the proper avenues to source and raise money as also invest the money in productive manner and the like.

Booklets on dos’, don’ts

Booklets of 20 to 30 pages, detailing the dos and don’ts will be distributed to aspiring producers. The curriculum for the intensive training would soon be worked out, Babu disclosed. Another industry source opined that this was the best way of weeding out mafia and moneybag elements from taking advantage of the industry.

“This only leads to the directors and scriptwriters compromising on the quality and content of films,” the source said adding this ultimately leads to poor show at box office by keeping away audiences from theatres more interested in clean and wholesome films they can view with the family.

Meeting convened

Meanwhile representatives of exhibitors, producers, directors and the artistes’ associations will be converging under the aegis of Film Chambers on Dec 1 to discuss various issues confronting the film industry including the issue of theatre rentals.

Sources said that it was indeed time to set the house in order immediately rather than let the mistrust among stakeholders festering. Exhibitors charging rentals at 100 pc was unacceptable with theatre occupancy at majority of the cinemas less than 40 pc. With the cost of production shooting up in recent times, the industry cannot survive without cutting costs.

Sources said producers have to resort to cut in overheads and directors have to become more responsible with the script. “The director must be sure of what he wants to communicate and what he is shooting,” they noted.