The Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, after a joint meeting with the Telugu Film Producers Council (TFPC), Telugu Film Directors Association (TFDA), and Movie Artists Association (MAA), announced a set of guidelines with regard to the resumption of film shootings that were previously halted due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, in a statement issued on Thursday.
The meeting between the film bodies was held in Hyderabad on Wednesday. As the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce is common for both the Telugu-speaking states, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which also share one film industry, the guidelines will cover shootings taking place in both states.
According to the statement, all artists and technicians, including actors and members belonging to the 24 crafts of the film industry, should prioritise the completion of films that were previously halted in April in the wake of the second wave of the pandemic. Only after the completion of their balance work, are they to begin working on new projects. In addition, all the directors and concerned artists should try to complete stalled projects as quickly as possible, the statement said.
Further, the film bodies also made it mandatory for production houses to obtain declarations from artists and technicians that they have been vaccinated. “Every union member attending the shooting must be fully vaccinated or take at least the first dose of vaccination,” the statement read.
Other guidelines include, the Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation issuing a letter to its members asking them to take appropriate precautions while on sets, and the communication of all the precautionary measures and instructions to production houses and artist managers, who would, in turn, be responsible for informing their respective technicians and artists.
The statement also added that insurance is mandatory for all members of the 24 divisions of the federation and the federation and the respective unions should ensure this.
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Requesting every single technician and artist, to shoot with “social responsibility and taking due care”, the film bodies asked the members of the film fraternity to follow the SOP guidelines given by the government.
The Telugu Film Directors Association gave its assent to the resolutions.
It was also made clear at the meeting that if the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce and the TFPC are notified immediately of complaints regarding non-compliance with the guidelines, appropriate action would be taken against the concerned parties.
As shootings resumed in the Telugu film industry, on Monday, Nithiin Reddy-starrer Maestro, the Telugu remake of hit Hindi film Andhadhun, commenced its final shooting schedule in Hyderabad.