Shooting floors of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation are now mostly used for making the small screen programmes, despite the fact that FDC is supposed to facilitate filmmaking as per its mandate.
The booking list of the government agency clearly indicates that all the nine floors of FDC are used for making reality shows, phono-live concerts and TV commercials to be aired on different private television channels.
Dhallywood criticises the trend looking upon it as a ‘symptom’ of ineffectiveness of the government agency.
‘Shooting of around 10 films took place in FDC in the past six months when over 40 films were made during this period. Most of the time, the floors were used for making TV programmes,’ said Sohrab Hossain, the schedule programmer of FDC.
When providing technical support for making films is the core mandate of FDC, the government agency is not equipped to provide support for digital filmmaking, which has become popular following the introduction of the screening devices for digital films in 100 of cinemas.
Since most of the films now are being made in the digital format in the private production houses, FDC randomly rents its shooting floors to the makers of small screen programmes.
‘FDC does not have digital camera, sound system and other necessary equipments required for making a digital film. So, the government film service provider has turned to be shooting spot for TV programmes,’ said director Shahidul Islam Khokon, the president of Bangladesh Film Directors’ Association.
Supplementing Khokon, noted director Sohanur Rahman Sohan said, ‘FDC has become signboard organisation. We have been keeping pressure to make it functional but unfortunately we don’t see any change,’ said Sohan.
‘FDC floors can be used by others. It is not prohibited in the rules and regulations. But as FDC is an institute to facilitate mainly film productions, the practice of renting the floors for television programmes looks bad and might even be harmful in the long run,’ added Sohan.
Noted film director Chashi Nazrul Islam labels FDC as ineffective institute. ‘We have tried to make it effective, but the administration seems totally inefficient, may even be corrupt too,’ said Chashi Nazrul Islam.
The present condition of FDC gives pains to the seasoned actors. ‘I feel like crying when I go to FDC. I cannot bear the sight of FDC so barren and so useless for films, now it’s used for commercial making,’ said the popular actress Babita.
Still, FDC officials show hopes. ‘We are on the process to buy all the necessary digital accessories. We hope to equip FDC with the necessary equipments within a year,’ said Pijush Bandyopadhyay, managing director of FDC.
-With New Age input
