Publicity designers call for State Award category, seek recognition for creative role in filmmaking
FEFKA Publicity Designers' Union general secretary Jissen Paul said that despite their work contributing to the promotion of a film in a major way, they are often not given due credit for the film's success. 'Since we work on the creative side, we are often under pressure. We also have to update ourselves with the latest technology, to adapt to the changing tastes of the audience,' he told TNIE.
More than an award, what the community seeks is a formal recognition of their skills, added union president Abdul Rahman.
A young talent in the industry, Anand Rajendran of Illuminartist Creatives, highlighted that designers are those who work till the end of the theatrical run of a movie, and even for a certain period after its OTT release. 'Even private players in the industry recognise our work. Hence, we request the government to allot an award category for us in the state awards,' he said.
Responding to the requests, Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian said the concerns of publicity designers have been noted. 'We have been following the same pattern [in award distribution] for several years and there are several changes that need to be made,' the minister told TNIE.
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