Treading down memories I encounter images – images of numerous clocks ticking all around me. The tick sound then fades into images of clocks in official spaces. A man with a visage of a clock is seen working on a computer – with a half-bitten sandwich by his side. The clock has more than twenty four numbers, but the needle nears seventy hours.
I woke up from my siesta as my flight was landing in Bengaluru. It had reached on time. The captain of the flight would have a rest until he boards his next flight. But do we media persons have ample rest – and the quietness a soul demands?
The entire country is buzzing about Mr. Narayana Murthy’s grand idea of a 70-hour work week. Perhaps he had not worked in the media. How can one deny that in our media and entertainment industry, we’re practically pulling overtime acrobatics with more than 11 hours a day, plus an extra one or two for pre- and post-filming jazz. Working over 70 hours a week is practically our warm-up routine, leaving our creative minds as fatigued as a marathon runner’s legs.
A media job is a race. Either you win or you can’t survive . For survival you must win the cycle of existence. Rather than quoting many others, I will share my personal experiences.
Personal Experiences
I can’t help but recall the early days of my career when editing jobs turned into nocturnal escapades. I returned home only the next morning with a tired face and sleepless eyes; my dear mom would express concern about my prospects of finding a wife with such a punishing work schedule that made mission matchmaking impossible. Long hours are the norm in the creative business, and the term “family life” sounds like something out of a fantasy novel. Sure, everyone thinks our industry is all glitz and glam. But behind the scenes, it’s more like a survival game, leaving our mental health feeling like it’s been through a binge-watch marathon. Everyone who marries a media person needs to understand the pressure of deadlines that makes one’s spouse “ invisible” till the D Day. The hectic trauma hits upon health too.
In recent weeks, Chennai saw the unfortunate demise of four Art Directors, all victims of heart attacks. How can we ever forget editor Kishore, one of the finest editors of Kollywood? He spent endless time in his edit suite that it hit upon his health so badly and he collapsed . It’s almost like our industry is demanding intense work as an individual or as a team that is literally heart-stopping. I know countless friends who’ve thrown in the creative towel, citing the toll it takes on our physical health. Sleep deprivation? Oh, it’s not just a trend among hipsters; it’s a lifestyle choice also for actors working nonstop, especially in television.
The idea of working more than 70 hours a week in media has become as common as ordering coffee at a hipster café. It’s mandatory for a private or government body to record the time of work schedules, which doesn’t happen in India. A workaholic is applauded and given a hike . Hence for sustained financial stability one must take on the mantle of a workaholic and turn oneself to a sage sacrificing family and health. Can’t we downgrade our workaholic status to a more respectable 45 hours a week? Some might say it’s as likely as finding a unicorn in your backyard, but trust me, it’s doable.
We’ve been fed this notion that the best ideas only come after the sun sets. But maybe it’s time to question that. I’ve encountered creative teams whose day starts at 9 am but the first shot isn’t called until 5 pm, and the last shot wraps up at 4 am the next day because, you know, planning on paper is too mainstream.
I once worked with a director who believed in a 10 am to 10 pm shoot, followed by a 11 pm to 3 am screenplay and dialogue writing session. The lead actors, bless their exhausted souls, would call it a night at 4 am, only to rise and shine for another punishing day at 10 am. Creative madness is one thing, but isn’t there supposed to be some method to it? On the flip side, there are directors who are like the Marie Kondo of the industry, starting and ending shoots on time because they’ve got it all figured out on paper.
On a personal note, I once had a boss who insisted on daily reviews at 10 pm. I had to break it to them that the city was asleep, and my infant son was getting some much-needed rest on my chest. The same boss would call us for an annual sales conference, where discussions would kick off at 5 pm, and we’d end up having late-night dinners at 1 am in some five-star hotel – because nothing says business strategy like a discounted rate and a tired palate.
Tired TV Souls
Television takes this madness to new heights, especially in daily fiction shoots. The delusive notions that scripts are written at ungodly hours, leaving production houses in a perpetual state of panic, should be abated. The poor souls have no time to set up, and they’re left in the dark about which actors to call until the last minute. The result? The quality of the final product looks like a cat walking over the keyboard during production. There are even tales of producers pushing directors to shoot enough footage in a day that it could fill an entire streaming platform.
I genuinely believe that if creative folks had shorter working hours, they’d produce better quality work. Imagine, if we cut down on shooting hours, we’d have more shoot dates. The product and the output would be better than a gourmet meal cooked by Gordon Ramsay. Less pressure on post production and other departments? Now, that’s a Hollywood ending waiting to happen.
In most workplaces, we spend so much time gossiping and talking about anything but work that the actual time given for work feels like the time it takes to microwave popcorn. Colleagues even send emails at midnight just to show off their commitment to the “late-night grind.” It’s like a bizarre competition of who can out-night-owl the other.
What is life – a cup of tea that must be sipped before it gets cold. Let’s not sip it after it’s spoilt. We need financial sustenance and hence we work; working for a passion is a gift and a boon. But passion being scorched by a weary mind is a bane. Steve Jobs nailed it when he said, “Material things lost can be found. But one thing that can never be found when it’s lost – Life.”
Can we do something about it?
Why not we instead follow these ?
Don’t be that one who insists on working after 5 pm. Your colleagues too have a personal life, as you do.
Weekend calls? Let’s reserve those for emergencies. Everyone deserves a break.
Detox breaks? It’s not just for juice cleanse fanatics; it’s a necessity for all of us.
Workcation – it’s not a typo. Recognise it, practice it, and watch the productivity soar.
We’ve got 24 hours a day, and seven days a week. Being smart is about balancing the scales of personal and professional life. Because, let’s face it, sacrificing life for a job is so last season. So, let’s embrace a healthier approach to life. Life’s too short, my friends, and we’re not in a war.
The clock world does exist, but it doesn’t have a heart. It’s a parcel of life and not the entire life itself. A flower never blooms under the pressure of a tree. To relish the fragrance let’s breeze out the time-related pressure – enjoy and be at peace.
(The author is COO – Regional Content, IN10 Media Network. Views expressed are personal.)
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