KARACHI: Pakistani television, film and digital directors on Sunday formed a guild for the first time in the country’s entertainment history, with a governing body member saying the body would “protect” interests of the showbiz people.
The Directors Guild Pakistan (DGP), the first and only official trade body of film, TV and digital directors, was officially announced at an oath-taking ceremony in Karachi on Sunday, though the association had been in the works since 2016.
The idea behind it was to bring together Pakistani directors on one platform to raise their voice about issues concerning them and the industry. The DGP governing body includes Shahzad Nawaz, Rafay Rashidi, Saife Hasan, Mehreen Jabbar and Wajahat Rauf, while Misbah Khalid was picked up as its founding president.
“The entertainment industry can only be taken seriously when there are bodies to protect the interest of all those working in it,” Jabbar, a Pakistani film and television director and producer, told Arab News.
“So, this is a much-needed step.”
Pakistan currently has registered trade bodies for producers and actors, respectively called the United Producers Association (UPA) and the Actors Collective Trust (ACT). A representative body of screenwriters in the country, the Screenwriters Association of Pakistan (SWAP), has yet to be registered.
Rauf said raising a collective voice on an issue had better chances of yielding a “positive” result, saying it was not too late for them to have a directors’ guild in Pakistan.
“If we have to negotiate with someone or there is a conflict resolution, we do it as an association not privately. The outcome is more positive in that case. There is representation of actors, writers and directors worldwide, so it is never too late to have one in Pakistan,” he told Arab News on the sidelines of the oath-taking ceremony.
“We face a lot of problems in terms of timelines and compensation. We will address these through the association. Rights [of directors] will be protected. This is the only way to go.”
The idea behind the association was to provide training and mentorship to young directors, pave way for international collaborations, and generate sponsors and funds, according to Khalid.
It will be catered through the DGP’s initiatives, such as the Director Development Program, which would promote rights and interests of directors, including remuneration and creative liberty, while showcasing the Pakistani content globally and offering scholarships and research opportunities.
“The association will benefit new directors more who have to face the problems that we have already faced in our initial years,” Hasan told Arab News.
“For instance, pressure of producers, lack of creative liberty, payment issues and copyright issues. This platform, if we come together, will have a strong stance and impact on stakeholders.”
The DGP members said the body was “selective” at this point, but it would announce elections by the end of this year and open itself to all Pakistani directors to join hands for the cause.
