Mumbai10 minutes agoAuthor: Kiran Jain and Abhinav Tripathi
- copy link
In the new episode of Reel to Real, we have tried to understand the making process of TV serials.
One episode of a TV serial is 22 minutes long. It takes hours to shoot this one episode. Hundreds of people work hard behind this. It takes a long process of four days from the shooting of the episode to its telecast. In this episode of Reel to Real, we will understand this process.
For this, we have talked to famous TV actress Deepika Singh, Toral Rasputra, creative director of the serial 'Dori' on Colors channel Siddharth Vankar and executive producer of the serial 'Mangal Lakshmi' Deepak Sharma.
He told that if TRP is not received, changes are made in the story, so that the audience can get something new. Actors have a contract of 90 days. They get paid only after 90 days of joining the show.
Shooting starts 6 months after the concept of the show comes.
Creative director Siddharth Vankar said, 'Actual shooting starts 3 to 6 months after the concept of the show comes. In these 6 months, important work like preparing the set, on-boarding writers, scripting and casting of actors is done.
First auditions are taken, then after mock test the actors are finalized.
What is the process for an actor to join a show? Actress Deepika Singh replied, 'Auditions are taken first. After that there is a mock test. Then the actors are finalized. Their agreement with the show is fixed. There is talk of fees etc. in the agreement. After this the actor finally comes on board for the show.
Popular actors get more fees
What is the fee parameter of TV actors? What kind of fees do they get? In response to this, Deepika says, 'The pay scale of TV industry is good. If you are talented and hardworking, you will get good money. There is a need for such people who can work for 12-13 hours without any wrinkle. Apart from this, the fees of actors who are popular or who have more experience are automatically higher.
Deepika Singh became famous with 'Diya Aur Baati Hum'. Currently she is seen in the TV serial Mangal Lakshmi.
The day TRP decreases, the serial comes to the verge of closure.
How big a role does TRP play? Does this become an important point for producers as well as actors? Deepika said, 'TRP plays a big role in the lives of TV actors. Our focus remains on how our serial is performing.
Obviously it is like a business. As long as TRP comes, the serial will continue. The day TRP stops, the serial also gradually stops. Therefore, it is all a game of TRP here.
Script is changed overnight if TRP is not achieved
Director Siddharth Vankar said that sometimes there comes a time when the serial does not get that good TRP. At that time the script is changed overnight. The story is changed, so that the audience can get something new.
Channel approval is also necessary
According to Siddharth Vankar, writers first narrate the story to the creative directors. Creative directors feel that some changes should be made and then give suggestions to the writers. The story also has to be sent to the channel for approval. If the authority present there likes the story, then only further work starts.
There is a 30-minute lunch time on the set, it takes an hour for make-up.
Actress Toral Rasputra told what the life of an artist is like on the set. She said, 'I drive myself. I leave home at 8 o'clock and reach the set by 9 o'clock. As soon as I reach the set, I go into make-up. It takes an hour to get into getup. After this I go to the set to shoot my scenes. There is lunch time of half an hour in the afternoon.
I bring breakfast, lunch and snacks etc. from home. I keep my own coffee and make it myself. On days when the pressure is high, I ask the spot seller to get it done. On days when the shooting is less, I even sleep for some time in the vanity van.
Toral became popular with the famous TV show Uttaran. Currently she is seen in the serial Dori.
Actors get paid once every 90 days
Toral said that actors start getting payment 90 days after joining the show. He said, 'Actors do not get a single penny for three months after joining the show. After three months i.e. 90 days, all the money is received at once. The contract is for three months. No matter how long the show runs, payment is made only after every three months. The fees of actors are decided on daily basis.
The producer gets the story a day in advance, scheduling for the next day is done accordingly.
How is a show produced? Deepak Sharma, executive producer of TV serial Mangal Lakshmi, said, 'First of all we get the story, we are told what the next episode is going to be. According to this we find out the availability of actors. We also plan keeping in mind how many scenes are going to happen and decide which actor to call at what time tomorrow.
Sometimes episodes have to be made in a day
Deepak Sharma said, 'Sometimes there comes a time when the episode shot in the morning has to be telecasted till night. In such a situation, extra chips have to be purchased and kept. As each scene is shot, it is immediately sent to the post production team. However, such a situation rarely occurs.
How is the daily life of actors on the set?
What do actors do in their free time on set? Deepika Singh said, 'It depends on which sequence is to be shot. If any serious topic has to be shot then we stay in our zone. Lunch is also taken separately. Practice your dialogues. On a normal shoot day, we remain relaxed. Let's chill with each other. Like Holi has just ended. We laugh and joke with each other a lot in the Holi sequence.
