Jayantha J’s Journey on reel
View(s):Susitha R. Fernando
Donald Jayantha who functioned as an assistant director in a record breaking number of films in Sri Lankan cinema was recently awarded for his contribution. Winning the SIGNIS (OCIC/UNDA) Salutation, the first ever award given to an ‘AD’, this is a fitting tribute to this enthusiastic cinema artiste who has laboured so much for the cause of cinema.
Starting as an AD for ‘Puja’ (Sacrifice), in late filmmaker Dharmasiri Gamage’s renowned film Donald who had played the vital role in nearly 50 films shared with TV Times on his journey, challenges associated with ADs and his future plans in cinema.
“Assistant director is not a ‘Golaya’ or subordinate to the director. He plays an important role like the director. This notion has been spread due to certain assistant directors who had no knowledge about the cinema,” Donald said in reply to a question as to how he describes the role of the AD.
“The director is the final decision maker with regard to his work of art. But there is a massive role with multiple responsibilities played by the AD. Starting from getting dates from the actors and actresses the AD has to look into all the minute detail of the production up to the end,” Doland elaborated.
Donald who also had played the role of AD for nearly 20 teledramas says that people’s memory on teledrama is short. “The teledrama is not an art that imprints in people’s memory. The film is not like that. The enjoyment we get by watching cinema specially in the theatre cannot be compared to any other experience,” he said.
When queried as to why he was not getting into the shoes of a filmmaker where as many use the role of AD as a stepping stone to enter direction, Donald says that directing a film is like giving birth to a child and it is a long process. “I believe that any production that is made without following all these procedures is a half-finished or half complete production.
It is like giving birth to a disabled child,” With the vast experience he has had in working with a large number of filmmakers, Donald is desappointed about the problems that have been bothering the industry today. “The best reflection of the depth we are fallen in is the rapid closing down of cinemas. The country which had 390 theatres had come down to 150 or 160,”. For the sake of the country’s cinema at least 100 mini cinemas have to be opened at least by the provincial councils, he said.
On the other hand the government should provide concessions to the industry starting with the filmmakers to theatre owners as the financial constraints have become a major problem for the industry. “Unfortunately although there are a large number of artistes are holding top posts in the government in addition to few others within the parliament itself, nothing had happened for the sake of the cinema,” Donald complained.
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