Indian cinematographers work in a number of regional film centres:Mumbai for films inMarathi andHindi,Hyderabad forTelugu films,Chennai forTamil films,Kochi for films inMalayalam,Kolkata forBengali films,Bangalore forKannada films, etc. Most Indian cinematographers are known for their work with one regional industry.[1][2] Some cinematographers belong to various professional organisations and trade unions.
The Western India Cinematographers Association (WICA) is a society for Indian cinematographers. The society is situated atMumbai inMaharashtra. Members of this society include the suffix WICA after their name in film credits. The organisation was formed on 2 August 1953 in Mumbai, and was presided over by a leading cinematographer of the time,Faredoon Irani; in the following month the first office bearers were chosen, includingNitin Bose as President and V. Avadhut as the Vice-President.[3] According to WICA, there are 3800 members of the organisation.[4]
The Southern India Cinematographers Association (SICA), a trade union, was founded on 27 November 1972 byA. Vincent.[5]
The Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC) is an educational, cultural, and professional organization founded in 1995. Neither a labour union nor a guild, ISC membership is by invitation and is extended only to directors of photography and special effects experts with distinguished credits in the film industry. The society is situated atThiruvananthapuram inKerala. The members of this society will show a suffix, ISC with their name in film credits.[6]Sunny Joseph is the current president of the ISC.