Jan on the ROAD – Imaging India, Radio Mirchi and…
If you think India, I assume it is not radio or radio imaging what comes to mind first, but..Radio is an integral part of India’s media mix and the stations reach hundred of millions of people every single day. Radio Mirchi based in new Delhi asked Benztown to do a five day workshop for their Imaging Directors to work on overall Imaging and Station Brand. Radio Mirchi is a huge radio network with over 50 radio stations spread all over India. They mostly play Bollywood and Indian Film Music, mixed with local music from the specific broadcast area. Jan went there to share his knowledge and work with their highly talented producers. What an experience – Imaging India ! Enter Jan.
While teaching, I learned a lot about the Indian music, as well as the style and sound of Indian Radio. To be honest, it’s totally different than in Europe and the USA. Also there is a huge influence of the Bollywood music in the imaging as they do a lot of harmonious and sung productions. Check out the Radio Mirchi Top 20 to get a feel for that:
During the workshop, I taught them some techniques and styles that we’re doing for radio stations in Europe, the US and all over the world, along with how to integrate those techniques into their own productions and style. The goal was to give them a little bit of edge and “international” sound. It was a pretty productive week with many feedback rounds, discussions about plugIns, techniques, processing, mastering and how to improve the overall sound. They are a great bunch of highly talented people, who play a big variety of instruments or are really talented vocalist and I learned a lot from them about contemporary Indian music. Working with 15 of their lead imaging directors has been a big task for me, too, as the workflows, DAW knowledge, Imaging skills and overall creative was very different amongst them. Their dedication and willingness to learn and improve was really impressive to me and I am sure there will be a lot talented Imaging guys come out of India in the not so far future. I am more than confident Radio Mirchi will implement the stuff we worked on in actual productions and shape its sound. The market is very crowded and competitive and the excellent station branding will be a true advantage for them. So looking forward to listen to the pieces the guys come up with, while you are reading this article.
I also had a chance to see a bit of Delhi, where the workshop took place. It was my first time in India and therefore it was totally overwhelming for me. I was stunned by the huge amount of people in the streets and the crazy traffic. Although India is rich in ancient wisdom, culture and spiritual tradition, you see a lot of poverty in the streets. On top of that, I had the chance to try some delicious Indian food and see some incredible buildings and monuments. India and Delhi is worth a visit and I will be back! A huge thanks to Radio Mirchi for setting up a great sightseeing tour for me. Guys, I had an awesome time in India, I highly recommend to check it out. IMAGING INDIA PART 2 – I am ready!
