The Experience

What they say about Media Artists…

Timmy, Music Director

I remember the first day I walked into Media Artists during the summer of 1994. I had come to meet the Sound Wizard Mr.H.Sridhar for the first time. Earlier that day I had seen his picture in The Hindu (He had won the National Award). I remember the distinct resemblance between that picture in the paper and the reality. We spent 10 days(and nights) recording the album. It was a dream in the making for me and my band, Burn. Still remember the smell of fresh flowers when we entered the building. We were in awe of Sridhar and the place. It was one of those mornings when we were waiting for Sridhar to come when Ms. Geetha, then Assistant Engineer, suggested that we resume the previous day's recording. We were quite reluctant to start without Sridhar but had to do it because of time constraints. Will never forget the look on our faces when she started tweaking the nobs to get the sound that we needed!!! We were floored!!! That was the start of my long association with Media Artists, Ms.Geetha and the wonderful team there. It was always a joy to come back to the studio for singing assignments then. I still come here quite frequently but these days I come for Surround Mix. Its a great place to work and the mixes always translate well on to the Big Screens...thanks to a very able engineer, a wonderful room, State-of-the-art equipment and Mr. Michael who ensures that the music and business aspects work smoothly.

V Selvaganesh Music director

I have been working with Media Artists for all my movie recordings. It is always a pleasure working with the team, I feel at home. Michael has been a tremendous support for me while I worked in the studio. It is a sentiment factor also, for me to do my recording/mixing here for some part of my movie at least, if not fully. Needless to mention, Geetha is from the school of Sridhar - I still feel that the mixing is done by Sridhar, while it is actually being done by Geetha! I look forward to working with Real Image regularly for all my movies.

Lakshmy Ramakrishnan Actor/Director

'Aarohanam' is my maiden venture and a technically and emotionally supportive team was very important for me. Working with Media Artists and the entire team was indeed a very pleasant and enriching experience. The audiography for Aarohanam is handled by Gita Gurappa. I shared my ideas with her and she delivered the product with a lot of value additions from her side. A special mention to Micheal and Pankajam, their contributions in relevant areas was amazing! Thank you and looking forward to working with you in the future.

Sri Balaji Director

It is my pleasure working with Geetha who has enhanced my film ‘Kullanari Kootam’ with her audiography work. It is a wonderful experience to work with a person who can listen, think through the requirement of the director, and add value to the project. The best part is she finishes the work with perfection before the deadline. I wish her all the best for her future projects and add many more feathers to her cap.

Vijay Anthony Actor/Composer

I am happy that my movie “Naan”, in which I acted, and composed the music, was sound mixed at Media Artists by sound engineer Geetha. My journey with RI will continue…

Shaji N. Karun Film maker and Chairman, Kerala State Film Academy, Trivandrum

It has a perfect ambience for my work. I feel extremely glad. The wonderful staff and sincere atmosphere create the genuine totality.

Zakir Hussain Tabla Player

This is my second recording here, the work atmosphere is very comfortable. I loved coming here to record

Upendra Director and Actor

Felt like I am back again in the shooting atmosphere with sound control. Working with my brothers Prabhu, Ajith and Satish is marvelous and unforgettable. Working with DTS at Media Artists Pvt. Ltd, gives me tremendous satisfaction.

Hisham Abbas Egypt

I came here with high hopes and got all that I wanted thanks to the hospitable people and nice studio.

Aamir Khan Actor, Producer

I am working in MA only because I want to work with Sridhar. And this is the place where he works. Sridhar mixed the sound for Rangeela one of my earlier movies and I liked his work in that. I like working here (Media Artists) it is a nice place.

Ravichandran Actor, Director

I have landed in a safe technical place.

The DTS Experience

R.B. Choudary Producer

Of the Telugu films I have made, most of them have been in DTS and all of them have been very well received in Andhra. Whether in collection, quality or grandeur Super Good films have been hits in Andhra and I think it is because of the DTS sound.

A. M. Ratnam Producer

By DTS, people think that they have to hear sound on a grand scale. But it is it's crystal clear sound with a good feel that is essential for films.

In Andhra Pradesh alone, there are over 190 DTS theaters. Almost every alternate movie is being made on DTS.

S. J. Surya Director

The time for silent movies has gone and a time has come when even if a pin falls, the audience must hear it. To do this we have to go for DTS.

A. V. M. Saravanan Producer

Earlier the distributors would ask for 2 (DTS) prints, now they ask for 5 to 6 prints. Because the prevalent attitude is that it will bring in good collections. I was surprised, "Are there so many theaters?" I asked. They told me that DTS theaters were increasing day by day and some more theaters may be required. You should give us the trailers in DTS they say.

If you want to capture the audience, it's DTS. The DTS films that come now are really appreciated by the youth. They are able to understand the techniques and technology. This sound system is playing a major role.

Suresh Krishna Director

I had the opportunity of doing my first Telugu film (Master) in DTS. Mr. Allu Aravind was the producer and the mega star Chiranjeevi acted in it. The film was released simultaneously in DTS and, because at that time DTS was in its initial stages, in mono also. Suddenly there was hype for the film on the sound, with shocking results. All the theaters that had DTS were running to packed houses. Crowds started moving from mono to DTS theaters. They said that if you wanted to see this film, see it only in the DTS theater.

Earlier if it was in mono it was enough. It's come to a stage where distributors themselves have come to the truth that if you want an extra income or probably an extra mileage for your film, go for DTS. The audiences are waiting to see a film in DTS. I think that it has become a way of thinking that if you want to make a film don't make just an ordinary film, make DTS it's one-up importance. DTS makes the film run better.

Abhay/Alavanthan is now being talked about as one of the best technical films in recent times. Not only in Tamil cinema but even in Hindi. Everywhere they are talking about the 'brilliant' sound effects and brilliant technical values.

In Abhay, we have some morphing sounds of the doctor transforming into the mother. We thought that only visually morphing was possible. But then Sridhar had done so much remarkable work, that the morphing itself sounds very unusual. It was not only visual morphing but also a morphing of sound.

Revathy Menon Director

There is a major difference between the mono and DTS sound. DTS highlights the little sounds that you think about, from a spoon being put here, to a little bird chirping somewhere outside and the office ambiance. You know the ambiance makes a lot of difference and there DTS is amazing.

S. Thaanu Film Producer

Siraichaalai was made in Hindi as Kala Paani, it was in Dolby. It was Dolby in Malayalam too and only I made it in DTS in Tamil. Priyadarshan sir (director) would often tell me, "I made the movie in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam but the respect that I got in Tamil, I did not get in Hindi or Malayalam.

Recently we made the movie Alavanthan (Abhay in Hindi). I fought and made them do it in DTS in Hindi too. The reason being, the faith I have in DTS.

M. Ravi Sound Engineer

Mono is basically single track with limitations in the dynamic range and frequency response. Whereas in DTS you have center, left, right, dedicated track for sub woofer, then left surround and right surround with full frequency range. There is absolutely no loss.

H. Sridhar Sound Engineer

The advantage is that since we are all working in the digital medium, the quality of the sound tracks we prepare for the final assembly and the process of compiling those sounds become cleaner. So, you start with a cleaner source, and you have a cleaner set of tracks to mix your final mix. Intrinsically the quality of the sound tracks has improved.

The object of this whole exercise is to deliver clean, good, consistent sound tracks across all playing environments and for which I think DTS is the best candidate. Because the mix sounds identical to the mix master they have here. Which is to say the CD ROM plays the sound exactly the way you mixed it without variation.

So, to that extent DTS is and will be in the future a very strong format for the filmmakers to use. And it's a tool I think filmmakers should use to express themselves. Since this system has so much of bandwidth you can hear sounds as loud as you want and as sharp, as soft, as low, as basey. Now at last you can think of a certain sound texture you can apply for your film. Directors who have till now thought of the visual look of the film will now have to think also about what it would finally sound like. You could be shooting completely in browns and reflect the same colour in the sound which all this while was not possible.

K. Muthu Swamy Owner, Udyam Theater

They are converting theaters to DTS even in small town. In a place called Pattukottai, a theater has been converted to DTS. The sound is richer than ordinary sound and the public likes it.