The International Headquarters of the Brahma Kumaris, World Renewal Spiritual Trust has completed the construction of a media studio to create television programmes and films dedicated to spiritual knowledge and Raja Yoga meditation.
Called Godlywood Studios, the facility is located at the organisation’s Shantivan Complex, the ambitious project was conceived by BK Ramesh Shah, Managing Trustee of the Brahma Kumaris Organization [BKWSO]. To help achieve his vision, he assembled a technical committee that included BK Shiva, Shashi Mekal and Gerard Goveia of Broadcast Media Equipments (BMEPL), along with Ashish Barje, the Harman Professional India Sales Manager for Recording & Broadcast. Together, the team chose Studer Vista 1 mixing console to provide the audio heart of the studio – the first installation of a Studer Vista 1 in India.
Following BK Ramesh Shah’s vision to create a world-class studio with all functional infrastructure facilities under one roof, the implementation of this project was handed over to Shri. Haridas Bhanushali (BK Harilal). Under the leadership and guidance of BK Harilal, the team executed this project in a short span of one year.
‘The BKWSO chose the Vista 1 for Godlywood studios because the primary requirement was that of a compact solution without compromise on system performance, DSP capability or reliability,’ says Shashi Mekal, Technical Head of Godlywood Studios. ‘The Vista 1 enables us to have the control surface, I/O system, DSP and power supplies all contained within one very small footprint console.’
The BKWSO was also impressed by the console’s Vistonics user interface and 40 on-screen rotary knobs. Using Studer’s Virtual Surround Panning, the operator can take mono sources and create a realistic sound field for a film quickly and easily.
‘The internal 5.1-to-stereo down mix function allows for simultaneous live productions in both formats,’ says David McKinney, Senior Director of Harman Professional’s India Operations. ‘This saves a lot of time for the engineers having to redo the mix. Being a successful installation of Studer Vista 1 in India, we are extremely proud of the installation and the team involved has done a commendable job in the project.’
The system integration for the project was performed by TASS Services of Mumbai, while AVF Distributors supplied the console to Godlywood. ‘The Studer Vista 1 perfectly fit the bill given the specifications by BKWSO, as well as the budget for the studio’s set-up,’ says Gerard Goveia, Director of TASS Services, Mumbai. ‘It sits at the heart of the studio, providing complete control and ease of operation to the technical users.’
In addition to the Vista 1, Godlywood Studios has installed various other Harman technologies, including three JBL 3730 ScreenArray cinema loudspeakers, a JBL 4642A subwoofer and eight JBL 8320 compact cinema surround loudspeakers. The system is powered by five Crown DSi 1000 and two DSi 4000 amplifiers.
Godlywood Studios also features an audio dubbing studio equipped with AKG C414 microphones and dbx processors, as well as an HD multicam shooting floor that has JBL LSR4326 studio monitors
The Brahma Kumaris, World Renewal Spiritual Trust organisation extends to 138 countries and has 8,500 regional centres.
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