Studio 33- A perfect place to learn

As a part of my course I was supposed to do a two and a half months internship. Since, I am from a media background, the internship could be done in any media company.  My interest has always been video production so I looked for a production house and Studio 33 welcomed me whole heartedly.

Studio 33 is very far from the place I live and takes around two hours of travel by bus which varies depending on traffic. I was really worried at first, about how I would travel back to my place since the office closes only at 7 pm which is a peak traffic time. I hoped for the best and went for my first day of internship to see how things work at Studio 33.

The building looks so perfect and beautiful just like I saw on the day of my interview. I stepped inside and saw a dog lying down on the floor. She came running and gave me a warm welcome. After that Tanya introduced me to all the staff, departments, elaborated on my work at Studio 33 and she introduced me to Bailey, the dog - head of  security. Everything about Studio 33 was very homely and I felt relaxed. I asked about leaving early and they said it shouldn't be a problem!

One of the most interesting things that surprised me about this lovely company is that, they don’t mind giving their expensive camera and lenses to interns. Yes, at the first week I got the opportunity to use all kinds of camera lenses they had. And that was absolutely unexpected. None of my friends share their camera or lens even with their friends. So I consider myself very lucky to be an intern at Studio 33. One of the posts assigned to me is production assistant, so I get to go for shoots, which again is a big learning experience for me. Studio 33 is an excellent place to learn. Even when the crew is busy setting up things for shoots, they find time to help me clear my doubts. They take their time to explain technical terms and concepts related to video production. Video production is where my interest is and I am very satisfied and glad that I am getting to learn and practice many new things which I always wanted to learn and  do. I sincerely thank the whole Studio 33 family for inviting me to be one among them.

My blogging would be incomplete if I don’t speak about this special provision that is exclusive for Studio 33, “Yummy food”. Then of course fun loving and lovely people to work with.

To sum up my first week experience I would say Studio 33 is the perfect place to learn while having fun, to learn while having good food, to learn while having good talented creative people around you.

By Anmi Elizabeth Sabu

An Intern's Diary

Day 06                

                                                                   

An internship is an assortment of opportunities from starters to dessert served hot on the plate. Being an intern at Studio 33, I got this super cool opportunity to visit a corporate office. The Managing Director of the company wanted to record a message for the sales department of the company. So there we enter a crew of 6 members, through the large gates, and past the several security checks. After getting our bags scanned, and receiving our “visitor” Id cards, we were directed to the MD’s office building. Up on the first floor, it took approximately an hour, for the crew to set it up for the shoot. We had to make sure the lighting, sound, the angle, was perfect, the frame was appealing and making sure the flowers in the vase were fresh enough. Never knew so much of importance went into the angle in which the speaker’s chair was positioned in. When the MD entered, the room was prim and proper. All cameras ready, set to roll. I was asked to attach the micro phone to her dress. There were four other people in the room plus a security at her disposal. One of her secretaries stood there making a note of all that she spoke in front of the camera.

After the shoot was over, she sat down with Siddarth, talking about her ideas, her requirements from Studio 33 and the various other videos she wanted to shoot. She was interested in making short videos for the various departments of the company, for this particular company, is a client who enjoys both the animation and the live action videos from Studio 33.

Later, we had to pass through the several gates in the large green compound to get to our exit. It was heart-warming to see that the people in the campus were environmental friendly. They had a lot of greenery and there were battery vehicles to move around the campus.

I walked out of the gate with the rest of the crew, after a happy first experience inside a corporate office, a smile on the lip and saving the tag they gave for my bag as a souvenir. I may not be working in one of those offices, but it sure was a great experience to visit one. I think that is one of the advantages of being an intern at Studio 33!

By Samyuktha Shenbagaraj

An Intern's Diary.....

Day 01

When the entire city population complains about the traffic and the trouble of getting to the destination point on time, how lucky am I, if all I have to do to get to office is walk 10 feet across the road? I have been receiving more than a few “Oh I am so jealous of you” looks from people who get stuck in 3 hour traffic jams.  First ever internship, first ever office I step into for some serious work, obviously I was nervous. So this is how my day went…..

A small gate that has a board which says “Studio 33” leads into a flight of stairs. It’s not a tall building, it does not have a security check, it does not have punch in attendance system – it’s a friendly, welcoming building. Studio 33, Bangalore!

The second floor welcomes you with a vibrant orange wall, a small door that opens into a terrace area. A nice shelter, with tables, chairs a few flower pots, a beautiful fish tank, and what caught my attention is a corner with four bean bags and a carom board in the centre! You get a very calm feeling the moment you step into the place. There on a wall hangs a calendar, and a dart board next to it. Clearly my boss not only likes to stick to his deadlines, also is he clear on his aim and focus. Further exploration of the place I found a door inside which, were lots of technical stuff. Starting from laptops printers, scanners, to things related to the shoot, which am not very familiar with, found place there.  Supriya, like me was an intern at Studio 33. As Pranab sat down briefing us about work, the crew walked in. Later part of the day there was a shoot and voice recording that happened with one of our clients, Tanya. She was so amazing – she was doing a documentary on conservation of the Western Ghats.  

The day rolled by, and towards the end I realised it was no normal office. Timings are flexible, no one is going to maul you because you weren’t at your desk at 10am. Also there is no specific cabin for anyone. You work at any space your mood suits best. The typical psychology of the creative minds, where restrictions are laughed at, rules are smirked upon and work is done at each individual’s pace. A coffee to sip on, Wi-Fi to research upon, a game of Jenga to refresh your mind, or just a light chat under the cool breeze near the fish tank. Anything and everything goes. You are free to make yourself a cup of coffee whenever you feel like it, or make a pick from the variety of refreshments you find at the pantry.  Because, it isn’t a corporate office, but a production house!

The work is cool. They assign you the work, and give you all the deadlines. When, where and how you work is not worried upon. As long as the job is done, and up to the satisfactory level, then All Is Well!

You know you love the place you work in, when the work environment is beautiful, the people are amazing and you don’t want to go home yet… I foresee a wonderful month ahead! 

By 

Samyuktha Shenbagaraj

A picture speaks a thousand words...

The minute we received the confirmation mail from Siddarth saying we were accepted as interns at Studio 33 for the month of May, 2014, we knew we had an exciting month ahead of us! The whole idea of moving to a new city for four weeks, getting out of our comfort zones, learning to be responsible and independent was overwhelming. On the other hand, we were faced  constant 

Niagha and Vridhi

reminders  from the elders who never stopped haunting us with these words - “one step into the working world”, “this is reality”, “this isn’t going to be easy” until we actually packed our bags and got here. As the day arrived we felt the nervousness kicking in along with excitement of what was in store for us. Its’ been over a week since we joined the Studio 33 family and it has been nothing but a wonderful and warm experience. Getting out of Chennai, away from our normal lives and familiar people, there’s nothing more comforting than newbie’s being treated as family. For our first appearance as part of Studio 33, we thought we’d give the internet world a little sneak peek into what makes Studio 33, “STUDIO 33”. The photographs below say it all! We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed taking them. Here’s to an exciting month. Cheers!

 Interns,

Niagha Rajesh and Vridhi Rathi

Employee of the month

Its in their nature to protect the nature

We take our games as seriously as we take our work

First comes food then comes work

Sweet deals! 

Our own personal unwind centre

One big happy family!

Week 4: It all started in a bar...

It was mid-August, and I was three weeks away from taking off to spend fall semester in Italy. Life was filled with suitcases and “goodbye-for-nows.” I was invited by a couple of my professors for dinner at Patrick’s Bar and Restaurant, a community staple in the tiny town of Saint Peter, Minnesota. I remember sitting at the table, casually eating a burger and fries when my professor said: “Mariah, we have a proposal for you. There’s an alum from Gustavus named Siddarth Selvaraj. He’s looking to start an internship program in January at his media production house. How do you feel about going to India?” The next day, I called my parents with one simple message: “I’m excited – please don’t say no.” After some parental coaxing, a semester abroad, and a mad rush to obtain a visa, I found myself stepping out into the sunshine at the Bangalore airport. It has been a busy, intense, exciting month... and it’s hard to believe that it is coming to an end!


The crew!

This week, I filmed videos of my colleagues for Meet the Staff Mondays, a series that allows you to get to know more about Studio 33’s team each week. Stay tuned – the videos will be coming soon to our Facebook page! My incredibly camera-shy colleagues (who would much rather hold the camera) squirmed and giggled throughout their videos. As I laughed along with them, it hit me that when the work day begins on Friday, I won’t be with this team anymore. There will be no Avinash asking who wants coffee, no Sid directing office traffic like a wiz, no Tanya offering me helpful feedback on my work, no Pranab and Subhankar to coach me through new editing techniques, no Ajay fixing things left and right, and no Bailey sleeping soundly on a bean bag.
 

I know without a doubt that I will miss the bright walls of this office and the team that makes Studio 33 great. They’re a rare bunch – humble, genuine, hardworking, collaborative, and unfailingly kind. They provided a safe place for me to make mistakes, whether I was improperly using editing software or incorrectly eating with my hands. As I pack up my bags and take off tomorrow, I know that I will be leaving with the tools to be a better person and a better employee. I am so grateful that a crazy dream born in a sleepy Minnesota bar turned into an unforgettable month!



Thank you, Studio 33, and thank you for following along with my journey this month!

And the true colors come out!





 

 

 

 

Week 3: Food for thought

Greetings, and welcome to the end of week three! This week saw the completion of some huge projects, the beginning of several new ones, and as usual – many long work days. At first, I wondered how the team consistently works with such intensity, but I soon learned their two-pronged secret to success – good attitude and good food.


Good attitude

Tight deadlines, troublesome technology, day long power outages that back-up power couldn't handle… there are plenty of potential stressors at Studio 33. Road bumps like this would rattle anybody. However, I have yet to see panic, tears, or anger from this crew. Even when their entire fleet of computers crashed after the back-up power gave out (true story), they shrugged their shoulders and proceeded to amicably share the one functioning laptop. They’re a laidback bunch, and their flexibility and sense of humor make them successful in a field that can be very high pressure.

Good food

That being said, I firmly believe that good attitudes around here are significantly bolstered by good food. It’s an integral part of Studio 33’s supportive work community. 

Our lunch commander-in-chief, Pranab, is on the far left

We eat lunch together every day, and Pranab is 100% our commander-in-chief of lunch. Without his daily ordering routine, I’m fairly certain that we would all mindlessly forget to eat. He also earns major brownie points for always remembering to order me an omelet without chilies. I’ve loved having lunch as a time to joke around, ask questions, and stun my colleagues by comparing the temperature on our sunny terrace to the temperature in Minnesota.

On Thursday, we celebrated Tanya’s second anniversary with Studio 33. And how does one celebrate properly? With ice cream of course! Tanya is one of the hardest working people I have ever met and has been an invaluable resource for me. I loved that we had the chance to celebrate her dedication to this company. In addition, I got to expand my ice cream horizons beyond the classic American realm of chocolate and vanilla (fig and honey skyrocketed its way into my ice cream favorites).



Beer and Kebab Friday!

When Fridays roll around, we kick back with beer and kebabs and reflect on our week. It sounds like such a simple tradition, but it’s wildly popular around the office. I’ve also noticed that when any employee stays late for work – food is always provided for them.

Good attitude and good food. They make this media production house go round!

 

Wishing you a pleasant weekend from Studio 33 :)

Week 2: The team that queues together, sticks together!

Avinash hard at work.

And just like that, another Friday has rolled around! My week began with a jaunt behind the scenes of a corporate shoot. With my camera in tow, I documented Sid and Avinash in action. Sid cheerfully instructed the client: “Three, two, one, energy UP, action!” Count on Sid to inspire energy from most any client. I’m fairly certain that if he really needed to, he could convince our office dog, Bailey, to deliver a proper voice-over. Avinash, the man delivering the vision, quietly and expertly works the cameras. He also makes a mean cup of coffee back at the office.

Subhankar - our hero of the week!

Our motion graphics wiz, Subhankar, deserves a trophy (or two) for his hard work this week. Subhankar sits to my right in the office, and I often find myself looking at his computer screen in absolute confusion and awe. Animation is not easy, my friends… and this guy really knows how to do it. Subhankar has been forging through some large projects this week with admirable zeal and patience. I’ve attempted to serve as team cheerleader during this time, but, it’s become clear that unless I become a motion graphics expert overnight, my “Minnesota nice” cheering is fairly unhelpful.

My second full week with Studio 33 is coming to an end, and while it’s challenging to explain the character of this team – I think one story just about captures it.  In India, certain schools provide higher quality education than others. In order to insure the best possible education for their children, parents will stand in line for hours just to get the form to apply for school. Well, the time has come for Subhankar’s 4.5 year old daughter, Upasana to start school. Originally, he was going to have to take off today to queue, which would have been a challenge with his current workload. But, in classic Studio 33 fashion, we are all taking turns queuing. We’ve been joking that Upsana has quite the assorted batch of parents. Teamwork at its finest!

I've included photos from the experience below. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful weekend!

Tanya and Ajay take their turn in the queue.

The line - amazing the lengths parents go to for their child's education!

Exercising team parental duties.