Studio 301, a part of the Amsterdam-based $4 billion SAE group, is planning to set up a world-class recording facility in Hyderabad.
Studio 301, which handles 70 per cent of Australia's recording and the world's second oldest studio, was acquired by SAE in 1996. The studio has many achievements to its credit including the first to introduce stereo recording in 1968.
Declining to disclose the investment details for the studio, Rathish Babu, chief executive officer of SAE India said they have already got an assurance from chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for allotting two acres of land at hi-tec city in Cyberabad for the studio.
This the first time that the media house has decided to commence commercial activities in the country, while it has thus far confined its activities to media education since it started its Indian operations in end-2000.
"We are looking for a strong investing partner. Since the business coming out of such a set-up will be with global focus, we will attach much importance to parameters such as conducive environment in terms of political, governmental and industry," he added justifying their decision for zeroing on the southern city for the studio.
To begin with, SAE India is setting up a media education college in the city. The company already has such colleges in Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram. Worldwide, the group has 42 colleges in 18 countries.
Its board of education in India comprises who is who of south Indian film industry - including Priyadarshan on direction and film making, Santosh Sivan on cinematography, S P Blasubramanyam on audio engineering.
"We are negotiating with infrastructure providers for the Hyderabad facility and the training courses will commence shortly," Rathish said.
The new centre will offer diplomas in media technologies, film making, graphics and bridge programmes in electronic music and synthesis, multimedia post production.
The company has thus far made a combined investment of about Rs 4 crore on the first four colleges in the past two-and-half years.
It plans to invest Rs 4.5 crore on the Hyderabad college in three phases, excluding the land and buildings.
We are looking at Hyderabad not merely as another training college centre but as the Indian head quarter for SAE's operations, Rathish said.