Kamal Krishna – Senior Interactive TV Designer at Astro Broadcast Centre

Kamal Krishna is, at this time, the Senior Interactive TV Designer at Astro Broadcast Centre, Malaysia. He has been Creative Director and Co-Founder of Shankh Media Studio, Technical Lead in the Multi-Media department of Astro, Malaysia, KL; Multimedia Consultant at Navayuga Infotech; Creative Designer at Tata Teleservices; and Creative Head at Eduempire.com. Mr. Kamal was educated at the School of Visual Arts New York City, Edit Multi-Media Institute, Osmania University, and Nalanda Junior College.

CG Today : Kamal, we are pleased to have you as a guest on CG Today.

Kamal : Thank You.

CG Today : So, you were a painter as a child. At what point did you realize that art was going to be your life’s career?

Kamal : I never thought art was going to be my career. Though I got national and international awards for painting, it was always a hobby and I never saw it as a career.

I joined a multimedia institute just for fun as it seemed as another medium to paint. I never realized when my canvas became a computer. While I was a student in the multimedia institute I simultaneously worked as part of the faculty, which later extended my role as an animator in the in-house production team. Soon offers came in and this field has become my career.

CG Today : You are currently the Senior Interactive TV Designer for Astro Broadcast Centre. Can you give us a description of your job responsibilities at Astro?

Kamal : Here in Astro, I design the User Interface for Interactive TV applications and 3G mobile sites. Occasionally I also do Print works, Product Launch presentations, TV game designs, motion graphics and 2d animations. So I’m actually a ‘Multi’ Media professional here

CG Today : Your resume’ includes work in marketing, graphics, animation, website creation, and many more diverse areas of expertise. Do you have a favorite professional activity that is satisfying above all others?

Kamal : Though print, animation, video, web, TV, mobile are all different mediums, they all require the same essence - creativity and passion. So I love doing all of them. Professionally I like working on Interactive TV because it’s technologically advanced and is exclusive. Personally, filmmaking is what satisfies me.

CG Today : In your position as Co-founder & Creative Director of Shankh Media Studio, you received accolades from the film industry for your promotional work for Vinayakudu. What made this promo special?

Kamal : It was the first 2D animated trailer for a Telugu feature film and this innovative approach stood apart from the regular movie promos thereby drawing interest and promoting the movie. It was so successful that the producers wanted us to do a similar animated trailer for the sequel “Village lo Vinayakudu”.

This further opened doors to work for other films like Kalavaramaye Madhilo, Baanam, Om Shanthi, Prayanam, Koncham Istam Konchem Kastam, Agyaat/Adavi and Raktha Charitra. Working with Ram Gopal Varma is something I cherish and it has helped me learn things about filmmaking too.

CG Today : What was the most difficult part of starting your own studio, Shankh Media Studio?

Kamal : I don’t think starting a studio is really difficult these days; what’s difficult is sustaining. To be able to deliver quality at all times, to be able to update yourselves with the changing design trends and most importantly, it’s how you market yourselves and maintain PR when it comes to the film industry.

I was fortunate to have good friends in the film industry; so the entry wasn’t difficult. Later it was our work that got us good projects.

CG Today : For almost four years, as a Tech Lead, in the Multimedia arena for ASTRO (Malaysia, KL), true to your style, you were involved in many varied areas of media graphics. Tell us more about your work there.

Kamal : Astro also being the All Asia Broadcast centre, I was involved in prestigious international projects. I have designed for FIFA, Commonwealth Games, Olympics and for channels like Star Movies, National Geographic, Star World etc. I also work on local Malaysian TV channels, especially an Interactive Chat Channel for which I design animated backgrounds and emoticons.

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