Overtone - A one-stop-shop offering end-to-end recording solutions for Film, TV and the Live events industries. Pictured here is the Hawkwoods NP battery, Schoeps Microphone and Sound Devices Mix Pre 3 ing stage. A few years from now things will be much clearer in terms of quality consciousness. Also, the end-users who are not tech-savvy are more and more privy to comparative quality standards between products than they used to be. This is not a result of manufacturers’ attempts to advertise the quality or a mob mentality but a genuine inward urge to see the difference in quality between one product and another. RN: Knowledge and information has always been available. The question really is not whether there is awareness of quality or not, but whether people are interested in working with and producing in the highest possible quality. I believe that the quality of work of a person reflects the quality of his or her life. One cannot be without the other. There is a cost involved with better quality and what comes with that is reliability, longevity and the apparently high quality of output. Is someone able to sleep well knowing that they have not done their best? That is an individual thing. Moreover, the term ‘quality’ itself is relative. We, at Overtone, believe in, and cannot do anything that is not of the highest quality – be it keeping ourselves updated on technology & gear, spending quality time with those who value suggestions that come from an educated study or actual experience, offering only the leading products, commitment to supporting the client, response time, effective com-
May - June 2018
munication, etc. – there is no other way that we know of. PT: With so many brands, how does Overtone break down internally? As in, how do you manage and market all the brands without compromising one for the other? What are you doing to ensure the quality and reputation
of the brands you represent? VS: In my time as a Recordist / Engineer I have extensively used products from each one of these brands. All products are not for all people, and this is most of the time based on the profile of work involved. When a customer asks for a particular product, I spend some time discussing the work profile and many times this paves the way for the process of selection of one product over another. RN: These brands have been handpicked by Vinod, based on his experience of over two decades. The brand owners know and respect Vinod’s knowledge. A certain model from Company ‘A’ might be more suitable for a particular job than a similar product from Brand ‘B’. It is not about pushing a brand’s products, but offering what is right for the customer based on the work profile and the budget. This is a win-win for the customer and for the manufacturer. Then there are products like Cedar Noise removal systems and Dan Dugan automixers that are unique, in that, they do a certain task that is highly useful. PT: Are all your brands high-value? If yes, do these high-value products have commensurate designs that justify the value? VS: Not a single one of the products we represent can be not termed as high-value. This is because of the design and the underlying creative technological process that has generated the product eventually. RN: How do you define high value? I
would rather call it ‘right-value’. When a manufacturer has gained the trust of users Worldwide, it is not because of an advertisement. The trust is built over time and there is a value to that which is unmistakable. Yes, all the products that we offer are highly regarded by users all over the World and that is because of the reason that I just mentioned. PT: What were the biggest challenges that Overtone faced in the time that it has been around in the industry? VS: Ours is a niche market and we have never witnessed a real player here in India – with the technical and aesthetic experience to be discerning, to be able to actually help the customer with the knowledge and experience from the word go until many months later if a tech problem develops in the unit and needs repairs. The Indian market is also price conscious and it sometimes takes some effort to convince the customer about a particular product that may be costlier but is also much better than another product. PT: Over the last several years, the industry has shifted to online purchases for many products including microphones. What kind of impact has this had (or will have) on Overtone? VS: We too are in the process of establishing an On-line presence, but this will ONLY be for products below the price range of maybe 20,000/-. For all other products we prefer to have a direct contact with the customer and talk before we recommend anything. RN: Online purchases are possible
Demo K-Tek kit bags with Lectrosonics wireless system and Sound Devices recorder
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