Directors, select producers with creative background who feature in those two Power Lists were contacted to name up to five technicians each who they would like to nominate for the power list, based on the power these technicians wield in their respective domains. Industry watchers were also consulted and asked for nominees. Based on vote counting, the power list was drawn, with ties, if any, being resolved by directors’ nomination getting priority over producers’ nomination. The Power List is not a ranking and is arranged in alphabetical order.
When we asked filmmakers, musicians and producers from the film industries of the South to nominate a band of incredible technicians behind the screen, we got a list of big players who are recognised in their own right. But we also got names of unseen talent — technicians who might not be widely known, but are still technicians who have been game changers behind the screen. Like dubbing artist Savitha Reddy, who has dubbed for many prominent actresses in Tamil films; Rain Ramesh, who is behind some unrecognisably real fake rains in films; Sync Cinema, a post production company praised for their sound design; Kishan Mohan and Vignesh of Saptha Records; Hari Shankar of Aural Alchemy Mixing Studio, and senior music coordinator KD Vincent.
The next time you’re in the cinemas, look out for invisible artists like these, without whom the magic of the movies would be infinitely less magical.