Taking African creativity to the world
A new broadcast hub, designed with the sole purpose of taking African creativity to the world, has just been launched in Johannesburg.
Soda Studios is a primary platform for African creatives and producers to bring stories and performances to life with stateof-the-art, relevant and affordable technology, in a creative and fully immersive environment.
It is the brainchild of entertainment tech veteran Mic Balkind. A fore-runner in the broadcast and entertainment industry as creator and owner of digital nightlife website JHBLive and digital tech agency Contentbar, Balkind has gathered an amalgamation of tech, media, sound, lighting and video experts to complete the vision and launch the studio space.
Some of the studio crew include industry stalwarts such as legendary sound engineer Gavin Echard, lighting specialist Rene Rosso, videographer and editor Ryan Jarret and DJ Rude Boy Paul of YFM and Power FM fame – all bringing years of experience to an already world-class production facility.
With an aim to rekindle and further ignite the entertainment industry after the devastating effects of Covid-19 on its players, the studio provides top-notch technology in a safe environment that not only generates a once-off experience for the artist but allows the viewer to watch, engage and act as a co-host alongside some of the finest talents in the country.
Live digital music shows have been taking off with great success of late and this is an area Soda Studios have already shown to be a step ahead with regards to production value and quality.
Full sets, green-screen graphics, staging and lighting elevate the production and create not only a fantastic spot to perform in, but the perfect “TV show” quality, fully immersive experience that brings the energy of the performance right into the home for the viewer through innovative broadcast methods.
Producers, artists, story-tellers, content creators and new age broadcasters are encouraged to explore, utilise the space and create their own content and stories, all assisted through to broadcast.
Soda Studios is placed right in the heart of downtown Jozi, a throbbing metropolis of mixed cultures and raw talent, constantly going through creative change in music, art, design and fashion.
Our talent has long been crying out for a platform to help tell the stories of our popular culture and reach an audience locally and internationally. –