Behind the scenes for the SAILOPICS ad

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram everyone,

 

It was a great pleasure to go through the mail from G Venkatraman – giving us

devotees an insight into the scene behind the Sanskar Telecast Live for

Shivratri 2004. So huge was the scale – that I wonder how HIS WILL came through

to please His Devotees all over India and abroad wherever the footprint of

Sanskar TV fell. Millions must have watched the lingodhbhave, telecast live

from the KR compound – there hearts must have swelled at the sight of the

lingam and sunk at the sight of pain that Swami was going thru – for us mankind

– for our upliftment.

 

Reading the mail from respected GV gave me the encouragement to share the trials

and tribulations on a very personal scale as we went about preparing the

first-ever TV advertisement for the SAI Holograms and Embossed Pictures we

market.

 

Like any devotee we (Self and wife) were always glued to the TV on Tuesdays,

Thursdays and Saturdays for His Divine Darshan courtesy Sanskar TV.

 

We were receiving mails though the various forums we were members of, informing

us how Sanskar TV broadcast of Spiritual Blossoms programme was loved and

relished by Devotees who thronged to the local Sai Centres to see the

programme.

 

It was during beginning February 2004 telecast that we had a feeling that we

should advertise on Sanskar TV. We contacted Sanskar TV in Delhi. They wanted

from us details on the advertisement. So we made a Microsoft Presentation and

sent them the printouts. They informed us that they were sending the details

received from us to their HO in Indore for approval.

 

In about a weeks time they informed us that we should obtain a NO OBJECTION

certificate from the Central Trust at PN, as our ad was concerning Sathya Sai

Baba. While I appreciated Sanskar TV trying to play safe – I was intrigued at

the delay this was likely to cause. I contacted Mr. Rajesh Khanna, Sai

Convenor, North India – he directed me to write to the email address that came

up at the end of the telecast of the Spiritual Blossom program.

 

So the 8th of February, the S Blossom program found me with a pencil and paper

ready to note the email address of the Digital Studio. In the flash that it

came on I could hardly read it and write – I noted the digistu part correctly,

but was not sure about the @sancharnet.in. So we google searched for

sancharnet. Once we confirmed it was a service provider, we wrote to the

Prasanthi Digital Studio – and sent them the Microsoft Presentation – we

requested them for the necessary NO OBJECTION Certificate. As no reply came – I

wondered if I had noted the email address correctly – and sent them a humble

reminder on Feb 11. We received interim reply the next day. This confirmed that

our prayer had been received and was under consideration.

 

On Saturday, 14 February, 2004 we received the No Objection certificate from

Prasanthi Digital Studio. This was like receiving the coveted Padanamaskar from

Swami. But, with Shivratri on 18 Feb – we were out of the race for it.

 

We got about to making the first ever TV ad for the SAILOGRAM and the Embossed

pictures. We were novices – all we had was a digital still camera. We did not

have any movie shots of our products – but depended on stills to make the ad.

To make a TV ad we needed the right software.

 

 

We were browsing on the internet for suitable software, when our IT man came and

told me about Pinnacle SW – he even arranged a pirated copy for us to try. This

program was good and user friendly. So we now had to get a legal copy of the

Pinnacle program. We got a legal copy and made the 30 Second ad – inserting the

still pictures and added transitions and fade outs and fade ins.

 

The completed ad starts with a popular picture of the Lotus Feet, this is

followed by the Sailogram Original Picture, which is followed by the SAI SILVER

and SAI GOLD. Our Credits come on last and the Looka Samastha line is the last

to flash in. All this while in the back ground a clip from the Manas Bhajre

Guru Charnam bhajan is inserted. This clip – is based on the line “Guru Maharaj

Guru Jai Jai Sai Nath Sadguru Jai Jai.”

 

We were informed by Sanskar TV to deliver in DV - never understanding that they

meant a MINI DV tape we sent them the ad on a DVD CD – which they did not

accept. We had to get it re-output on a Mini DV tape.

 

Now, the battle of the mind started. We were ready in the last week of February

2004. The next auspicious day was March 06 which was full moon. But, the Guru

Day was March 04. While one part of the mind wanted March 04 another part of

the mind was quoting Swami as saying that Full Moon is more auspicious than

other days – so March 06 was to be preferred. Finally the March 04 mind won –

on the simple reason – it was our Guru Day – if Swami was to change it let me

get an indication - or let it be His Will.

 

On March 01, 2004, Monday the Mini DV tape was delivered to Sanskar TV, New

Delhi. Instructions were clear that the telecast was to start March 04,

immediately after the S Blossom program.

 

On March 03, 2004, we received confirmation from Sanskar TV New Delhi, that the

Mini DV tape had been received by the Bombay office of Sanskar TV.

 

On March 04, like expectant people – we were eagerly watching the S Blossom

program – awaiting our 30 Second Ad. The S Blossom program finished and our ad

was not telecast.

 

We contacted Sanskar TV on 05 March to inquire why our ad did not come on March

04. They contacted Bombay and came back with some story – the fact still

remained that the telecast was moved and confirmed for Saturday March 06 – all

His Will.

 

At the time of writing this – we have not received any mail in our special mail

box created for this ad – sairam (AT) sailopics (DOT) com, but we do not expect devotees

to be able to note the address or email or fax in less them 10 – 12 telecasts –

we have just done five so far.

 

I would like to invite devotees to share their observations – and guide us how

we could improve the ad.

 

We have observed that the pictures are not very clear in our ad – so we are now

planning to make a new 30 Second Ad – with real moving pictures.

 

Sai Ram – Be Happy

 

JP