THE Iron Imager is BACK! Win a trip to LA, 1000 US$ and become the next Champion!

“For the past year, the Iron Imager belt has been mine. Wanna take it away from me?? BRING IT ON!” -Dan Kelly

The BIGGEST Imaging BATTLE in the WORLD returns. Iron Imager 2014 is open to any and all radio imaging/production professionals…this means you! Benztown invites you to take on the reigning champion, Dan Kelly (Creative Services Director, WPLJ & NASH-FM/New York) for the highest industry honor: the title of Iron Imager (and the belt that comes with it). There’s only one belt like it in the world…and Dan Kelly isn’t going to give it up without a  fight. If you think you can overthrow the champ, and you want to come to Los Angeles to prove it…then what are you waiting for?! Sign up here, and send us your submission no later than March 10th by 11:59 PM (Pacific). Click here to sign up for Iron Imager 2014! Last year, Dan Kelly defeated Paul “The Irish Pitbull” Duffy, and now it’s your turn to take a shot at the champ! If you win, you’ll take home the coveted Iron Imager belt, along with a $1,000 cash prize! The contestants will demonstrate their imaging skills using  audio from the Benztown Branding Libraries and their handwritten scripts. If any contestants need voice-over, they can  get it from 4 of Benztown’s newest world-class voice talents, including Correy Webb, Grant George, Jessica Gee and Jules Riley.

First Round – One Contender. Out of Many. Challengers will compete to cook up the most delicious 60 SECOND MUSIC PROMO, using audio ingredients from Benztown’s imaging libraries. Final pieces must be submitted to ironimager@benztown.com no later than Monday March 10th at 11:59 PM (Pacific). Cuts will be judged by a panel of the industry’s top producers and programmers.

Final Round – A Shot at the Champ. The top contestant from Round 1 will compete head-to-head against the current reigning Iron Imager Dan Kelly (Creative Services Director, WPLJ & NASH-FM/New York), during the 2014 AllAccess Worldwide Radio Summit. WWRS admission will be provided by Benztown. International contestants are eligible. Benztown will provide US domestic airfare ONLY. Winner will receive $1,000 cash AND the most prestigious title in radio production: Iron Imager!

For more information visit www.benztown.com/ironimager. We can’t wait to hear your entries. Submit your piece and become the next Iron Imager. 

Iron Imager 2013 – These are the places our finalists need to check out!

We’re close to the finals! This weekend, LA will experience an epic imaging battle like never before. New York’s finest, Dan Kelly will compete against reigning champion and Irish Warrior Paul Duffy for $1,000 cash and the prestigious title of the Iron Imager 2013

Before the competition starts, our finalists have a few time left in the city of angels. So much to see, but no time.

To make their time in LA the most awesome as possible, we hooked up with our Benztown crew in Cali and asked them for their hottest locations in LA, which our finalists need to see. To all you guys in the LA area, this is where the cool guys hang around 😉

Check out LA’s hot spots!

Will I be THE PRINCE OF BEL AIR this time? City of Angeles, I am back

It has been 3 months since my last visit and I am really thrilled to be back again in my favourite city in the world. Ok second favourite city (behind benztown). World Wide Radio Summit, Jingle Sessions and finding a bar showing champions league semi finals will be my missions. As well as interviewing some intersting people and share it with you…

Supporting acts this week will be Mike Santos (linken zu seinem blog), Oli Klenk, Shane Drasin – a world class composer (we will check his studio and gear later this weak), The Conon O’ Brin Horn Players and for sure + THE 1st IRON IMAGER CONTEST. Feels great to be back!

Here is some randon pics from the Larrabii studios, where we recorded the Jingles!

Back in LA, Airplane productions, Bose Noise Canceling Randomness or some VO Treatment Screen Caps.

LA winter times, still not the worst place to hang out, right? But lets start chronologically. While flying over, I had a hard time to sleep, so I got some stuff rolling in the plane. As we decided to create some imaging updates for the Melissa Etheridge Radio Show. I was too packed to do it back home and it was the perfect chance to give it a go. Read more about getting shit done in a plane and check some great screen caps of my settings for Dan Kelly.

Turn the Volume UP….AMP Imaging or meet Jake Kaplan!

While I was in LA, I had the honor to meet Jake Kaplan in the CBS studios in Culver City, home of AMP, the legendary KROQ , and Jack FM. Jake is the head of Imaging for AMP and an incredible talented imaging guy with an exact vision for his station. Before he was creating magic for AMP Jake used to be the head of Imaging for the world famous KROQ and Jack FM LA.  This Rock influence and more rougher style is recognizable on his productions for AMP as well, beacuse it is not the typcial CHR or KISS clone.Inspiring stuff!

Read the inspiring interview, check the screen caps of Jake’s favourite plugIns and listen to his great imaging pieces for AMP.

L.A. Experience and random IGUANA Insanity

Is there any city in the world like L.A. To me: definitely NOT! Where else in the world can you meet a guy carrying an iguana everywhere he goes or chat with multi grammy winner and platinum album producer Val Garay while having dinner. Both did I in one day! I met the Iguana guy, when I was hanging with Jake Kaplan at the AMP studios in Culver City (check the blog for Jake’s upcoming post) and met Val when I had dinner with my friends Chachi, George and his stunning wife Katrina at Boa/Sunset. Val is a truly inspiring person and is the mastermind behind a lot of great music we all know. His biggest hit ever was Kim Carnes’ – Bette David Eyes. These days Val is working with Katrina, hit mediabase charts with her first song # 46. Most of his work he does with ProTools and Logic in his home studio which is based 30 miles from L.A. Check Val’s interview about the Aphex Aural Exciter:

I also use the Aural Exciter a lot and nothing comes close in my opinion as well!

Los Angeles 2011 or why I won’t get The Prince Of Bel Air

Hey guys, today I am writing you from the other side of the pond. I am back in L.A. for the next two weeks. My schedule is packed and we will work on several really interesting and challenging projects and catch up with the Benztown crew there. What does that mean for you….you will get great posts as ever + additional stuff right from hottest city in the world – Los Angeles. Did I mention the new Airbus is freaking great :)…

Read more about the Sound Design for the upcoming Melissa Etheridge Show, check the brand new demo, get the news on Benztown going Jack and discover who I am gonna interview, which upcoming pop star I will meet and why I won’t become the prince of Bel Air.