Episode 83: The Imaging Days 2015

Announcer: The Producers, featuring the most respected international talent in the world of audio production and voiceover. Radio, TV, film, and online. In-depth interviews, industry insights, putting you on the inside. This is The Producers Podcast with Ryan Dreen.

Ryan: Hey, not an official, official podcast, you know, interview guest type podcast today, but actually something where we're gonna feature an event. I'll tell you more about it as we get into the actual interview with Anthony Timmers. He is coming up in just seconds. I do wanna make a quick note that I'm gonna sort of machine gun you with podcasts in the next month or two. Leave it to an American to use a gun as a reference for the way he's going to deliver his podcast. Sorry about that, the rest of the world. Anyway, Jon Frost will be joining me again on the show. I think it was high time to get him back on. And he's also going to be at this event in Amsterdam. So I'm sure we'll talk about that and more, but that one will be coming up very, very soon. I'm going to have Dom Narrow join me again, because again, he has now held onto one of the biggest, imaging jobs in America for a decade at this point. And, as far as urban radio, one of the biggest, he'll be at the Imaging Days and we'll talk to him, catch up with him on his world and see what he's going to discuss at this show coming up in Amsterdam. And then, finally, I'm still attempting to lock in a time. She's a very busy woman, and she's also had a few issues she's had to contend with. So anyway, once I can get it locked in, we'll get the interview with the one and the only Kelly Doherty. So all of that is coming up quick. So as opposed to maybe one episode a month, I'm going to probably give you four in the next two months, maybe more. I'll see what I can do. Other than that, let's dive right in with Anthony Timmers, the second annual. The Imaging Days conference in Haarlem, just outside Amsterdam, and I'm really proud to be joined again by Anthony Timmers. Anthony or Anthony?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah.

Ryan: Hey, buddy. Thanks, man.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: It's Anthony. Good— oh, hello.

Ryan: Hey, where do you have to be from? I noticed that when I was in Europe, now that I can say that finally, I was in Europe. Anyway, some people call you Anthony, and then others of course call you Anthony. Where do you have to be from to call you Anthony?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: I think the only person in Holland that calls me Anthony is my mother because her English isn't that good. But most of the people just call me Anthony. Okay, good.

Ryan: All right. Anyway, well, I had you on the show last year as you were so kind to ask me to be a part of the show, the very first Imaging Days 2014. And I just had a blast. I tell people all the time, I have lots of people ask me about it. The number one thing I say is that it's by far, in a way, the most favorite event I've been to as far as a conference goes. But as for imaging, there's literally nothing like it because most radio conferences focus on music, programming, sales, tech, social, everything.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Mobile phones.

Ryan: Exactly. And then you're lucky if you get one panel that has something to do with imaging, and even then it's usually very lackluster. So, why don't you give everybody who's who's just finding you for the first time now, who didn't partake in our interview last year, you know, what was the thing that started up this idea? You know, what made you finally pull the trigger and start an imaging-only, an all-imaging conference?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Well, Ryan, the answer to that is already given by you because I basically had the same thing with some bigger events about radio here in Europe. If you're lucky, you got like 20 minutes about radio imaging and that's it. So I think last year around April, April, I was talking to some of my friends in radio and, I popped up the idea of a special event, of a special event about imaging, and everybody was really excited. And about 3 or 4 months later, the Imaging Days Part 1 was a fact.

Ryan: you know, for me, and you can, you can expand on this and talk about this as sort of a byproduct, but for me, the conference was amazing. Seeing the panels were amazing, 2 full days and all that. But just, just getting all of these people in the same room, I mean, that had to have been yet another goal of yours. I mean, the conference is one thing, but being in the same room with all these amazing talents, that, that was really awesome.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Well, for me personally, the days after the Imaging Days were the days that I was actually in the room, because those 2 days, they flew by. I, I was there, but I wasn't there, you know what I mean? Yeah. It was the first time for me that I was the organizer of an event, and it's something completely different than being in radio or being in imaging. So especially the days after the Imaging Days were very special for me because then I was actually part of the event because I saw everything on video. I spoke to a lot of people on social media and on telephone. So I think that most people that were there last year were pretty excited about the event. And when you take a look look at the ticket sales, for example, already a lot of new tickets for this year's event were already sold a few days after the event last year.

Ryan: Oh yeah, wow. You know, I did want to say, I know that— I think I was one of the first people that you contacted after you decided to put this together, so I was sort of right along with you along your entire process of getting it launched. And, you know, at first you were like, I don't really know who's gonna show up, I don't really know how many. And yeah, I think You know, the room was probably set up to hold about 200, and almost every seat was full. And I know that you had some people that bought like one day or another. I don't know that that's even possible anymore, but still each day the room— so I mean, as far as if people are curious, like, oh, come on, did anybody actually show up? I mean, you can look at the pictures and people really, really did show up. But talk about the attendance for this year. Are you looking for it to be, you know, as good as last year, bigger? different? You know, what are we looking at in that range?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Well, again, last year was my first time that I did, did an event. So I learned a lot. We also did a lot of Q&As with, with the attenders to the event. So what we changed for this year is that all sessions will be 45 minutes. And then right after you're gonna like 15-minute break to drink some coffee or go to the toilet or smoke a cigarette or whatever, because a lot of people were really excited after a special session. session and they wanted to talk about it with other people. Yeah, because at the Emitting Days you meet the people like you, because like everybody that you talk to during the event knows what you're talking about, you know?

Ryan: Yeah.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: So this year it's, it's gonna be— it's gonna be not, not, not necessarily bigger, but it's gonna be definitely— it's gonna be better. Yeah, I'm sure about that.

Ryan: Yeah, yeah. I would assume that, attendance won't be a problem because I mean, if the first year was so, so big like that The room, just so everybody knows, it's a really cool venue. It is large enough to handle even more, so it won't feel like cramped or anything. It's still in the same place, right?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, yeah. And it makes me really proud to be in at that location because it's called De Lichtfabriek. It's like a really old building. It's really industrial. And together with, well, around 200 people in radio imaging coming from the States till Arabia, Australia, Russia, Everybody was all together in one room, so literally the whole imaging world became one. That was a really special moment, those 2 days last year.

Ryan: Yeah, that's actually a really good point where I was kind of going next. Where I sort of started was it was really cool to be on the panels and to see the presentations, and everybody did something really different. But yeah, when you're in the room and you look around and there's, you know, if there's 100 people standing near you, there might be 75 different countries represented. I mean, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but I mean—

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: No, I know what you mean. Yeah.

Ryan: Yeah, wild. all right, so again, I didn't want this episode to be extremely long. I wanted people to kind of get a taste of the Imaging Days real fast. So let's move right in to this year, 2015, year 2. It's in the same location, and I don't know if you noticed, but I made you say the name of it because I can't pronounce De Lichten, what is it?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: De Lichtfabrik. It's like the lightning factory.

Ryan: Yeah.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah. It's a fabric full of lights. The light factory. All right.

Ryan: It's in the light fabric. So anyway, same location, but start with the new people from the States you have and kind of what they're going to be doing.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Okay. Let's start with one question for you, Ryan. Have you ever met the vice president? Of imaging?

Ryan: Yeah, you know, I should have her on the podcast soon. And my— well, I don't want to spoil it, but I suspect people could argue she is the most powerful human in radio imaging. I think that argument can be made.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, well, she calls herself a stalker because she's pretty much on every radio station in the United States, but also here in Europe. Kelly Doherty is coming this year to the Imaging Days. I'm really proud of that. She's the vice president of imaging for Clear Channel, or nowadays iHeartMedia, and she's She's going to talk about her work, but also her history. So where did she start? How did she become that big that she is today? And a good friend of hers is John Frost, Frostbite. You know him, of course, Ryan.

Ryan: Of course.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: He's coming, and he's— I met him a few months ago just through the internet. I think he's the most crazy person I've ever met, really.

Ryan: I think you sent out a questionnaire to everybody. I don't know if you used all of the bits in the magazine, so that doesn't matter, but one of my answers was, You know, to which seminar or panel I'm looking forward to most, it was going to be Frost, only because I know how insane he is, and I think it's possible if you spent more than a day with John while he's working, you might need to be checked into an asylum. I sort of think that. I think it might be true. But anyway, I'm really looking forward to Frost.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: But is he on drugs, or is he— what's the story with John?

Ryan: Yeah, man, I think he was just built that way.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: I wanna meet his parents. I wanna meet his parents, really.

Ryan: For those that happen to not know him, he does produce a service, but he is sort of one of those people that started a style that is years and years ago on KROQ in LA, so one of the most popular alt stations in the world, and it has been copied, replicated, taken, stolen from for literally decades now. And he's one of those innovators and he just keeps turning it out too. It's amazing.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: He's also, I think he was the first who started an online imaging service. You do it like today, you got the Production Vault Imager, the Radio Imaging Library, but he was pretty much the first one who started the online service with Frostbite. So, but he's pretty much going to talk about writing. So what's a good script, but also timing. So writing and timing will be pretty, will be, pretty much important during his session. And another American is Dom Nero, imaging director of Hot 97. I'm really, really happy that he's going to be here this year at the Imaging Days.

Ryan: Yeah, that's great because that's bringing urban radio. That's one of the most powerful urban stations in the States, and Dom is another friend of mine. I've had him on the show, and I'll check in with him again before the Imaging Days. But you really can't meet a nicer guy in imaging either. That's the other thing. I mean, he's Canadian, so they have to be nice by their laws. But he is just a heck of a nice guy, and I was chatting with him the other day on the phone, and I've heard what he's going to do in his seminar, and it's going to be very, very interesting to imaging nerds like me to just watch him do what he's going to do.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, I'm really excited about that. And another guest from, well, close to you— he's even closer to you than to us here in Holland— Steve Jones. He's a big name in seminars. He's doing a big show called Brand Like a Rockstar, and that's presented by our friends at Top Forma because they are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year at the Emitting Days.

Ryan: Wow, wow, that'll be cool. Yeah, let's transition across the Atlantic. Who, you know, why don't we— tell us who you're bringing in from actually Holland. Tell us the Amsterdamians or whatever you call yourselves, who you're bringing in.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: That's pretty funny because we did, like I told you, we did some Q&As during the event and Pretty much the most popular session of last year was by Chris Hardgers and Niels Flanke. They're both from Radio 538. They did a pretty funny seminar, but really interesting about which plugins they're using, how they work with Pro Tools, etc. So they're going to be back here at the Imaging Days this year. And also back on the stage from Holland are Guido and Arjen. They're from Radio Veronica and Sky Radio.

Ryan: Nice. Yeah, both of those were great, but you're right, Chris, Chris and Neil's were probably the most popular. I will say that the moment that got the biggest reaction was was because of Hartger's, and that was when he popped open his master. Or no, no, maybe it was actually his vocal bus, and he showed the threshold all the way down to the bottom, and everybody in the room. But that's literally what this is about. It's all that matters is the final product.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: And about that threshold thing, that's that's something we all learned here in Europe by. I think it was one of your shows in the past by Dave Fox, because he showed his vocal master where his threshold was all the way down, and that sounds— it just sounds amazing. You just don't want to do it otherwise.

Ryan: Yeah, yeah. And that's funny because it's like it goes against what you think you ever should be doing. I mean, you know, you can't just— it's like turning it up to 11. I mean, it doesn't make sense, but it Anyway, go ahead. Let's move to the UK because there's at least one— no, there's 2. Okay, well, there's a few people from the UK I'm excited to see, one of which is brand new though. So anyways, go to the UK.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, we just announced a new speaker for this year, and that's going to be Matt Fisher. He's the station imaging producer for BBC Radio 1. Last year we had a few people over from the UK that used to work at Radio 1 and now We've got the producer who's actually in the studio right now, today at BBC Radio 1, and he's going to talk about— it's going to be an amazing session because maybe you've seen his video. He did a huge mashup for one of the bigger weekends on the BBC, with actually cooperation with the real artists from the UK. So he did a big mashup and the real artists of those songs came into the studio to sing it again. Wow.

Ryan: For him.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: especially, and he's going to talk about that session, and it's going to be really amazing. I'm really looking forward to that session this year.

Ryan: Yeah, yeah, he was on the podcast quite a while ago. I've been wanting to meet him in person. I was in London last year, and I just never got it hooked up. I think he was just too busy, or he just didn't want to see me. It doesn't matter.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: It's gonna happen.

Ryan: It's gonna happen this year.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, exactly.

Ryan: So this is gonna be yet another one of those people I get to meet in person. But you're also bringing in— well, I won't spoil it. Who else do you have coming from the UK?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Also from the UK is coming George Taylor. He's with Wise Buddha and Imager. And we've got from Real World, we're going to do a session with them again this year. And that's going to be about something that I cannot really tell at this moment because they want to be it. They want to make it a little surprise, you know? Okay.

Ryan: It'll be a good one. They actually, they did it right. They had a good moderator. They had a big team. And anyway, I know they're one of the bigger sponsors, but they definitely They didn't just sort of get up there and sell. I'll just say that. They got up there and showed their stuff.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: But just let me tell you one thing, and that's a little behind the scenes, but when I'm speaking to all of our friends with the premium partners, that's one of the— that's like the only demand I have to them. I don't want to have any sales sessions during this event because it's a special event for imaging, so let's not talk about sales.

Ryan: You know, man.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, but, but let's, let's talk about one more thing, if I may, Ryan. Yeah, you're gonna be on stage too on both days, and you're gonna do the Imaging Day specials. Yeah, panels.

Ryan: Yeah, yeah, I could probably go on forever about how awesome I think the opportunity is. Yeah, both days I'm putting together what I would consider to be super panels, and we're going to focus on distinctly different subjects and also distinctly different groups. And the only thing I can really say now, again, my panels are secret also, just like Real World's people. But I can tell you that one of them will focus on the in-house station imaging producers. So some of the biggest names that are actually working in-house will be on one panel. And then the other is going to focus on the people, you know, maybe like a VP of iHeart Imaging, maybe someone like that. Maybe someone like that. Somebody who runs a service, an international service, a jingle company perhaps, or other some such industry corporation. Anyway, so those 2 panels are distinctly different and they will focus on distinctly different topics.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: So you're not even going to come to tell to me? Because I'm like, you know, I'm like the director of the event.

Ryan: Well, I understand you're kind of the boss. I guess you're actually kind of paying for it too. No, I'm just kidding. Yeah, I was gonna say maybe as I'm walking to the stage, I'll point at some people and then you'll know then. How about that?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Okay, okay, that sounds cool.

Ryan: That's fair, that's fair. All right, so anybody else you need to highlight? I feel like we just went through a laundry list of the biggest names in imaging, but anyone else you need to highlight?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: You know, I just want— I'm just really happy that if I just— I'm just looking at the sales now of the event. So there's a lot of people coming again this year, and I love it to see that there are a lot of people from like all over the world. It's unbelievable. So I'm really happy. So pretty much everybody who's attending to the Emitting Day should be in the spotlight because I'm really happy about that.

Ryan: Yeah, yeah, that actually was true. It's like just because you're on the stage doesn't necessarily mean, especially, you know, yours truly, doesn't necessarily mean you're bigger or better than anyone that's there visiting. Everybody that was there on stage or off is equal. And so once The panel kind of ended, and we all went to the other room. You know, the big room with the coffee and the bar and etcetera, and the food. You just sort of stood around, and and it was just chummy, and and there's just no other opportunity to stand in a room with people from you know fifty countries or however many. Yeah. And so just a heck of an event, and I'm really proud to be a part of it again.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah. Well, it's going to be at the fifth of and sixth of October this year in Harlem in the Lichtfabrik. Say it again, Ryan. The Lichtfabrik.

Ryan: The the light.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, that's good. That's good. And if I may say, if I may say one more thing, just check theimagingdays.com. You see the whole program, you see all the speakers, and of course all the premium partners, and it's gonna be a blast again this year.

Ryan: Yeah, yeah, that's exciting. Now, can people buy— I mean, I know there's a lot of people that are making travel plans, you know, actually from London I think it's like a 40-minute flight and it's really easy. From a lot of places in Europe you could take the train for a couple hours, 3 hours, or, you know, a quick flight. But if they are literally really close, how close to the event can they buy their tickets?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Till the day before.

Ryan: Okay, great. So up until that Sunday, the 4th. Okay, awesome.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, yeah.

Ryan: And theimagingdays.com, we already said that. It's the 5th and 6th of October. It's over in a great, great little town called Haarlem, which is actually— is that where you were born and raised, or is it just where you're from now?

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: No, I'm born and raised here. Yeah, I'm still living here in Haarlem, but not for long anymore. But it's a lovely town. So even when you go out at night, or if you were here on the Sunday night already, it's a really good thing just to go into the city because Harlem is great. It's a beautiful city.

Ryan: Yeah, yeah, I love it. Okay, so we covered the Imaging Days. Everybody will be there and everybody will go to the website and all that, but I have to leave you with one thing, Anthony. I never actually said it officially to you, so congratulations are in order. Somebody went and got themselves married.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Yeah, that's me. Thank you very much, Ryan. Yeah, yeah, just, it's almost a month now. It's, it's, it's, you know, and are you married, Ryan?

Ryan: No, no, I got one foot in, one foot in, but no.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: You should do it. It's, it's because it's a beautiful day. Yeah, it's, it's, you know, it, it, you go bankrupt after it, after it's over, but it's, it's one of the most beautiful days in your life. It's unbelievable. And, you know, you always get like a little present because there's something around my finger now, and it's, it's, you know, It still reminds me of that day, and hopefully it's going to be still reminding me of that day in about 40 years or something like that. But let's not talk about marriage.

Ryan: That's awesome. I know Francie, your now wife, an amazing person. So congratulations to you both.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: But you're right.

Ryan: Well, we'll end that there.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Thank you.

Ryan: Anthony Timmers, theimagingdays.com. Thanks so much for coming on here and talking about the show. And again, I just look forward to another amazing edition of The Imaging Days. Thank you.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Looking forward to that again, of course, and looking forward to meeting you and seeing you again in October. Thanks, Ryan.

Ryan: All right, let me drop a quick outro on you only to remind that I will be blanketing the world with podcasts. Now, some people do podcasts every day. I, I just can't. But as far as my rate of return, instead of about once a month, or if I'm lucky once every 3 weeks, I'm going to have more than that over the course of the next 4 to 8 weeks. I'll just rattle them off again. I'm going to have John Frost back on the show, legend in the world of radio imaging, radio voiceover, radio creativity, writing, all of that stuff. John Frost will be coming on the show. Then Dom Narrow will be back on the show, and we'll discuss what he's been up to and then what he is going to do at the Imaging Days. Kelly Doherty also The most powerful, most, the most powerful person in imaging, Kelly Kelly Kelly, as some people affectionately know her. I call her Kelly Doherty, and she will be on the show, and we're working out that schedule as also, but it's all going to be coming at you pretty fast. So anyway, thanks for checking out the podcast as always, and now here goes Mr. Brian Cooney to lock it out.

Imaging Days Preview Anthony Timmers: Bye.

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