The stage design for Fox’s telecast of the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards used a massive curved LED screen with multiple unique wedge shaped “door” segments that could raise and lower to allow for presenter entrances and layered looks.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Fox uses unique video wall with angled 'doors' as backdrop for Emmys
The stage design for Fox’s telecast of the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards used a massive curved LED screen with multiple unique wedge shaped “door” segments that could raise and lower to allow for presenter entrances and layered looks.
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I think this is a great example of stage/scenic design that is both visually striking, as well as not forbiddingly technically challenging. Say what you will, the whole point of tv events like the emmys are to make money for the network, organizations, and industry they represent. They want their whole show to look spectacular so that people keep watching, and come back to watch in subsequent years, but they also want to do so with the least money spent. The giant wedge shaped projection surfaces, while surely not inexpensive, only have one axis of motion, and as far as I can tell, there was no other scenery. Lifting a large flat object is also one of the most stable moving scenery actions axes that can be produced. Regarding the visual nature of the piece, everyone who's seen any sort of moire effect knows the visual effect of offset angles can be very interesting. Good on ya, emmy's.
When I watched the Emmy's, I did not actually notice the V shaped screen doors that would lift up fro presenters. I did however notice the amount of space the stage had. A lot of presenters took awhile (especially the women in amazingly high heels), and it was interesting to notice as I can't recall other Emmy's being like that, though I could be misremembering. When I read the article and looked back at the pictures, I noticed the large X shaped doors and thought it was a really interesting design. The doors transform back into LED screens once the presenters go through, which is not only a great use of space of the stage but also really visually cool to look at. The stage design did project the opulence of the Emmy's with the grandness of the stage size, but I think it was a little too cavernous, especially since, when I was watching, there were not a lot of large acts between presentations to warrant a large stage. The article does have a link to Viola Davis's presentation, which combines the screens and actors on the stage to mimic her words, and it was a pretty interesting way to describe Drama. But I have no context to why they did this. Why were they talking about drama and its importance? The whole ceremony felt a little stilted and awkward, as if FOX did not want to create controversy, but still tried to make it relevant and engaging. They were close, but I feel like they ultimately fell short for me.
The V-shaped doors are in an interesting design, I like them but at the same time they aren't the most impressive or flattering design choice. LED screens blow my mind, I have a hard time comprehending all the technology behind those massive walls! I got to see the LED screens used in Frozen the musical on Broadway and you look at those screens from far away they look like a black wall and then all the sudden it is literally a humungous TV spanning the whole stage. The stage that hosted the show looks incredibly large and I don't even want to know how expensive that LED screen must have been (and to know that it was custom built for a ONE-night performance). I didn't watch the Emmy's but I did see a few highlight videos, it was a little more interesting to see who was there and the show was cool (but I still enjoy the Tony Awards much better). Another comment about the raising LED Screen door is that I would love to see how they got that to raise and lower! Connection of the door to the ground and other LED screens has to be unnoticeable, whatever was lifting that had to hold A LOT of loads and had to keep that load stable (so I would love to know what system makes that work). Again people in the entertainment industry are doing really amazing things (not saying that humongous LED screens are always the way to go for every show) but I would love to work with some form of this technology in the future.
I quite enjoy seeing this form of onstage creativity. Visually, it is such a simple effect. But it is so well thought through and very effective in what it does. From the strong lines it creates, to the focal point/attention is draws to the person coming through it, as well as being able to be visually stimulating without being distracting, is well executed. Its sleekness and apparent effortlessness of its rise is so suitable to the event. I often look at award shows and gush over their stage designs because of how smartly they are done. They come off as simple and they aren't too in your face, as they should be. However, the designers are obviously on top of their games. Not only are they innovative with their creations, but the dynamics and subtle artistry is always so spot on.
-Apriah Williams
This is the sort of “scenic design” that I can see becoming more and more prevalent in today’s tv award shows. Award shows really don’t need any staging aside from spaces for projections and in today’s adaptation rather then having the external screens like the golden globes the new wave of larger tv and movie award shows are going to these adaptive and transformative screens. It allows the media designer to create a design that can be unique and adaptive throughout the show as well as give them a surface to display the very media that the show is about. Award shows like these are a hard place to design with so many different things being portrayed. I think music awards will still be in their own style as the artist still hold creative licenses over their own performances. These screens are moving more a more into live entertainment and I wouldn’t be surprised if in the near future as we do with the show decks and their seams we will be looking for things in video screens.
First off, I loved that this article included so many pictures and clips of the broadcast to show how the Emmys used the set. It's a great tool to help demonstrate the articles ideas. I also thought the video showing the control room was a fun way to show and credit all of the people working behind the scenes. This years set seems to have worked very well for the Emmys. The media wall is a great way to show the TV show and movie nominations. It also lets the people in the “cheap” seats see the action. I love how many different meanings people have assigned to the V shapes of the wall openings. Bunny ears, TV antenna, Iron Man’s mask, and I’m sure there are others show, how much people are looking at this broadcast. Also, I thought the Homer Simpson moment was hysterical. I’m excited to see what the Emmys come up with next year.
For me personally, I was not a big fan of the stage design for the Emmys. I thought the media used throughout the night was extremely impressive and I did enjoy how the stage design was used to allow the videos to be the center of attention. Video design often underappreciated. However, in terms of overall visual appeal, I felt the design was lacking. The doors did provide for a smooth transition of presenters, but the design lacked any real character or emotions for the night. It felt stiff compared to the design of last years Oscars, which had large rose statues and hanging diamonds from the stage. I felt that the design could be more ambitious for an award show for a medium that relies on production design so heavily. There are aspects to appreciate, but overall I was disappointed with the result of what was presented to the audience.
I don't watch the Emmy's often so I don't quite remember this video wall. Reading the article about this massive piece of technology is quite entertaining. It is so amazing how this giant screen is also able to function and move into creating different entrances for the announcers. I am curious to know how much this one wall cost to build. Also, what do they do with something like this once the awards show is over? I am not sure if it is a rented piece but it almost seems custom built with all its unique functionalities. I would love to know who typically gets to design shows like these. Is the curved screen solely for aesthetic choice or does it assist camera angles for the live stream of the show? Now thinking about the design of the set, I wonder what it is like to be a projection designer for an awards show, having to call cues for any potential award winner. It must be quite an elaborate team that I wished they discussed in the article.
-Pablo Anton
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