Emmys Go Virtual: Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Preview

quotWhat could possibly go wrongquot laughed Ian Stewart below right one of the show39s executive producers via a Zoom conference call quotIt39s sort of like walking a tightrope You know you39re not supposed to look down because if you do you fall off But you do glance down and there39s no safety net Things are going to go wrong It39s never been done before and things aren39t going to work perfectly That39s part of the endearment of all of it and what we are going to try We are going to try our bestquotThe good thing is that we39ve got Jimmy Kimmelquot he continued quotHe loves live TV and loves chaos in live TV I think he39s actually hoping things do go wrong to tell you the truth To expand a little bit there are 130 of these remote set ups pictured below all around the world They are in people39s homes backyards hotels and not places wired to do that They are wired to be where you have your dinner So that adds to the complexityquotExpanding on the technological complexities of producing such a mammoth event was coexecutive producer Reginald Hudlin above left who shared quotOn the phone driving here today with one person the call dropped twice and that was out without a picture There39s a tremendous amount of risk in what we are doing We39re using the best equipment the smartest technicians and we39re pushing the technology to its absolute limitsquotquotTo Reggie39s point we39ve got sometimes 6K camerasquot added Stewart quotIt then goes through a Wiamp8209Fi system at their end hopefully hardwired as the Wiamp8209Fi we all have is unstable Let39s say it39s a Zoomamp8209based system because we all understand Zoom It then has to come into a distribution center here has to be grouped then taken to a truck to regroup it From there it has to be distributed A to broadcast and B to screen Everything in the chain happens 130 timesquotWhy are we doing thisquot he continued quotThis has been an extraordinary time none of us have lived through before TV has been our friend through that whole period and brought us together Let39s celebrate it Let39s celebrate the role it39s had in our lives as well as the people who have made it and who are so extraordinarily talentedquotOne fixture of the Emmys not incorporated in the 2020 telecast is the official preawards redcarpet show Instead Countdown to the Emmys provided by ABC News will stream via a variety of digital platforms 630800 PM EDT330500 PM PDT quotWe had thought seriously about doing a redcarpet showquot explained Hudlin quotWe brainstormed a bunch of ideas we were very excited about but realized we would have to not only do the threeamp8209hour broadcast but also produce the preshow Given the scope of the challenge of the main show maybe an additional hour is not something at least for this year So we begged off of that but we hope that the home fashions will make up for what we won39t get in a redcarpet showquotOne thing both producers are banking on viewers enjoying is the organic 39at home39 tone to the production quotWe39ve tried to make it into a fun thing to doquot explained Stewart quotIt39s not stuffy not staged We know that people are having their own Emmys pajamas made so we are trying to make it feel very loose We39ve talked to every nominee there is to try to explain what we are trying to do People were apprehensive about having things in their houses but I think they understand now that we are trying to create an environment So a lot of people rather than say quotI don39t want to do thatquot have said quotThat39s funquot One person said quotI can bring my dogs to the EmmysquotquotI know a lot of celebrities are like 39It39s that time of the year again I39ve got to break out the tuxedo or go shopping39quot added Hudlin quotIt39s a highamp8209end problem but it39s a lot The idea that they can be at home whether they are wearing the freakiest outfit they could find in their closet that they wouldn39t have the courage to bring to the Microsoft Theater or wearing some cool pajamas I think that part is great They don39t have to thank their kids who are watching They can have their kids next to them on the couch I think it39s going to be great for the nominees and for the viewers because every week these folks come into our houses Now we get to go to their houses and get to see what they are doingquotThe producers have tried to predict and have ready a resolve for any mishaps during the telecast but overlooked one The Bobcat Fire currently ravaging California and burning close to the Mount Wilson Observatory home to a cluster of radio and TV antennas Its destruction could turn Los Angeles into a dead zone quotThen Jimmy does three hours of nonstop monologuequot suggested producer Hudlin quotBut in a situation like that the fire crisis is bigger than our little award show We39re counting on the extraordinary firefighters out there struggling not only to protect the communication signal that is crucial to the entire region but protect people39s homes and protect people39s lives We have confidence that those essential workers and everyone helping out is going to do their best to keep things goingquotThe 72nd Emmy Awards is telecast Sunday on ABC Check local listings for airtimesPhotos courtesy of ABCClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNetamp160

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Emmys Go Virtual: Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Preview

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Steve Gidlow

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Emmys Go Virtual: Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Preview

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