Emmy 2020 to use 140 feeds to reach nominees live
What's the story
Organizers of the Emmy Awards 2020 are doing everything it takes to make this coronavirus-ridden virtual show as live as possible. This year, Jimmy Kimmel will host the show from the Staples Center and while there won't be any audience in front of him, executive producers Reginald Hudlin and Ian Stewart would ensure that the 140 nominees enjoy the ceremony safely with their families.
Cameras
Why the Staples Center was chosen for the event
Helping Kimmel go live will be technicians and coordinators who would need to maintain social distancing to be safe. The Staples Center is large enough to ensure that kind of distance between staffers and hence, it was chosen. Also, each of the 140 nominees should feel comfortable yet enjoy watching the show. This needs high-end camera operators and wiring, which Staples can easily provide.
Ideas
Next step in plan: Using COVID bubbles
Since the nominees can be at any place at any time, it becomes the job of the high-end video operators to flash the proceedings of the show on any electronic device they might be using. The organizers would ask one family member each of the concerned nominee to broadcast that video from their own COVID bubbles to ensure safe participation.
Comment
'We have got to go and find them'
"This will all depend on the comfort level of the people at the other end, but we've got to go and find them," Stewart said. "They might be at home, in the garden, in a hotel, might be standing on the side of the street. It doesn't really matter. But we want to bring every nominee that we can logistically, live into the show."
Security
Pre-recorded thank-you message is being sought from every nominee
Moreover, a pre-recorded thank-you message is sought from every nominee so that the winners' message is played after declaring the awards. The most challenging part is delivering awards to the winners, as all of them are in some sort of a lockdown and stationed in different parts of the world. They definitely would not like to have a stranger deliver the awards in person.
Quote
'Looking through all those questions and trying to figure out'
"There are people who are nominated who live in Los Angeles, who live in London, who live in Berlin and Tel Aviv, so we're looking through all those questions and all those challenges and trying to figure it out," Hudlin said.
Response
Star reactions to virtual Emmys 2020
Notably, Kimmel, Hudlin and Stewart are rewriting and working toward making this ceremony interactive. After hearing of the virtual Emmys on September 20, actor Hugh Jackman said, "Everyone feels it's the right thing to do." Separately, Nicholas Braun thought of using projectors to watch the ceremony, while Zendaya wants to sport a red carpet dress and "walk her living room carpet."