Archive for the ‘NAB Preview 2008’ Category

Interactive newscast, weather center part of Express’ recent work

The Express Group’s design team creates eye-catching scenic solutions that make cost-effective use of a station’s budget.

The firm created a unique new set for WYOU-TV, the CBS affiliate in Scranton, Pa. to coincide with the station’s new interactive newscast format. The set includes a large interview-style area furnished with armchairs and a coffee table framed by a printed graphical background. Furniture can be quickly and easily rearranged to accommodate one or multiple guests who respond to viewers’ telephone and e-mail questions and comments. Wood paneling a dramatically lit structural column complete the look.

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Edgy, modern sets forte at Blyth

Blyth Design is a small firm that creates sets with big impact.

With a portfolio stocked with work for Fox, Blyth’s style is hallmarked by liberal use of metals, backlit surfaces and bold shapes.

Blyth sets can be found at almost every major Fox O&O station in the county, as well as News Corporation’s flagship Fox News Channel. Though there are slight variations from station to station, the standard Fox O&O set features a trapezoid-shaped duratran opening behind the anchor desk, blurred monitor walls, thick beveled columns and curved tri-plasma arrays.
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Firm packs sets full of ‘Inergi’

Though one of the smaller set design firms, Inergi’s portfolio offers a broad and varied sample of set design.

Its work at KERO-TV in Bakersfield, Calif., makes uses of gentle curves and broad printed backgrounds to create a cost-effective solution that packs a high-tech look. The set combines an eye-catching shade of blue with rich wood tones to create a traditional yet contemporary feel.
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Devlin applies innovative designs to stations, museum

Known for its innovative used of colors and textures, Devlin Design Group has created unique new looks.

At WFMZ-TV in Allentown, Pa., Devlin’s sprawling two-story set gives this station the big-market look it needs to compete with the overlapping competition from nearby Philadelphia stations. Bolstered with rear projection screens, changeable duratrans and plasma screens, the set also includes a working second floor that houses the weather and traffic centers. Warm, bold colors and backgrounds give this set a fresh look that stands out.
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New set firm springs into new designs

Though a new firm, Clickspring Design is backed by experienced designs who have created many high-profile sets at some of the biggest names in television.

According to the firm’s Web site, the firm places emphasis on “experiential design” that is defined as “dimensionalizing client-specific content and communication objectives through environmental design.”
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Stephen Arnold Music continues to evolve

Stephen Arnold Music has been a company in transition over the last year, as it continues to update classic packages while rolling out new fresh ideas.

Over the past year, Stephen Arnold Music has begun boosting its brand toward “Your Brain on Music,” a new offshoot with new original themes.

Your Brain on Music was established in 2007 to fill a music void and over the past year has had its themes launched on many channels. (more…)

FX wraps up busy year of new looks

FX Group has wrapped up an extremely busy year heavily driven by stations coverting to HD — and has the distinction of designing more news sets than any other firm since last year’s NAB convention.

“2007 and early 2008 have been extremely busy for us,” said Kathy Mosher-Boulé, the company’s vice president. (more…)

Renderon injects 3D into news graphics

Living up to its name, motion graphics design firm Renderon has brought an ultra-sharp, high-tech rendered 3D look to the news graphics industry.

Although 3D elements are certainly not new to news graphics, Renderon’s work takes the concept to a new level that is mixed with eye-catching and innovative transitions.

Many of the packages push the envelope in news graphics, but the risk pays off with innovative designs that stand out in their respective markets. Most of Renderon’s work has been for small- to mid-market stations, including several for Journal Communications stations, giving these newscasts top-market looks.

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Unique themes with modern updates from Gari

Over the past decades, Gari Communications has produced some of the most memorable news music themes, from “Hello News” to “Eyewitness News.”

Each new theme represents a broad mix or orchestral and synthetic textures driving home the story. This rich history has helped Gari Communications become one of the leading news music composers in television.

Last year, compared to years past, was a relatively quiet year for Gari Communications, but the company continued to make noise. (more…)

Hothaus sets the scene in graphics packages

Hothaus Creative’s graphics combine the traditional look of news graphics with fully-directed video of talent, station vehicles, the newsroom and locales within the station’s market.

Hothaus’ shooting styles are almost always instantly recognizable and have spawned many copycat attempts.

While using video in news graphics packages is definitely not a unique concept, Hothaus’ meticulously-lit and carefully planned shots stand out in the industry with their dramatic appearance. These shots do an excellent job of creating a sense of urgency and giving viewers a glimpse into life at a TV news station — albeit a slightly exaggerated and staged one.

Hothaus video is also unique in the sense that locations, not just the talent, are also creatively lit — sometimes splashing broad, bold colored lights onto backgrounds that are otherwise a boring white. In addition careful blocking, lighting and post-production effects can turn ordinary looking spaces that show promise as a shoot location into active, newsy backgrounds.

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BDI adds clean, modern looks to its portfolio

The venerable Broadcast Design International has wrapped up a year that was marked by several projects that boast a clean, modern and soft look.

Known for creating top-tier sets for the “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric” and stations across the country, BDI has a reputation for designing sets with a traditional feel as well as eye-catching looks with bold colors and materials. More recent projects, however, have taken on a more modern look that seems to draw inspiration from European design.

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Submit your questions for NAB

It’s almost time for NAB 2008, and this year NewscastStudio is pulling out all the stops with more coverage than ever before. As part of the upcoming coverage, we want questions from you to ask the major set design, graphic design, music, and new media companies. These questions can be about anything, from their newest project, to why a company started their business.

To add your question, simply Comment on this post with your question. If there is a specific person you want NewscastStudio to ask, please include their name.

Then, watch NewscastStudio next week for wall to wall coverage you can count on from NAB 2008. We have a lot of great stuff planed, so stay tuned.