Industry Insights: How flexible design and LED integration redefine studio storytelling

The art and technology of scenic design have entered a new era — one defined by flexibility, interactivity and LED innovation. Today’s broadcast environments are no longer static sets but dynamic storytelling spaces that merge physical craftsmanship with digital precision.

From modular scenic architecture to seamless LED integration, designers are balancing creativity with technical performance to meet the needs of multi-platform production.

This Industry Insights roundtable explores how scenic professionals are redefining the studio experience: where LED walls enhance brand identity, where adaptability supports efficiency and where storytelling drives every design decision.

Industry Insights: Balancing creativity and control in modern studio lighting

Key takeaways from this Industry Insights roundtable

• LED drives evolution: Advancements in pixel pitch, refresh rate, and calibration have made LED displays a core storytelling tool, not just a visual accent.
• Flexibility is essential: Broadcasters demand modular scenic elements and dynamic LED areas that can shift easily between formats and programs.
• Branding begins with design: A well-conceived set visually reflects tone, credibility, and audience connection, serving as a living embodiment of brand identity.
• Technology shapes efficiency: Virtual production, retractable walls, and multi-use LED surfaces allow compact studios to operate at large-scale capability.
• Integration demands precision: Calibration, processing, and lighting alignment are critical to ensuring LED walls perform flawlessly on camera.

How has the set design business changed? Evolved?

Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group: The set design business has undergone a major transformation over the past decade. From static backdrops to fully immersive environments, today’s studios are expected to do more with less — visually, functionally, and technologically. Clients want sets that are not just beautiful but purpose-driven, versatile, and ready to support storytelling across multiple platforms. At Devlin Design Group, we’ve embraced this evolution by remaining open to new ideas, integrating emerging technologies, and always keeping the viewer experience at the forefront.

How has design style evolved? What are buyers looking for?

Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group: Design is always evolving! The most requested feature clients request is flexibility. They are looking for innovative and visually sophisticated ways to elevate storytelling with the ability to effortlessly switch up the look and feel for different programs. Functionality, adaptability, and high production value are key — and our clients want it all to look effortless on camera.

Caroline Aldridge, project manager, Broadcast Design International: Scenic set design evolution has been driven by changes in technology, broadcast formats, and branding strategies. Buyers are looking for set solutions that meet strategic, visual, and operational needs. Their priorities typically balance functionality, technology, storytelling capability, and brand alignment.

How can a set drive brand differentiation?

Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group: We listen first and understand who we are designing for. We learn about their insights, identify challenges, then together we define foundational principles, so the new design supports and elevates the brand, and resonates with their audience. The result is a design that feels authentic, boosts recognition, and gives the client a unique voice in their market. In essence, we help turn the set into a brand ambassador.

Caroline Aldridge, project manager, Broadcast Design International: A well-designed news set is one of the most powerful tools for brand differentiation in broadcast media. It’s not just a backdrop — it’s a visual embodiment of a network’s values, tone, and credibility. Giving the audience a coherent look and sense of place tied to the brand identity.

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What role does technology play in the flexibility of modern studio set designs?

Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group: We continue to see exciting new forms of innovative storytelling and audience engagement. Virtual and XR technologies are blurring the lines between real and virtual. With LED costs coming down, we’re able to incorporate dynamic storytelling surfaces into nearly any studio space.

How have modular and adaptable scenic elements impacted broadcast production workflows?

Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group: At Nebraska Public Media, we designed a multifunctional studio that supports more than 20 programs ranging from University of Nebraska sports interview shows like Cornhuskers football, The Big Red Wrap-Up, the longest running ag show in the U.S., public affairs programming, live music performances, pledge drives and debates with a studio audience! The client required a design where each program could have its own unique look. We created a variety of LED performance areas ranging from an impressive 22×12 ft. array to display show branding or to be used as a graphic backdrop, to multiple rolling kiosks. By incorporating rolling kiosks, movable set pieces, and color-changing LED areas, we enabled the production team to craft custom looks for each show.

What trends are shaping the integration of physical and virtual scenic elements?

Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group: Clients are now looking for designs that feel grounded, intimate, and real, even when enhanced with virtual elements. A commitment to engaging the audience with innovative and immersive storytelling is shaping new virtual set design. The best results come when physical and virtual are integrated thoughtfully enhancing storytelling while preserving realism and depth. As virtual design matures, the focus is shifting back to intentionality, narrative, and engagement.

How are broadcasters addressing challenges around space utilization and scenic design efficiency?

Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group: Our client, Monumental Sports Network, posed a unique challenge. The Washington D.C. RSN covering the Wizards, Capitals, Mystics and Capital City Go-Go, occasionally needed to air simultaneous broadcasts from a single studio located adjacent to Capital One Arena in downtown D.C.. Our solution included a retractable sky-fold wall to divide the space, two mobile LED desks, and an impressive 1,200 sq. ft. of 4K LED displays. Additional transportable elements and two insert studios gave them the flexibility to meet both production and branding needs.

In what ways have design decisions changed due to multi-platform distribution requirements?

Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group: This shift has pushed us to design sets with more camera versatility, tighter compositions, and graphic-friendly backgrounds. Branding elements need to be clearly visible and readable on mobile, while still looking stunning in wide shots. Additionally, clients are asking for sets that support behind-the-scenes content, live streaming, and social media, so we now plan for 360-degree storytelling environments.

What factors should studios consider when selecting LED display technology?

Caroline Aldridge, project manager, Broadcast Design International: Studios should consider pixel pitch, refresh rates, viewing distance, and camera compatibility to ensure the LED display delivers sharp, flicker-free visuals on air. It’s also important to evaluate the display’s brightness, color accuracy, and processing capabilities to match the studio lighting and content demands.

How are broadcasters managing color calibration and consistency across studio LED walls?

Silvia C. Natal, international business manager, Alfalite: Testing is crucial. The LED display manufacturer’s professional services staff must have extensive experience performing camera tests, lighting adjustments, and brightness and colorimetry calibration. All LED displays must be fully calibrated with white balance and within color spectrum ranges suitable for broadcast. The desired color quality, color depth and grayscale should be set at very low brightness working levels. Testing is equally important at the studio.

What technical issues commonly arise with large-scale LED installations, and how are they addressed?

Silvia C. Natal, international business manager, Alfalite: With high quality components you can get rid of the interference and noise that can be visible in LED screens. LED displays coexist with a multitude of electronic or electrical systems. Shielding and filtering components further reduce radiated emissions that may cause interference. Power surges should also be avoided at all costs as they may cause main power lines to fail or overload.

What role does LED display resolution play in studio design decisions? What are the common pixel pitches today?

Silvia C. Natal, international business manager, Alfalite: Lowering the pixel pitch reduces in-camera artifacts, such as “moiré,” by having both the LED matrix grids of the display and the camera’s CCD. However, setting the refresh rate (high) and the scan rate (low), helps to reduce unwanted effects. Lowering the pixel pitch means a higher component density and, therefore, an oversizing of the processors that manage the LED displays, as well as the content servers and the number of input video signals that will be needed to “paint” the canvases with native pixel mapping. The most commonly used pixel pitches are 2.6 mm and 1.9 mm, but pixel pitches of 1.5 mm, 1.2 mm, and even 0.9 mm are already being integrated.

Caroline Aldridge, project manager, Broadcast Design International: Higher-resolution displays are ideal for close-up shots or high-detail graphics, while lower- resolution options work well for background visuals. Choosing the right pitch depends on how the display will be used—whether it’s a focal point for storytelling or a dynamic backdrop that complements the set without distracting. Common pixel pitches range from 1.2mm to 3.9mm, depending on space, budget, and visual requirements. A tighter pitch provides more detail but also increases cost, so studios must balance visual clarity with viewing distance and camera angles.

How are production teams using LED walls differently in news compared to sports or entertainment programming?

Silvia C. Natal, international business manager, Alfalite: In a news environment, more PiP capabilities may be required to offer more live feeds. News and sports sets used for virtual production XR (virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality) need unique frame rates and scan rate specifications. News can use simpler setups. Sports may need faster, sharper LED displays, with a lower pixel pitch to capture close detail. Entertainment production demands top-tier resolution and rendering for cinematic results.

Caroline Aldridge, project manager, Broadcast Design International: In news, LED walls help anchor visuals like live data, maps, and branded graphics—keeping things clean and focused on the story. Sports and entertainment shows, on the other hand, use them to create energy, movement, and immersive environments that match the pace and excitement of the content.

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How important is a proper video wall processor to drive an LED wall?

Silvia C. Natal, international business manager, Alfalite: It’s very important. Selecting the right processor is like selecting the right LED screen. It depends on the application. The processor used in a retail application does not have the same requirements as a processor used for a large concert venue or a broadcast studio. The processor needs to handle the video resolution, as well as the number and quality of signals, outputs and inputs that you need.

What are we missing in the conversation?

Silvia C. Natal, international business manager, Alfalite: It’s vital to consider the brightness level that works best for you. A higher brightness level looks better but lessens the lifespan of the screens. In a broadcast environment, the working brightness range is 30 to 200 nits, while screens can easily provide over 1,500 nits. It’s important not to overwork the components of your screen. Special layers of surface coverage in LEDs afford not only an extra layer of protection but also provide unwanted reflection from studio lighting while improving the viewing angle.