What's black and white and read all over? Well, it was The Newsroom Season 2 premiere party at Paramount in Los Angeles, where readable news and graphic lettering formed eye-catching decor.
Longtime HBO collaborator Billy Butchkavitz worked with the TV network's Lauren McMahon to produce and design the alfresco party on July 10. Butchkavitz explained that the decor, color palette, design, and theme were all inspired by the key art for the season's ad campaign. "I was inspired by the first few episodes of the show, [which showed] scandal, tabloid, and the power of the press—and from things I saw on the set," he said.
Newsprint wallpaper covered a 480-foot-long, 8-foot-high perimeter wall, which defined the party space. Inside, guests could try their luck at a so-called "newscaster karaoke" activity. The team created two news sets, plus costumes, hair, and makeup stations. Guests could choose a news story—similar to the way they'd pick a song for karaoke—film a segment, and take home a copy of the taping.
The centerpiece of the party was Paramount's fountain, which the team filled with 16 retro TVs that had been gutted, painted white, and outfitted with faux logo screens and LED lighting. The televisions sat atop 4- and 5-foot-high pedestals, in another nod to the key art.
The party's look and feel was a bit of a departure for HBO and Butchkavitz; the two often collaborate on wildly colorful events, like after-parties for the Emmys and Golden Globes.
