Hosting the 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards at Warner Bros. Studios was an opportunity like no other for Warner Bros. Studios executive director of special events Hillary Harris and her team.
After eight months of working closely with president Bob Mauro and senior vice president David Michaels of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Harris was ready for the call of "Action!" and the sold-out gala to get under way. As if on cue, 1,100 celebrities began to arrive at the historic Warner Bros. Studios Lot in Burbank, CA.
"The logistics were staggering," Harris said. "We had to move 1,100 guests several times during the day. First, from several parking lots to three backlot locations and then to Soundstage 16 in time for a live broadcast."
The red carpet was a venue in and of itself. Measuring 555 feet long, it stretched from New York St. to the Steven J. Ross Theater, where a custom marquee greeted attendees. The carpet was lined with two golden seven-foot Emmy statues, 150 feet of step-and-repeat backdrops for 160 members of the press, and grandstands filled with 250 fans. The carpet was also a stage for Tom Riles of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, who entertained fans and interviewed celebrities.
As guests made their way to the SJR Theater, they passed two more Emmy statues before heading to Brownstone St., where custom designed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were waiting. At this point, Harris and her team prepped the next stage of the event—the live show on Stage 16 produced by Michael Levitt Productions.
To get all guests to the stage by 4:45, Harris worked with the studio's tour department and its fleet of deluxe shuttles. "We had 45 minutes to get everyone there, including the fans who would be seated on stage," Harris said. One of the unique aspects of the show that Levitt and production designer Steve Bass conceived was to have fans seated on stage. "Pop TV, which aired the show, is all about the fans," Harris said.
While fans were being seated on stage, other guests were taking their places at glittering tables set for a four-course dinner that would follow the telecast. Harris transformed the dining area with a design that paid homage to the golden age of television yet included modern touches. "I was a little concerned that all the gold sequins of the custom linens and other elements would be too reflective with the lighting of a live show, but the producers just kept saying the more bling the better," Harris said.
As cameras began to roll and host Tyra Banks took the stage, the shine from the tables and the stage lights interacted perfectly with the brightness of the stars to create a truly magical effect.
