With the 24th broadcast of New Year’s Eve Live fast approaching (including Andy and Anderson’s ninth year hosting together), how has the production evolved over the years and how does their dynamic influence your planning?
This is my third year working on CNN’s NYE show and my role is to try and execute the visions of Executive Producer Eric Hall, Anderson and Andy on the ground in Times Square and hopefully not say NO to any ideas that may not be logistically feasible. Luckily, I only have to worry about the New York side of things. (Deborah Doft, my partner-in-crime, has to work out the logistics of all the tapings and locations across the country.) The program has evolved over the years, especially since we now have different broadcasting capabilities. Last year, we had a great segment at Madame Tussauds, where Anderson and Andy’s wax figures were unveiled. While it was only a few blocks away, it still took an army to put together—from multiple site surveys with producers, engineers, photojournalists and security!
What’s the most memorable or unexpected production challenge you’ve faced and are there any new production technologies or techniques being used this year?
I think most of the producers who did this before would agree that the weather is the biggest production challenge we face. The show must go on, but everyone works without any type of rain/snow cover or space heaters regardless of what Mother Nature brings—and that goes for performances on stage and the amazing CNN crew. Some of our crew start building and prepping on the 30th, working until around 4am on the 1st. Last year, we had torrential rain, thunder and lightning and worried we would need to move Anderson and Andy to another location. We had a back-up plan, but luckily, the rain did clear up around 11pm.
Now we are able to incorporate different transmission methods, including newer technologies like cellphones and streaming devices, but we can’t always rely on them in crowded places like Times Square.
Can you walk us through the timeline and process of setting up the production in Times Square, from initial preparations to building the set in such a busy location?
The unofficial start for me is around September, which includes checking in to see who’ll be working again this year. Year after year, we are extremely grateful for everyone who chooses to work on another holiday—in not the greatest weather conditions. From there, we book all the spaces, rooms, fiber, phone lines and electricity; work with the Times Square Alliance to secure our production space and stage; arrange food for the crew; sometimes help book talent; and coordinate with counterparts to finalize the staff list.
For me, the most tedious task is working on the “movement sheet.” The movement sheet needs to list every movement CNN will make on the ground—from live shots and crew change-outs—that gets submitted to the Times Square Alliance and the NYPD for security reasons.
None of these things would get done without everyone that works that night and leading up to the big event. I’m grateful for everyone behind the scenes, producers, engineers, photojournalists, scenic (who create the most amazing sets and props, even with our crazy last-minute requests), our security team, runners—the staff is endless. Lastly, I need to give a special shout-out to Courier Angel Rosado, who I hope will continue to work every New Year’s with me. All our equipment and supplies that get us through the big day is all thanks to Angel!
What’s your pie-in-the-sky production execution or segment that—if you had unlimited funds—you would love to do on New Year’s Eve Live?
Can we move the whole show to Bora Bora or Greece?
