In –Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain described ‘lagniappe’ as “one excellent word–a word worth traveling to New Orleans to get; a nice limber, expressive, handy word.” It is a French word meaning ‘a little something extra’. One glance at the new set at the Hearst owned, WDSU 6, in New Orleans, a city apart from any other in America, and you understand the spirit of lagniappe.
During the planning stage the team at WDSU revealed two equally important goals. They wanted a set that featured a variety of storytelling venues, and they wanted something extra… a design that would visually connect them to their community by capturing the Crescent City’s enchanting sultry mix of history and global cultures. The result of the collaboration of the WDSU team and Devlin Design Group team is a high tech masterpiece that captures the gritty mystical soul of NOLA.
On the tech side, the impressive storytelling venues allow the anchors and reporters to take viewers deeper into a story. Versatility is the key word when describing the multiple stages. A 1×9 storytelling array is a dramatic backdrop for the main desk talent shots and the big story. The main desk sits on a stylized ‘crescent’ in honor of the French Quarter which was built on a sharp bend in the Mississippi River.
Of course, a city with such a powerful sense of identity has a story to tell. An interview area with a large curved couch and a 1×6 array is the perfect spot for conversation. The rear set walls above the arrays feature the distressed brick and plaster common to the landscape. Below the arrays a silhouette of the familiar Crescent City Connection bridge can be seen.
Severe weather is part of living in New Orleans. A sliding glass walled working weather center is visible as the team of WDSU meteorologists explain the impending severe weather threat to viewers. Outside the weather area is another working weather desk with a large 70 inch monitor displaying the latest weather stats. The monitor is framed by a stylized old map of the city.
Another pivoting 70” rolling kiosk monitor is perfect for more intimate story telling and branding. Color changing RGB LED back lit set walls with a distinctive Mississippi River wave pattern add another layer of flexibility to the design. A wooden floor adds warmth and authenticity.
“The team at WDSU wanted to capture the New Orleans vibe. We are thrilled to deliver a dynamic scenic storytelling environment that gets the job done and tells a local story!”
—Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, Scenic Design Director, Devlin Design Group
For more information, contact Diane ‘DiFi’ Fiolek. 248.875.9565 difi@ddgtvstaging.wpengine.com
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