Disney+ 'This Is Me' Pride Variety Show

Disney+ faced a major hurdle in producing their first annual Pride variety show: a cast split between LA and NYC that needed to appear on camera together in real time. As a producer and director of photography on the NYC team, I developed a workflow that let us pre-visualize the final split-screen compositions on set using footage already shot in LA. We even programmed lighting cues to synchronize between the two locations. Not only did I get to work with Kermit the Frog (a dream come true), but I also had the chance to create stylized cinematic environments for several solo acts. My personal favorite was Alex Newell's Litte Mermaid performance, where costume designer Hannah Kittell and I took on a complex costume-lighting challenge to achieve classic Disney villian vibes.