Oprah Winfrey Network came to VIVA with an incredibly important assignment. Ms. Winfrey was facilitating a conversation between Black fathers from all walks of life – including celebrities Tyler Perry and Courtney B. Vance – about how they are speaking to their children at this critical moment in our history. The event, 100 Black Fathers, would include 100 at-home guests with whom Ms. Winfrey would need to speak, see and hear.

Our task was to create a virtual production studio from which Ms. Winfrey would host, as well as the virtual ecosystem that makes the entire conversation possible. As production partner, VIVA collaborated with the OWN team on set design, lighting, cinematography, talent coordination and remote production. The goal was to create a seamless and intimate conversation between participants, even though all were separated by thousands of miles. To make it flow smoothly, we developed an innovative wraparound monitor design that allowed her to call on her guests and talk with them one at a time.

VIVA also ensured every production detail was executed perfectly, from getting the over-the-shoulder shots and ensuring the teleprompter and cameras had the right eye line, to monitoring guest Zooms and working the control room. VIVA is proud to have helped produce 100 Black Fathers as our first assignment with OWN. We feel its success is evident by our continued partnership on new OWN projects.