Meet Ricky Kirshner. Producer of Super Bowls, The Emmys, and the *2020 Democratic Convention

[Budi]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/deadline.com/2020/08/michelle-obama-democratic-convention-joe-biden-producer-ricky-kirshner-interviews-emmys-nominations-super-bowl-2021-1203016856/amp/

Deadline interviews Ricky Kirshner on the production of the 2020 Democratic Convention.


Democratic Convention Producer Ricky Kirshner On Tonight’s Shindig, Michelle Obama’s Speech, Dual Emmys Nominations & Super Bowl 2021
August 18, 2020


Ricky Kirshner had been working on Democratic National Conventions since the first time Bill Clinton was nominated, but the realities of the coronavirus pandemic this year saw the Emmy winning producer to literally move the show across the nation at very short notice.


“We built a show that was anchored in Milwaukee, with a center in Milwaukee, where we would kind of roll out on to a much bigger set,” Kirshner says from the control room in Delaware as he gears up tonight for Night 2 of Democrats’ remote shindig

“So, the hard part was taking all of that infrastructure and moving it to Delaware, scenically,” the longtime Tony Awards and Super Bowl Halftime producer reveals of the four-night show that will nominate KSen. Kamala Harris for VP tomorrow and culminate in Joe Biden’s acceptance speech on Thursday.

“It was a matter of moving a lot of the tech infrastructure around. Literally, our set, lights, screens, everything were in a truck in Milwaukee to be unloaded the next day when we got the call. Now, we have a control room in Delaware and we have a control room in Milwaukee, where our technical hub is built.”
MORE....

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Well that explains why this Dem Convention is an award winning production.

Ricky Kirshner producer of Super Bowls to Emmy Awards Shows, and Conventions.

[elleng]

1. Good to know!

[rufus dog]

2. Thanks for finding this

It is obvious that this was produced from a group that has Grade A+++++++ talent.

[nocoincidences]

3. This was a first-rate production.

Thank you for identifying who was responsible. They deserve to be lauded in every way!

[Blue Owl]

4. I bet tRump's got Jacob Wohl

“We’re live from the GOP Convention virtual command center in mommy’s garage...”

[Tanuki]

5. Thank you! I was wondering who was responsible for visualizing,

organizing, and filming this complex and very successful production. I have never heard the name Ricky Kirshner before, but he and his team are obviously consummate professionals and have done a splendid job. I hope that in years to come they will look back with prIde on the role they played in preserving our democracy. Thank you for shining a light on their extraordinary effort!

[Cha]

6. Hire the best.. sounds like a labor of love.

[tanyev]

7. I was wondering where the set that Eva Longoria and Tracee Ellis Ross used is located.

After reading the article, I'm still not 100% sure. Milwaukee?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. and son of Don Kirshner

Don Kirshner

{snip}

Don Kirshner's Rock Concert
Main article: Don Kirshner's Rock Concert

In the fall of 1972, Kirshner was asked by ABC Television to serve as executive producer and "creative consultant" for their new In Concert series, which aired every other week in the 11:30 p.m. slot normally showing The Dick Cavett Show. The following September, Kirshner left In Concert to produce and host his own syndicated weekly rock-concert program called Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. With its long-form live performances, as compared to rehearsed, often lip-synced performances that were the staple of earlier television shows like Shindig!, it was a new direction for pop music presentation. The last show aired in 1981, the year that MTV was launched.

The program presented many of the most successful rock bands of the era, but what was consistent week-to-week was Kirshner's deliberately "flat" delivery as the program host. In its final season, Rock Concert was mostly hosted by Kirshner's son and daughter, whose delivery was the same as their father's. Kirshner's "wooden" presentation style was later lampooned on Saturday Night Live by Paul Shaffer, most notably in Shaffer's introduction of the Blues Brothers during the duo's television debut. Shaffer and Kirshner worked together on the short-lived situation comedy, A Year at the Top, which Kirshner co-produced with Norman Lear, and in which Shaffer starred.

{snip}

[Budi]

9. Well damn! I remember that. Interesting bio on the Kirshner fame.

Don Kirshner's Rock Concert...


Thanks for the flashback..😏

[edhopper]

13. Well then

I'm a believer.

[HotTeaBag]

10. I know I'm in the minority (and probably the only one), but I think the DNC is really poorly

produced - it feels like each night is being thrown together after meetings held in the afternoons.

Stage managers walking through shots, using what should be unusable footage, awful jib shots in-studio, clunky transitional elements, seemingly no communication to the talent counting them in on live remotes - Jill's steadicam last night was all over the place, etc.

The pre-shot segments are the best parts and lend an intimacy to what the speakers are saying that would be missing if held in an arena, so that's something (although Bill's ACam was overexposed).

Overall it's tough to watch, which is surprising if it's true that they've been planning it since May.

Both my wife and I work in television so perhaps I'm being overly critical, but this doesn't feel like a solid professional production - an average local news broadcast is much better.

[Spazito]

11. Yes, you probably are in a very small minority of one or maybe two...

but your critique was not at all unexpected having read your previous posts.

[HotTeaBag]

12. I doubt the minority is as small as you think it is.

Especially having read your previous posts.

[Spazito]

14. LOL!

Did you read your own first post where you say you are " I know I'm in the minority (and probably the only one)", I was merely agreeing with you.

I hope you enjoyed my previous posts over the 17 years I've been a member.

[HotTeaBag]

15. Yeah, I read what I wrote but you didn't.

And honestly I've never seen your name before so I have no idea what you've written, but I'm absolutely honored that you've read my posts and have come to whatever conclusion that you've come to.

It's so cute that you'd mention my previous posts - with any luck and A LOT of K&R and +1, maybe I can get to 34,000.

[Spazito]

16. Gee, you really don't seem to read your own posts where you post the following...

"Especially having read your previous posts." I could only assume you had actually done so but, alas that seems not to be the case.

Just a note, if you were simply quoting my post back to me, quotation marks are helpful.

LOL, nice edit, caught you own mistake, good job!

[HotTeaBag]

17. I put that in as I thought it was a pretty strange thing for you to say.

I simply have an opinion that you disagree with regarding the production value of the DLC having spent years actually working to put together television shows (live and not) as a producer and director.

The messages have been wonderful, the production overall has not been.

That's pretty much it, I don't see how my previous posts have much to do with it, but you apparently do and it's odd.

[Spazito]

18. Not really odd, we all read others' posts...

at least most of us do.

I look forward to your critique of the RNC convention given your experience and all.

[HotTeaBag]

19. Actually, I wasn't planning on watching the RNC as I don't think I'll be able to stomach the

messages offered.

But, since you've asked me to critique it - I'll watch it and get back to you.

[Spazito]

20. Awesome!