HBO’s “The Newsroom” was a big hit this summer with viewers. One of the things that helped the sets come alive were a number of graphic elements, including props, backdrops, and scenery.
Graphic Designer Martin T. Charles, who has more than fifty feature films to his name, helped bring “The Newsroom” set alive with a number of graphics.
Charles was brought on board about six weeks before shooting began to support production designer Richard Hoover. As the set’s centerpiece, Hoover envisioned a dramatic two-story wall mural accented by a modern spiral staircase. “The idea was to create a very large, translucent two-story newsroom set, visually designed so that from every room and every angle, you saw large, imposing graphics—yet were left with a sense of ease,” Charles said.
To reflect this creative vision, Charles used a 64-inch Roland VersaCAMM VS
inkjet printer/cutter. “Projects such as this require me to work around the clock, using the industry’s best and most reliable equipment,” he said.
Charles printed dozens of graphics, covering every glass wall, window, and door of the newsroom, many featuring metallic designs.
Using etched glass vinyl, he created a dramatic bluish backdrop that became one of the main color palettes for the show.
In all, the main two-story wall wrap measured 115 feet long-by-18 feet high and required more than 2,000 square feet of printed media. Other graphics included hundreds of decorative elements, from wallpaper to signage and other props.
”It was difficult to produce all the elements needed in the tight time frame provided, but then that’s Hollywood,” said Charles. “In the end, the results were fantastic. The producers were impressed with all the images and the overall effect.”
