Alongi worked with the COA and Freeman on everything from camera sight lines to packaged pieces and timing. One of the most important and earliest tasks was the stage design. “The COA was looking for tradition, but also something progressive,” Alongi said. “We knew we wanted to make it inviting, but also something that would stand out. We came up with the idea of combining the warm wood, which is very Americana, with all the video screens, which are very pro- gressive and high-tech.” The design theme was “America’s living room,” and
merged traditional American Prairie style with modern tech- nology. Different versions of the stage were drawn over the winter, and once Romney became the presumptive nominee, the designs were presented to his campaign. They chose the boldest one. “I applaud both the COA and the campaign for being very open and progressive,” Alongi said. “As we pre- sented various options to them, they would say, ‘These are all great, but what if we wanted to do something really different and really out there?’” In the end, the stage, which was estimated to cost $2.5
million, didn’t look like any past convention stage — and that was exactly the idea. “As people were switching channels or scrolling through apps and they came upon this program that had a completely contemporary look, they might say, ‘Oh, “American Idol” is on,’ and you get their attention for a moment,” Algoni said. “By combining tradition and modern, we didn’t lose the traditionalists, and we hopefully brought some new people aboard.”
Social Action Dedicated staff at Tampa Bay & Company’s Social Media Command Center pushed content via a variety of platforms.
Throughout the convention, the video screens at the back
of the stage were used to adjust the backdrop and mood to fit each speaker. All 13 screens — the largest of which was nearly 400 square feet — could be used to form an unbroken, panoramic image; they were also used individually to create a collage effect. Rather than distracting viewers from the message, they served to reinforce it. “Regardless of the event, people in the room need to be embraced and they need to feel a part of it,” Algoni said. “By design, the stage embraced them and the video screens made them feel a part of what was hap- pening on the stage.” Indeed, with so much of the conversation taking place
online and via video, not to mention with broadcast coverage increasingly curtailed and the first day of the four-day event canceled due to Hurricane Isaac (with seemingly minimal impact on the production), it makes you wonder if the politi- cal convention of the future might involve a live event on a much smaller scale. Lane, who has worked on the past seven GOP conventions, doesn’t think so. “Going forward, I think we’ll adapt to whatever the latest technology is, and we’ll keep pushing ahead on that front,” he said. “But political conventions truly are a part of our democratic way of govern- ment and how our country is run. I think the tradition of having the convention with the delegates on the floor casting their votes for the nominee — I don’t see that changing.”
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Contributing Editor Molly Brennan is a freelance writer and editor based in Highland Park, Ill.
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› To learn more about the 2012 Republican National Convention, visit gopconvention.com. › For more information about the Tampa Bay Host Committee, visit 2012tampa.com.