An Interview with MICHELLE POLEY

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE: Michelle is a five-time Emmy nominated, Name: Michelle Poley three-time Emmy Award winning Profession: Lighting Designer lighting designer. Michelle was CNN Experience: 34 years Washington’s Director of Lighting, Location: Alexandria, Virginia creating the first design group outside Website: www.lightcue.com of Atlanta. For 20 years, she managed Recent Shows: CBS Democratic Debate in the daily programing and designed Charleston, SC; CNN Debate CNN’s largest productions around the in Detroit, MI; Studio 11 D CNN world, creating designs for Presidential Washington; Superbowl LIV Fox Debates, town halls, and special event Sports in Miami Beach, FL programming.

THE INTERVIEW: 1999, and that was when I was offered I attended Middle State a job. I had been doing a lot of work with University and studied photojournalism. City Theatrical (CTI): Thank you for legendary television lighting designer I went through high school and college, joining us, Michelle. We are very Bob Dickenson. One of his partners, Ted and realized my career/studies and excited to learn more about you, Wells, was my boss in Nashville. They theatre hobby flipped… and I started your career, and your new venture, had a contract to improve the look of the working out of college at Opryland USA, a LightCue. So first, when did you start network, and Larry King was looking for theme park where I worked as the Master your new business, and how did you an LD. So I went up for an interview, and Electrician for the theatre part in 1985. It transition to entrepreneurship from they offered me the job. was a “show park”; we even had a real your role at CNN? live show boat. In that role, I managed CTI: How did you get started in 18 lighting folks, and there were a total of Michelle Poley (MP): October 2019, lighting? Is it something you always 350 technicians working on live shows. officially, was when LightCue became wanted to do? the woman-owned design firm that it is CTI: How did you go from working on today. I had just decided to retire from my MP: I’m originally from Madison, live shows for themed entertainment role as Director of Lighting at CNN after Wisconsin. As a kid, we moved to to television work? almost 20 years. Nashville. I started working full time as a photo journalist at 15 years old in MP: Opryland Productions, which When I first started at CNN, I was only Lebanon, Tennessee, right outside of became TNN, The Nashville Network, supposed to be in Washington for three Nashville. It was also around then that I had started doing network TV award years. had acquired TNN in found community theatre. shows, specials for ABC and CBS,

“How do we create lighting that the camera sensors will respond to? Being light on your feet, understanding how the technologies work, and making it work for you.”

CBS Democratic Debate in Charleston, South Carolina (February 2020) Page 1 of 4 among others. Lots and lots of syndicated shows and programming for TNN. Lots of production work would be produced in the “The difference between my theatre and theme park, and I would be on set helping them on these shows. TV work has been breaking out of that fourth wall, and treating the room with A position opened up at the Nashville network. They had five LDs on staff there, light to let the viewer visualize what you and I would join them. I had applied for the job, and Bob Hope’s NBC Christmas want them to see or not.” Special came to Nashville, in one of our theme park’s theatres. Ted Wells, head CTI: How would you describe your or studio, or set up a town hall event. of lighting for TNN, made sure I was on lighting design aesthetic? The next could be a special event, or that production. I was mortified the first just handling the various hours of studio day when I overslept the call… but I MP: Painting a picture. Treating the programming, that originate from DC. eventually saved myself, when the show’s visuals as a 360-degree experience, With Larry King, for example, a lot of our lighting console had died – the guts of especially with TV work. In theatre, you work was done in the studio, but certain technical theatre – and I was able to fix don’t break the fourth wall. The difference times required travel. UN week in New it. That helped me became known for the between my theatre and TV work has York, for example, there was an interview technical stuff I do as part of my lighting been breaking out of that fourth wall, with the President of Iran, and then we design. But for the next 10 years at TNN, and treating the room with light to let the went out to Los Angeles, for an interview I was reminded of missing that call. viewer visualize what you want them to with Tom Cruise for The Last Samurai. Or see or not. sometimes, as world events unfold, we’d From there, I worked on television travel to cover events at a movements projects for CMT and TNN. Viacom CTI: What was it like creating the notice, like Pope John Paul’s funeral in bought CBS, and CBS had owned those first design group outside of Atlanta Rome. Travel meant working with local cable networks. The networks were as CNN Washington’s Director Of grip companies and setting up TV for the re-formulated by Viacom, and many of Lighting? six different networks that CNN provides us went freelance. I was working on TV services and production. programming in 1999; the last show I did MP: CNN lighting department never had as staff was the Awards in an office outside of Atlanta, and now, CTI: With 34 years of experience October 1999 as the conventional lighting in Washington, there is a lighting staff lighting, you’ve worked on some director, with Andy O’Reilly, the moving of four, and they’re able to cover very incredible projects for CNN and light lighting director. Bob Dickenson interesting projects. One day, you might beyond. What would you say are some was the designer. I went freelance for be doing a special interview, with the of the most interesting project you the same production companies a week White House or a world leader. The next have worked on? later, as was the case for many of us in day, you could be covering breaking news the 90’s. either with a live anchor on the street MP: As somebody who loves technology, “skunk-work” projects have been some of the most interesting projects for me, but in addition to normal TV and theater operations, I did quite a bit of venue system design work.

At TNN, I helped manage new venue construction like the renovation, and systems / lighting designer to the Wild Horse Saloon

Image copyright CNN (2019)

Page 2 of 4 “Developing solutions for people has been some of my most interesting

Magic The Gathering Mythic Championship IV - Wizards of the Coast - in association with Lighthouse Design Group (2019) work.” entertainment venue in Nashville, that and his team at Clickspring to create a DNA… but we do so much more, and we were built with Television in mind. classic header that modernized the look always keep our eye on the technical. of the show, but also paid attention to At CNN, we built a bus, the Election the past debates we’ve done. We tried to Part of our group, LightCue labs, Express. We had multi-feed satellite make cleaner lines this time. develops technology, parts and transmission on it and featured some of programing solutions, like a timing light the first LED lighting. I was lucky enough With the angled structure, we created system for CBS news’ Presidential to be included in the design team for that linear lines in the back, and created small Debate, with both video and lighting project. points up in the grid. All of the blue is little indications. We also do product ACL dots, to carry the layers further out. consultation / testing for Vitec and other We experimented with and built so many The design doesn’t end at the star drop; worldwide companies. wonderful things at CNN. For example, the idea is to keep the look going. the photojournalists needed special rigs CTI: What do you see for the future of to be able to do live reports. We would And that’s one character. Then you have LightCue? build them and figure out ways to hook up the venue – and Detroit’s Fox Theatre, for the gear. We partnered very closely with example, is a true playground to light with MP: Given the current pandemic, I the engineering teams or photojournalist its Byzantine interior design. think we’re all looking for different teams to accomplish this. A good example opportunities. My calendar was fully is on the White House north lawn, where CNN is there of course for a presidential booked with election and sporting work, everybody was going towards LEDs, but debate, but it’s also in Michigan. Our and now that calendar has cleared. the networks were experiencing issues, story was, here we are in Michigan, and they were difficult to control. So we for a Democratic debate. Candidates We’re looking for opportunities these prototyped and designed a waterproof are talking about people’s lives, what days in other places by partnering with touchscreen lighting control systems concerns them, not only in the state, but manufacturers to do product testing and used to control waterproof LED fixtures. around the world. As it was a worldwide consultations. I used to be a beta tester Developing solutions for people has been broadcast, we wanted to reinforce the for ETC’s Obsession consoles and helped some of my most interesting work. idea of an iconic look, with a bit of nice other companies with product design. step and repeat, branding that shows the We’re also putting bids and proposals out CTI: What was it like lighting the CNN event, but also tell the viewers a bit about for building construction, to do lighting 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary its historic location. design for new builds. Debates? This all costs money to do, I was very We’re looking at opportunities other than MP: With that design and all large CNN grateful to be with a television network TV, and also trying to stay relevant and Debates, it was not only about creating that cares so much about the visuals and up to date, providing training for folks. a 360-degree visual, but also it’s very is willing to invest in them. Whatever we can do in this new normal. important to light the closeups and the reaction shots the directors need. CTI: What is LightCue about?

We worked with set designer Eric Ulfers MP: Lighting design for television is our

Page 3 of 4 CTI: Have you faced any lighting try to do productions with less people. Designers. She was such an innovator. technology challenges on recent Streaming will be more important for projects? entertainment, which is both good and Ted Wells, my old boss at TNN and bad. I worry about the big shows being partner at Full Flood, is the Zen master. MP: I’m spending a lot of time with able to spend a million dollars on an hour When I was first out of college managing LEDs right now, on how we’re building of prime-time programming. The other 18 people at a theme park, I was so it. How do we use the new LED to our side is there is a lot of content that needs overwhelmed, and I met Ted, who advantage? How do we shape light as we to be created. And there are a lot of was THE man. Such a talent, but so have done in the past with LEDs? There’s companies that are doing amazing things. nonchalant about it. Ted was across the an expectation that tungsten shapes in There are more shows out there, and the way, working at the Opryland Studio a certain way. How do we create lighting quality, and being agile, are going to be Complex, as the head of lighting for TNN, that the camera sensors will respond to in very important aspects of our community and the Grand Old Opry, and he was a way that we expect them to? going forward. Content is going to be my inspiration, and rock. When I went king. How we consume it will change. It’s to work for Ted, I could see how he took The LED tape light is the Wild West all about embracing change. care of his people, and the clients. It

“Content is going to be king. How we consume it will change. It’s all about embracing change.” Studio 11 D CNN Washington - Systems and Lighting Design (2019) right now. How cameras work with them. CTI: Who are some of the key people was a master class in people skills, that I And cameras, how do you photograph who have made a difference in your never would have learned had if I did not with this ever-changing set of standards career along the way? work with Ted. He (and Bob Dickenson) and technology? With photo 10 stops are the reason why I’m at CNN. They of dynamic range, to now 20 stops of MP: My mentor is Bill Klages, the master. were consultants for the network and dynamic range? Don’t forget the new I had the honor of being personally recommended me. limiting (energy) standards / requirements assigned to Bill when he came town to within the architectural world as well. do productions when I was very new to These folks have inspired me and my the TV side of lighting. He taught me so love of doing what I do. It also taught me Being light on your feet, understanding much, just by hanging out with him, like to help others I have worked with and how the technologies work, and making AutoCAD in the early days. He has an help them become successful. I am so them work for you, is the challenge. electrical engineering background, and tickled when I see people who I have his left and right brain qualities were such worked with go on to do bigger and better CTI: Once the world opens back up an inspiration to me. You can balance the things. That’s the biggest success. again, what do you see for the future technical and still have an artistic eye. of lighting? For more information on Michelle Poley For Theater, it has to be Tharon Musser. and LightCue, visit: www.lightcue.com MP: I’m not sure what the new normal Dreamgirls on Broadway, the first is. I think for a while, there are some Broadway show I saw, was so inspiring good and bad things that will happen. I to me, it really made we want to get into think bad is, the producers are going to lighting design. Tharon truly was, as many say, the Dean of American Lighting Page 4 of 4 © City Theatrical 2020. All Rights Reserved.