Beating the Summer Heat with Frontgate at Fox 4
We arrived bright and early at the headquarters of FOX 4 in Dallas. Loaded only with groceries, equipment, and a burning sense of responsibility, we set out to create a truly captivating segment for the average morning news. As an intern for C. Pharr & Company, I was thrilled to visit the newsroom for the first time and experience what it was like to organize and operate an entire segment behind the scenes. I was eager to meet Shannon Murray, FOX 4 reporter, and Amy Kroll, Frontgate's visual merchandise manager.
Luxury home retailer, Frontgate, was about to open a giant flagship store in Plano, and it was our job to showcase some of the amazing products they sell. Our focus for the segment was items useful for beating the summer heat while hosting parties on the patio or by the pool. The products ranged from the Riviera Aruba Designer Umbrella to a stainless steel Optima Chill Beverage Dispenser, but the biggest hit was the LED Floating Bluetooth Speaker, which plays music as it floats.
Setting up the segment, we hurried to unload all the equipment. We meticulously laid out shrimp and quiche, fanning out fancy lettuce and peppering them with parsley. Everything went smoothly, apart from a few hiccups along the way. Who knew grapefruit juice would be too murky for live television? We rolled with the punches and used what would suit our visual needs much better (a.k.a water with sliced fruit). Also, the umbrella happened to be a little too big, but we worked out that kink too. All in all, after a few finishing touches, we were ready to roll.
I was amazed by how the staff collaborated with us and fluidly operated the equipment and merchandise to orchestrate this segment. The segment was set to air in a couple of days, but they taped the recording like it was live- just like that, all in one take. Despite this, Murray and Kroll expertly demonstrated the utility of Frontgate's goods. As my first time helping run an event like this, I was thrilled to meet everyone involved and see the operations of a real newsroom. I can't help but be thankful for being a part of it.
Check out the segment here and all the items you might need at your next summer bash!