Meet the Masters of Set Design
Imagine tuning in to your local news network to catch the latest weather update, only to see the anchors sitting in an uninspired, blank beige set. Even from the comfort of your home, the set feels bare and uninviting, so you turn your attention elsewhere while keeping an ear out for the weather update.
Before you know it, 15 minutes has passed, and the weather update has come and gone. The news station couldn’t hold your attention, and now you still don’t know whether or not it will rain tomorrow. The moral of the story: Set design plays a crucial role in attracting and maintaining audience attention.
No one understands this better than the designers at FX Design Group, an award winning set design and build company headquartered in Orlando, Florida. For over 30 years, FX has specialized in broadcast television, tradeshows and theater productions, with a portfolio that includes local news stations, entertainment and sports programs, CNN International and The Golf Channel.
The creative team at FX works with clients across the globe to identify the perfect aesthetics and color palettes for set environments and audiences, then crafts designs that incorporate local flair and modern accents. Since FX’s clients are diverse, they rely on materials that are versatile and easy to work with. As one of the most flexible design products out there, faux wall panels are a staple in many of FX’s projects — but as FX has discovered, not all faux wall panels are created equal.
Using Faux to Get Real
Over the years, FX has worked with faux wall panels from several different manufacturers. Even though the products looked great online, they didn’t fit the bill in real life. “They weren’t very realistic,” said Gary Levitt, VP of Sales and Marketing at FX. “They were too theatrical and for broadcast television we need realism.”
In addition to realism, FX likes to use products and materials that are forward-facing. Broadcast television sets can quickly look outdated, so FX prioritizes modern designs when sourcing materials. Aesthetics aside, FX also needs faux wall panels that make it easy to create seamless visuals with a straightforward installation process.
Since previous faux wall panel manufacturers were unable to provide everything FX needed, the production department started looking for alternatives — specifically of the brick and stone variety. After a bit of online research, FX found Texture Plus and ordered a handful of free samples to see our faux wall panels in real life.
“We ordered samples of stacked stone, brick and a few other stone options,” said Levitt. “We gave it a shot and have been in love with the product ever since.”
Just because the wall panels are faux, doesn’t mean they can’t look real. From accent walls to full sets, FX has installed realistic Texture Plus faux wall panels in broadcast television studios all across the country. The interlocking designs create seamless backdrops while the lightweight materials make installation quick and easy.
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- WMC in Memphis, Tennessee
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- WLUC in Marquette, Michigan
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- PGA Tour Webcast in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Want to see more? Check out FX Design Group’s full portfolio here.
“The products look great and are easy to work with,” said Kevin Vickers, Design Manager and Creative Director at FX. “Overall, Texture Plus is a good fit for us.”
Since discovering Texture Plus several years ago, FX has used our faux wall panels on at least half a dozen set design projects a year. Some sets may only require a few dozen panels while others call for hundreds in various styles. This year, FX has plenty of exciting projects in the works — stay tuned to see more photos!
How can our faux wall panels transform your setting? With over 850 designs to choose from, there’s almost no end to the possibilities. Plus, they can be used indoors and outdoors! Browse our products here or contact a specialist to learn more.
