First Take Rebrand
ESPN’s highly rated show First Take was redesigned to debut from it's New York Seaport District studio with a new look and sound. I worked within the Creative & Studio Direction team at ESPN to give the show an updated look that incorporates New York City as a focal point.
Our team worked on the visual concept for First Take, which was meant to bring a sophisticated, yet gritty feel to the graphics. This began with a new color scheme that draws on some of the original orange, black and white tones of the previous graphics package, and transitioning to copper and gray shades to give the show a more enriched and present look. Then, the team used photography shot across New York that illustrated the edgier side of the city – cement buildings, basketball hoops and subway signs.
As the lead on-line designer for First Take my main role on this project was designing monitor and insert graphics to be created for day-of production. After designs were approved by art directors and the production team I worked to create efficient templates for live production. By scripting my templates in AfterEffect I was able to cut down significantly on production time by creating the ability to update multiple graphics simultaneously in one file. I also created a thorough designers guide so anyone could jump in at a moments notice if coverage for the show was needed. During rehearsals I troubleshot design issues and updated graphics based off feedback from art directors and producers. After the launch I managed training sessions with the others designers on the look and templates. My guidelines can be found here.
