Fall 2017
BY BECCA NADLER
When the announcement came that Moonlight—and not La La Land—had actually won best picture at the 2017 Oscars, associate director Ken Diego was just as surprised as everyone else. "In the control room, we didn't know that it was the wrong winner," he says, explaining how he and his team had to switch gears at a moment's notice when they heard the news from onstage.
That kind of adaptability is one of the most important aspects of working live televised events, according to Diego. "No matter how tightly you plan, the show often reminds you that it's live," he notes. "You have to be ready to set aside your plan and deal with what's actually happening." In the case of the Oscars, "the most important shot of the show was the close-up of the envelope—which was not a planned shot beforehand."
Though things aren't always as intense as the kerfuffle that became known as Envelopegate, Diego enjoys his ever-changing schedule, which has included AD work with the Democratic National Convention, the CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Tony Awards, Peter Pan Live! and directorial work on Sesame Street. "It's hard to fall into a routine, and I prefer it this way."