Dave Taylor, vice president/executive producer at Los Angeles-based Senovva, takes us behind the screens at the 98th Academy Awards, which were broadcast live from The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Known informally as the Oscars, the awards celebrated Hollywood films from 2025. Senovva has provided all of the LED screen systems and projection systems for the show since the company was founded in 2006. Taylor coordinated efforts with the Oscars team, from executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan to production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley, as well as lighting designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz.
Live Design chats with Taylor as he dashes from the Oscars loadout to his next project…
Live Design: You mentioned it was your 37th year doing the show. How has your role evolved over those years?
Dave Taylor: On my first Oscars in 1989, I was one of a couple of projectionists working under someone else. I missed 1990 but have been back for every year since. Within a few years I found myself leading the crew for the projection needs of the show. In the early 2000’s we started to see LED screens make an appearance and my role expanded to also cover those elements. The first LED screen on the Oscars was a giant floor in 2005. This was before anyone even made an LED floor product and we rigged a system to install standard tiles on their backs, using custom frameworks. The system required massive AC support, so we were actually air conditioning the space between the stage deck and the finished floor which was 1’ higher. We’ve often found ourselves on the “bleeding” edge of new technology on this show. I’m sure others will agree!
LD: Brand/Model for the LED panels?
DT: For this year’s show we used a combination of ROE Graphite 2.6mm, ROE Carbon CB3 3.75mm, Amflex PRO DesignLED PRO 2.5mm, and Recience re155ix 1.55mm.
LD: How do you coordinate with the production designers and lighting designers?
DT: Back in the fall, I received an initial glimpse of the set and the concepts from Alana and Misty. They already had a good idea of which products they wanted to use with regards to resolution, but we worked together to pin down specific products for each surface including doing a couple of scenic demos at our studio. As with many concepts, this one got a bit pared down before it made the air, both in scope and in the resolutions in some areas but we all know that will happen along the way, so some low hanging fruit is generally a part of the package. I work closely with the lighting team where our mutual interests are served (projector beams, light positions, etc). None of this works in a vacuum and this team has all been working together for quite some time so there is a lot of conversation and familiarity with desires and vision.
LD: How would you describe this year's set and how the images were integrated into the overall design?
DT: I thought this year’s set was particularly spectacular, given the nod to the Asian textures and trim. I only got glimpses of the final graphics before we started to see them on set and the effect was magical. There was so much depth that you were never quite certain which surface was in frame. Given that nearly all of the surfaces were run at native resolution, the details made everything pop! To me, the graphics were an extension and amazing embellishment of the scenic design. Seeing the imagery made all the effort feel worthwhile.
LD: Does Jason Rudolph provide the image files?
DT: Jason was credited as the screens producer this year, but to be fair it’s a role he has played uncredited for the past several years. In that role he works closely with the producers, design team, and the graphics creators to tweak the content during our preview days, The graphic concepts come from Raj, Alana, and Misty and production of the content is by Hello Charlie (house looks) and Allucinari (awards and performances). Jason is also responsible for laying out the screens workflow for all of the various groups. It doesn’t work well when people start turning in "file #36" in this environment. There’s an entire system for screen and file nomenclature.
LD: Are there any media servers involved?
DT: Jason’s team was working with Disguise VX4+ servers running thru Barco E3 systems. He was no longer trapped at a console this year and handed off those reins to Akash Bartlett. Tim Nauss was the server system engineer.
LD: What happens over the four weeks of load-in?
DT: Organized chaos? Actually, very well organized chaos. Staging supervisor Nick Vincenti gives a lot of thought to what happens when and issues a timeline fairly early on. We obviously start with a blank slate and gradually add in all of the parts and pieces until we end up with the beautiful set that you saw. For us, we come in on day four, and start out in the house, then work our way upstage as more and more elements become available to populate with LED. We start running fiber and cable on day one and it goes on pretty much until we start rehearsals. Projection is one of the last elements to load in nearly a week and a half after we start with LED. Once we get into rehearsals (about 1.5 weeks out from the show) we get to take a little breather and fine tune and adjust things to camera. And there’s always a last minute add or change or two. It’s inevitable.
LD: What was the most challenging part of the production for you this year?
DT: It’s the thrill of the game, I’d say. We try to show up on stage with a thoroughly laid out set of plans. That allows us to move forward on the timeline and often stay just a bit ahead. That is inevitably followed by some hurry up and wait and “Why aren’t you done yet?” But that is the game. To be honest, this year’s installation was very smooth for us with minimal hiccups. I’m always grateful to our amazing crew. Richard Larsen as LED lead, Dusty Levitt as LED systems engineer, Bill Starnes, Michelle Ayers, and Christian Behm as LED techs, Luke Frey for the projection, and Chris Jepsen for driving all of the cable logistics and working with Dusty behind the racks. Huge thanks to our many IATSE Local 33 Crew folks who are the nuts and bolts for every Oscars. And I have to mention my 36-year business partner, Senovva president, Frank McMinn, who keeps us all on track. We have a great team!
LD: And the most satisfying?
DT: I always enjoy seeing the reactions to the show afterwards and over the next few days. There will always be haters, but this year it really felt like there were fewer and folks really appreciated the look and tone of the show as well as the content. It’s always nice to walk away from a project and feel like we gave it our best and it showed. Kudos to all involved on the 98th!