What does it take to put on a pre-produced, virtual celebration of the 2020 Women of Influence? 

A lot of planning and coordination. 

On Friday, July 17, eight of the 10 Women of Influence came into the near-empty office of Business Publications Corp. to deliver their acceptance speeches to an audience of four — and a Canon EOS C300 camera. 

BPC Group Publisher Suzanna de Baca’s office was transformed into a makeshift TV studio, with lights, tripods, stands, microphones and cameras squeezed between door frames, behind desks and up against walls. 

Father-son team Duane and Dylan Huey of Good Plan Productions were perched behind the camera, emerging only to adjust mic and light heights.  

Stacey Thompson, who is the mastermind behind all of the Business Record’s special projects and events, was sitting off to the side directing honorees. 

I was nestled in a corner taking notes and offering help when needed, but otherwise just doing my best to stay out of the way. 

For six hours, the honorees trickled into the office, and one by one, in between train whistles (the front door to the BPC office is less than 40 feet away from the track that runs through the Court Avenue District downtown), read through their speeches. One woman commented that this was the first time she had put on heels and done both her hair and makeup since March. 

The setting was intimate and forgiving, which arguably made it easier for honorees to deliver their remarks, as weird as it may have been to talk to a camera instead of a room full of people. If they messed up, they could start over. 

To see behind-the-scenes photos from the production, click here. To register to watch the actual event on Aug. 6, click here.