A More Perfect Union is a companion program to Ken Burns’ The American Revolution, filmed at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. It brought together historians and civic leaders for an in-depth conversation about democracy, civility, and the state of the country today. The creative challenge was to design a space and visual identity that felt meaningful and elevated, while working within an extremely tight public-media budget.

The original production vision relied on LED walls, but the cost was completely out of reach. Instead of scaling back the ambition, I re-engineered the idea into something achievable. I designed a custom backlit scenic panel system that delivered the same visual impact, created a sense of depth and light, and still supported broadcast needs. I produced full 3D renders, handled the design and fabrication approach, sourced furniture, and helped shape the physical environment so the set felt cinematic rather than “budget conscious.”

A major goal was to be a responsible steward of donor and viewer-supported funding. That guided every decision: what we could build in-house, what we could fabricate affordably, and where smart design could replace expensive tech. That commitment went all the way through execution — including literally loading the scenic pieces myself, driving them to Philadelphia, and assembling the stage on site.

In addition to the environment, I also created the motion graphics package and insert graphics for the program, giving the show a cohesive visual identity across both the set and the broadcast. The end result looked polished, grounded, and worthy of the subject matter, while proving that creative thinking and resourcefulness can deliver big-show impact without a big-show price tag.