This week, NBCUniversal Television Distribution (NBCU) debuted all-new syndicated content with five episodes of “Judge Jerry Quarantine Court.” Through a partnership with independent studio SNEAKY BIG, the show was filmed in three different states and merged to create a virtual courtroom. The remote production and virtual reality set allowed every aspect of the show to adhere to strict COVID-19 guidelines and safety measures.
The highly skilled engineers, designers and animators at SNEAKY BIG created a stunning virtual set and, through merging five video feeds and more than half a dozen audio feeds, created a seamless courtroom experience for viewers. Every detail was designed to be as normal as possible In fact, the cast appears to be standing next to each other just as they would during an in-studio production.
“We are honored to have been a trusted partner for this groundbreaking project and help set the bar for high-quality, safe quarantine TV production in our new environment,” said SNEAKY BIG CEO Marianne Guenther. “For the past several years, the SNEAKY BIG team has been doing incredible work with amazing clients utilizing interactive, 3D virtual sets. It was an exciting experience to bring these capabilities to NBCU so their productions could continue.”
Judge Jerry was filmed on green screen from his home in Florida, the show’s Bailiff Najee Hinds was likewise filmed at home in New York and the litigants were recorded at SNEAKY BIG’s Scottsdale, Arizona studio. As one of the largest, most technologically advanced production facilities in the nation, SNEAKY BIG was also able to provide an environment that allowed the NBCU team to produce and direct their talent remotely while working from their respective homes.
“What a unique experience to work with SNEAKY BIG and watch as Judge Jerry’s virtual courtroom came to life,” said “Judge Jerry” Executive Producer, Kerry Shannon. “We are thrilled to be able to bring Jerry, bailiff Najee and the litigants together (virtually) for quarantine court.”
In the syndicated court show, the iconic Jerry Springer takes the bench using law and order to settle disputes. The legal show takes on actual cases from real people. In each episode, Judge Jerry hears cases and renders a verdict with a fair yet firm hand, and always leaves litigants with a dose of classic Springer wisdom.
For the 2019-20 season, “Judge Jerry” premiered as the highest-rated court show in five years and averaged a 1.0 national household rating, 1.4 million daily viewers and a solid 0.5 women 25-54 rating, ranking as the #2 new syndicated strip of the season. Ranking behind only NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution’s “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”
Typically, “Judge Jerry” is taped in front of a live studio audience at the Stamford Media Center in Connecticut and is produced and distributed in the U.S. by NBCUniversal Television Distribution.
A full-service studio, SNEAKY BIG boasts a 4,000-square-foot main stage, a 500-square-foot sound stage, production control rooms optimized with state-of-the-art audio and video equipment, five editing suites and a color correction suite with the most advanced equipment and software, including virtual and augmented reality systems, on the market. To learn more, visit SNEAKYBIG.com.
