Transforming the red carpet experience, the E! Live Stream project redefined how audiences engage with Hollywood’s biggest nights. By blending multi-camera live feeds, real-time social interaction, and dynamic content, we crafted an interactive platform that placed viewers at the heart of iconic events like the Oscars and Emmys. This innovative approach elevated E!’s digital presence, delivering an immersive experience that extended beyond traditional broadcasting.
The goal was to design and develop a multi-platform media player capable of streaming multiple live video feeds, featuring integrated sponsorships, interactive photo galleries, and real-time social engagement. This platform needed to enhance E!’s coverage of major red carpet events, including the Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes.
Background: E! is a recognized leader in pop-culture news and live red carpet broadcasts. Known for their exclusive event coverage, E! wanted to create a more immersive and interactive digital experience for viewers engaging with award shows online.
Execution Challenge: Building real-time products for live web experiences comes with unique logistical and technical challenges. Unlike apps, web-based platforms are subject to stricter limitations, particularly regarding performance, latency, and user interactivity.
The initial phase focused on wireframing three essential features to define the core experience:
Three Simultaneous Live Video Feeds – Users could switch between cameras positioned at various locations.
Social Conversation Integration – Live Twitter feeds and user engagement throughout the event.
Historical Look Galleries – Allow users to browse past outfits worn by celebrities during previous events.
The live media player gave viewers the ability to control their experience by toggling between three different live camera feeds. This ensured users could follow their favorite celebrities’ journey down the red carpet.
To heighten audience engagement, a Twitter integration was embedded directly into the player. Viewers could participate in Q&A segments, and celebrities could join the conversation, fostering a dynamic and interactive environment.
One of the most ambitious goals was developing the “Past Looks” feature, which allowed users to view photo galleries of previous celebrity outfits. This feature aimed to activate automatically when a celebrity’s name was mentioned during the live broadcast.
The Technical Approach:
E! sought to implement a new word recognition software by RAMP—an untested tool in live environments. The technology promised to recognize celebrity names as they were spoken, automatically triggering the relevant photo gallery within three seconds.
Internal Concerns:
Despite RAMP’s claims, our team expressed skepticism regarding its performance in a live broadcast setting. The margin for error in real-time production was slim, and accuracy was critical.
To validate the technology, we replicated a red carpet event in the studio. We integrated RAMP’s demo software into streaming feeds and tested it by replaying previous live broadcasts of red carpet events. This allowed us to simulate real-world conditions and evaluate performance.
Due to the inconsistent performance and high error rate, we made the decision to shelve the automated Past Looks feature in the final design.
Instead, the feature was adjusted to allow manual curation by on-site staff, ensuring that galleries could still be presented accurately in real-time without relying solely on automation.
The final design embraced clean, modern layouts with bold typography and intuitive navigation to maximize visual engagement without overwhelming the user.
The Red Carpet Live Stream project showcased the complexities of developing real-time, multi-platform experiences for high-profile events. While technical limitations led to design pivots, the project underscored the importance of user control, manual overrides, and balancing innovation with reliability.
This experience highlighted the value of proactive leadership, thorough testing, and adaptability—ensuring the final product delivered a seamless, engaging experience for viewers tuning into E!’s red carpet coverage.