An insider’s view of Wells Fargo
Inside the Wells Fargo Center, you not only can hear the speeches given during the Democratic National Convention, you can also read them on the wall. A giant teleprompter projection screen lets speakers and those audience members with the right angle follow along the scrolling lines.
Although television and live stream viewers have had ample chance to see the giant stage and delegate-filled hall, the view from inside is a little different, and the less-scripted action doesn’t show up on camera for the most part.
The center’s seating capacity is 19,500. During prime time, it has been packed, and up in the nosebleed seats, it’s stuffy, dark (hard to see notes) and crowded.
The podium is on a circular part of the stage that juts out, and speakers are dwarfed by the enormous platform and the Jumbotron above and behind them, magnifying their image and voice. There are smooth white risers on both sides of the stage, where two tiers of people are seated with a prime view of the speaker.
DNC workers move through the crowd to hand out signs; many delegates bring their own, which range from the crude handmade to slick professional placards. Late Thursday afternoon, there were signs taped to all of the seats for use later in the evening. DNC “whips” circulate during sessions, trying to amp up or tamp down delegates, brief them on what’s going on, or encourage sign waving.
Television crews move on and off the floor for live shots, correspondents glancing at notes and preparing as the camera operators set up.
Reporters and photographers have a general credential to get into secured areas during the convention; they also have limited numbers of floor passes, which allow them to get on the floor to talk to delegates.
Photographers and videographers work inside the service tunnels of the Wells Fargo Center, sitting on folding chairs at long tables cluttered with equipment.
Most of the floor passes for photographers are given out hourly. No matter what they’re doing, they have to go back each hour to the service tunnel and renew it. Once on the floor, they are told to keep moving — even if they are actually moving.