During COVID-19, Star Studio, a beloved entertainment program broadcast from within the hospital to patients and families at Children’s Minnesota, has had to get creative in the way they film, produce and distribute their content, as well as how they engage with their audiences.
In compliance with COVID-19 guidelines and for the protection of our patients, families and staff, Star Studio has been working and broadcasting remotely. The shift from working on campus to working from home has been by far the biggest challenge Star Studio has faced.
From “in-house” to “from-home”
Initially, Ben Diger, broadcast engineer for Star Studio, was the only one with the equipment to run shows. But with his time and expertise, he was able to build another setup so another member of the crew could run shows, as well. Now, the team has filmed over 250 shows from their homes since March.
The team has virtually hosted local talents including former Vikings player Chad Greenway, the Wild’s Ryan Sutter and Devan Dubnyk, the Twin’s Devin Smeltzer, the Vikings Eric Kendrick’s and more. Due to the remote nature of the shows now, they have also been able to host guests from around the country, including actress Melissa Peterman, who some may know from shows like Reba or Young Sheldon.
Spreading joy
Nearly 1,200 patients and families have streamed the Star Studio shows from their website since March. Hundreds more have called in to participate in shows, win Bingo prizes and requests songs.
Parents have expressed how much it means to them and their kids that Star Studio has been able to continue this work. Kids often share with the team that they watch every show, as well as how much it means to them.
Learn more about the Star Studio crew and their amazing, kids-first content on the Star Studio website.
Kaitlyn Kamleiter