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20 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Fall 2020 On September 14, 1984, the fi rst Video Music Awards presented by MTV aired live from New York and began a tradition of excellence that continues to this day. Though initially conceived as an alternative network competitor to the popular Grammy Awards, the VMA's grew in size and prestige to the point that the Moon Person Trophy is now a distinctly coveted prize among artists. The production became an annual spectacle that united creatives and audiences around the world. Year after year, craftspeople innovated creative solutions to new challenges in order to make the spectacle bigger and grander. Then 2020 by James Delhauer Recording MTV's Video Music Awards from My Bedroom happened. In light of the SARS-CoV 2 novel coronavirus pandemic, there was a great deal of uncertainty about whether or not the show would go on. Social distancing orders, safer-at-home recommendations, and travel restrictions made it impossible to assemble the necessary talent to put on a live event of that scale. The transition from a live to pre-taped experience presented new challenges for the Local 695 Video Engineers tasked with recording the show. Traditionally, this particular awards show would air from a single location. New York, California, Florida, Nevada, and most recently New Jersey have all played host to the VMA's at one time or another. The pandemic made it impossible to safely achieve that sort of gathering and so artists and