Gigantic monitor wall, big show and timing at Republican National Convention comes with no easy job

TAMPA - One thing you can't help but notice when watching coverage of the RNC is a group of huge TV monitors and an array of constantly shifting pictures.

Much of the process is coordinated and directed from a control room directly behind the stage.  It looks similar to a broadcast television control room.  In this case, it handles other functions, including the big monitor wall on stage at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Phil Alongi is the Executive Producer of the RNC Big Show.  He's a former NBC Executive Producer for breaking news and politics, including 15 political conventions.

He said the control room works in tandem with a mobile unit outside that controls the cameras, graphics and video.  A big part of his job is to make sure things run right and on time.  

"Let's just say a night like last night (Tuesday) whereas, you know, things sometimes run a little longer and cues don't necessarily happen or whatever, we will figure out how do we cut, how do we edit so we can try to hit times. We could be here until 12:30 in the morning if things are left to run the way they do."

A smaller room off to the side, called the pre-visit area, provides a pre-visualization of what's about to happen.  It's also used for programming.

Alongi said he doesn't rest easy until the entire show is a wrap.  In the case of the RNC, late Thursday night.

"We had a situation of course where we were ready to go to a tape last night and the machines had been fine and we'd been rehearsing and the machine decides 'no I really don't want to work right now so I'm on a break' and we said alright, let's flip things around."

In short, "Talk to me Friday morning," Alongi said.