David Thibodeau, PRG Create Lighting for NBA on Amazon Prince

	The goal was controlled beams -- not "loose lumens bouncing all over the place" -- to keep the lounge intimate without washing out its warm materials.

The new set for Amazon Prime's presentation of NBA games pairs sleek, LED-forward architecture with tactile scenic elements and a versatile lighting rig. The result is a hybrid environment -- part immersive volume, part human-centered space.

More than 2,300 LED tiles wrap the room, from the volume to the floor to embedded scenic displays, creating a digital canvas. Instead of overwhelming, lighting became the anchor across the 13,000-sq.-ft., two-level studio.

Prime Video turned to lighting designer David Thibodeau, who partnered with Airtime Lighting and PRG. "The priority was faces; it's a TV show at the end of the day," Thibodeau says. "But once we had that foundation, the challenge became creating a world that feels lived-in, not like a brightly lit sports desk."

Working from early sketches, scenic design from Andre Durette, of Jack Morton, and input from director David Faller, Thibodeau built a lighting strategy that could transition from crisp broadcast looks to the warm, intimate atmosphere of the downstairs lounge where the postgame show NBA Nightcap takes place. In that space, Thibodeau deliberately rejects the evenly lit talk-show look, instead leaning into modeling and off-axis light so analysts can watch a game on the monitor without getting blasted in the eyes.

PRG organized the sale of the rig, including a fleet of Vari-Lite VL2600s used as both key lights and scenic tools, ETC Lustrs and HDs for precision facial lighting and rich scenic color, and GLP impression X5s to tone the room and floor. Some of the most intentional decisions happened in the smallest spaces: GLP X4 Atoms were tucked into architectural nooks where the ceiling dropped too low for anything larger, and more than 100 ETC Source Four Mini LED fixtures were hidden within the lounge's 9" of available ceiling space.

The goal was controlled beams -- not "loose lumens bouncing all over the place" -- to keep the lounge intimate without washing out its warm materials. LED tape was embedded across nearly every surface, allowing the environment to shift through the studio's three signature looks -- dusk, night, and nightcap -- while staying cohesive on camera.

As Amazon expands its live sports and entertainment footprint, the space now doubles as a home for crossovers like Thursday Night Football, WNBA coverage, NASCAR segments, Amazon Music shoots, and even commercial work. Thibodeau designed the rig with that versatility in mind: fixed units for predictable setups and strategically placed automated fixtures to cover whatever new format arrives next.

Walking into the space for the first time, Thibodeau says, "You realize just how big this playground really is." Creating a lighting system for a studio of that size -- and one expected to evolve over the next decade -- required a partner familiar with long-form broadcast environments. Thibodeau has worked with PRG across numerous TV shows, special events, and studio builds, often working with Tony Ward and Travis Snyder. This collaboration dates his years with Full Flood, a history that made the choice straightforward when Amazon asked about preferred vendors. "It wasn't even a hesitation: PRG. I trust them completely, and they take care of everything that needs to be done," Thibodeau says.