ISD Names Runnells President

Innovative Show Design (ISD) has appointed Chris Runnells as its new president. Runnells had previously served as artistic director for parent company Show Partners. ISD specializes in custom scenic and lighting design for the television, entertainment, and corporate-event industries.
“Chris’s vision and diverse experience are largely responsible for the success Innovative Show Design has achieved since its spin-out two years ago,” says Michael Mantovani, Show Partners founder and CEO. “This promotion not only recognizes Chris for his accomplishments but also conveys our confidence in his ability to lead his team of talented designers to greater success.”
The development of ISD’s designs uses the concept of pre-visualization. It allows a producer to experience a scenic vision before the build process starts. ISD has developed an interactive platform, which has delivered designs for diverse clients from Affliction Banned to NBC’s iVillage Live.
“We’ve worked with Chris for 15 years, and he has pioneered a system that can visualize a producer’s concept and make it real,” says Show Partners President Larry Rogers. “ISD can customize every production based on each client’s unique specifications.”
Runnells traces his industry roots to Rollins College’s Annie Russell Theatre, where he served as the technical director of the Theatre Department. He has also been involved with numerous remote television-production events over the years.
“This is a great move for ISD. We get to use the proprietary tools we’ve developed to bring the scenic and lighting ideas to life,” said Runnells. “The creative team at ISD also works in the field to see that the look and feel of the design really works. It’s a winning combination.”
Runnells will be responsible for all design and project management across the television and entertainment industry for such clients as NBC Sports, FSN, SPEED, and GSN.