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For the season 23 premiere of ABC’s American Idol, Lausanne, Switzerland-based Ramon + Pedro turned silhouettes of instruments into structures of light.

Prior to the shoot, ABC Creative Marketing & Design gave the agency a challenge: no green screens and no CGI. So the team got to work building a set that would allow them to shoot everything in-camera. The production design squad created metal frames of physical shapes – acoustic guitars, piano keyboards and microphones – and then hung metallic elastic strings from the frames. When they spotlit the structures with Idol’s brand colors of cyan and pink, it created an all-new look for the long-running singing competition series.

While Ramon + Pedro produced in Switzerland, ABC Production  was able to follow along through a virtual production process. 

Ramon + Pedro then brought the look to the show’s cast of judges – pop legend Lionel Richie, country powerhouse Luke Bryan and, new to the cast this year, global superstar Carrie Underwood, an American Idol winner herself. The show’s constant and comforting presence, host Ryan Seacrest, also got a spot of his own:

ABC is using the package to create promos, transitions, backdrops, and other marketing assets, including out-of-home displays.

Season 23 of American Idol debuted Sunday, March 9 on ABC and is available to watch the next day on Hulu.