When theaters shut down during the pandemic, most productions hit pause. We hit record.

This is the story of how we took a stage play about a fake alien invasion… and turned it into a live television event during a real global crisis.

It All Started With a Pandemic

La Guerra de los Mundos was originally a stage production. Inspired by the infamous 1938 Orson Welles broadcast that convinced people aliens were invading Earth, our version paid homage to the chaos of that night - live sound effects, quick character changes, and a wild, fast-paced rhythm that kept the audience guessing.

Then the world shut down. Theatres closed. Audiences disappeared. Our show - like so many - was suddenly homeless.

But instead of shelving it, we reimagined it. From the ground up.

Migue Siman hosting the epilogue live on TV.

A New Medium, a New Monster

Adapting the show for television meant rethinking everything. We built an immersive 360º set that cameras could move through - this wasn’t just filming a stage play. The cast doubled in size, with 13 actors playing over 27 roles, and every scene had to be reblocked to work for the lens instead of a live audience.

The sound mix had to be reinvented as well. Every detail had to be captured with pristine clarity for television. That meant getting high-quality audio not only from the actors, but also from the Foley table, the footsteps, the old-school microphones used to simulate the radio station, even the quiet dialogue happening backstage as part of the illusion. We had to completely rethink how sound moved through the space - how it felt in the room, and how it would come across on camera and in the final mix. Finding that balance between live theatre and broadcast quality was a real challenge - but one we were excited to take on.

Framing the Panic

What I appreciated most was the opportunity to start from zero. We reblocked every scene and reimagined the pacing with framing in mind. During rehearsals we simulated camera movements to shape the layout and structure making sure the viewer could geographically understand the set and get hooked on the action. It became less about showing everything, and more about understanding the room and the interconnected hallways of the brodcast station.

The show was recorded using two roaming cameras, each with two assistants, plus the director - all squeezed into the same space as the actors. That meant hiding six crew members inside a 360º set without breaking the illusion. Everyone was masked, constantly ducking out of frame, dodging boom mics, and finding new corners to disappear into. It was a bit like choreography - just behind the camera.

A Time Machine Made Out of Adrenaline

The truth is, War of the Worlds was never just about aliens. It’s about panic. Misinformation. The terrifying speed of media when we stop questioning what we hear. It’s about now. And bringing it to life - twice, in two completely different ways - was a lesson in how history ever repeats itself and helps us understand the forever changing climate.

Working through COVID added an extra layer of complexity to everything. Performing in masks, navigating constant testing, and keeping everyone safe while still trying to make a great television program - it was exhausting. There were days it felt impossible. But it happened. It worked. And somehow, it became one of the most surreal, intense, and unexpectedly rewarding creative challenges I’ve ever loved.

Our principal cast, before the cameras went live.

A Couple Thanks

To our actors - thank you for jumping headfirst into the madness. For your voices, your energy, your commitment to the chaos. This transmission doesn’t exist without you.

And to the thousands who tuned in - on TV, online, or from some bunker in the middle of real life uncertainty - thank you. You gave this story a second life. The fact that it reached so many people still blows my mind.