A recent WRAL-TV story brought together the best of virtual design and reporting to explain an important concept surrounding the opioid epidemic. WRAL-TV Health Reporter Grace Hayba and WRAL-TV Visual Design Director Shan Zhong worked together to create a compelling and informative piece about how Naloxone - or Narcan - works to combat an overdose of fentanyl.
It was a great collaboration between Grace Hayba, our health reporter, and Shan Zhong, our AR/VR artist with creative services, said WRAL-TV Enterprise Executive Producer Ashley Talley. It was definitely a different way to tell a whole story. We use the animations lovingly called Shanimations' in various stories, but this was unique in that nearly the whole thing was done in that form.
Augmented Storytelling, Enhanced Understanding
Passionate about the work she has been given, Hayba considered how to tackle a key topic.
From the time I started here, it quickly became evident opioid coverage would be a big part of my beat as the health reporter, explained Hayba. I began brainstorming ideas with Ashley Talley about how to talk about overdoses in a new way, going beyond just the statistics. We decided to hone in on fentanyl due to its deadly grasp on the state.
Hayba continued, Ashley first suggested finding a way to visualize what happens inside the human body during an overdose. When researching the science behind it all, I realized I wanted to also include the life-saving medication naloxone in the piece. We have repeatedly told viewers that it helps save lives, but we haven't truly explained how.
Then Zhong entered the picture. He has used his expertise in design on countless stories over the years.
Since 2019, I started working with news and weather to create immersive mixed reality (newsroom calls it AR augmented reality), explained Zhong. I do AR standups, packages, and weather explainers for stories that need enhanced graphics to better explain the topics. Grace's story was one of them.
Opioid use, especially those which are illegally manufactured, is an epidemic the entire country is battling. The state reports from 2000-2022 alone, over 36,000 North Carolinians died from overdoses. When I read that statistic, I don't just see numbers, but rather the thousands of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends lost. I thought it was important to remind people how an amount so small you can't even see can kill you. We have recently reported on more harm reduction efforts aimed at increasing the supply of naloxone, including in Wake County Schools, so I wanted to ensure we incorporated a solution to the problem as well.
WRAL-TV Health Reporter Grace Hayba Zhong's augmented reality design and Hayba's narration came together to show as well as tell viewers.
The beauty of having Shan on our team is that it gives WRAL the ability to tell stories in ways others can't, Hayba told CapCom. In writing the script, I felt the natural story arc was to begin with someone who first takes fentanyl, begins to overdose, and is then revived using naloxone.
After talking through the concept with Hayba, Zhong got to work.
In general, after going over the script with producers, I'll create visual storyboards to plan out how anchors, reporters, and meteorologists interact with virtual graphics elements, he said. Then we do video shoots based on the storyboards, and finally complete the postproduction process.
WRAL-TV Health Reporter Grace Hayba (left) in the AR/VR studio with WRAL-TV Visual Design Director Shan Zhong, working together to produce a story about naxolone.
He spent many hours creating the AR, and then the duo went into the studio to bring it to life.
Shan made it really easy! Hayba told CapCom. This was my first time working on a VR project, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect but he directed me through every shot and motion.
The team shot Hayba in the AR studio over a green screen. Then the package was completed in post by compositing video and graphics.
The reason I think Shan was able to knock this out of the park was entirely in his approach, said Hayba. He first met with me to go over my script and hear what my ideas were so that he could understand what the science was that I wanted to visualize. He then created a storyboard with sketches to walk me through how he planned to shrink my body inside the brain and move throughout the vital organs as they shut down. We did a few takes with varying arm motions to make sure nothing would be cut off when I was pointing at the naloxone or organs.
WRAL-TV Visual Design Director Shan Zhong created graphics in augmented reality to help tell a story by WRAL-TV Health Reporter Grace Hayba about naloxone and how it fights a fentanyl overdose.
Hayba greatly appreciated the others on the WRAL crew who helped make the story happen.
I also want to give a huge thank you to WRAL-TV News Production Manager James Ford and WRAL-TV Streaming Editor/Producer Khadejah Durant for helping coordinate the camera, lighting, audio and prompter! she said. It was really a team effort.
And Hayba is grateful to have Zhong on the team to further the important story she wanted to share.
I truly admire how he can take an idea in someone's head and turn it into an engaging visualization that is even better than you imagined, Hayba told CapCom. Storytelling nowadays relies so much on keeping viewers connected and engaged with the piece. When you have a world of content at your fingertips, showcasing your story in new ways has become more important than ever. Shan's work absolutely accomplishes that and then some! His creativity is incredible, and I can't wait to work with him further in the future!
WRAL-TV s Grace Hayba (center) in the AR/VR studio with WRAL-TV's Shan Zhong (right) and WRAL-T
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
Latino Film Institute Fellows Screen Their Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre
The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 15 ...
29/05/2026
GLOOKAST LAUNCHES CINNAFILM TACHYON PLUGIN FOR MEDIA PRODUCER AND MEDIA SERVICES
This release first appeared here.
Visit our Tachyon product page or contact...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
A recent WRAL-TV story brought together the best of virtual design and reporting to explain an important concept surrounding the opioid epidemic. WRAL-TV Health Reporter Grace Hayba and WRAL-TV Visual Design Director Shan Zhong worked together to create a compelling and informative piece about how Naloxone - or Narcan - works to combat an overdose of fentanyl.
