{"id":3729,"date":"2020-01-09T12:26:36","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T17:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onewayeventproductions.com\/?p=3729"},"modified":"2023-11-04T09:19:12","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T13:19:12","slug":"what-is-a-run-of-show-and-do-i-need-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onewayeventproductions.com\/what-is-a-run-of-show-and-do-i-need-one\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Run of Show and Do I Need One?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to putting on <\/span>successful events<\/span>, proper planning half the battle, which is why creating a Run of Show is essential for any event planner. Also known as a show flow, cue sheet, or a cue-to-cue (Q2Q), a Run of Show is an item-by-item sequence of actions that will happen during an event. This is different than a published program or agenda that event attendees may be privy to; while the program will identify the order in which people are speaking or performing, the Run of Show is a more detailed outline that identifies what each department, and each person involved in the event, should be doing and at what time. Think of it as a master document that explains everything that goes on behind-the-scenes, from set-up to tear-down. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Creating a Run of Show<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are five main things to think about when creating an <\/span>event planning Run of Show.<\/span> Taking care of these considerations in advance can provide event planning peace of mind and help you put on a flawless show!<\/span><\/p>\n

Contact List<\/span><\/h3>\n

One of the first things you want to do when <\/span>creating a Run of Show<\/span> is to make a contact list. This should include the phone numbers of everyone involved: the presenters\/speakers, the audiovisual company and members of the AV crew<\/span><\/a> (especially the project manager\/technical director), the catering company, etc. This way, if someone fails to show up, you can start making calls to find out where they are. <\/span><\/p>\n

You may also want to consider a list of backups; for example, say your keynote speaker gets delayed at the airport; who can go on in his or her place? It\u2019s not an ideal scenario, but preparation with a Run of Show can help make the best of a bad situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flow<\/span><\/h3>\n

A Run of Show helps event planners establish a cohesive order to the proceedings. For example, at a corporate meeting, you don\u2019t want sales talking about the results of a marketing campaign, and then have marketing come on to present the components of the campaign. Or, if one presenter is delivering a downbeat message, you probably don\u2019t want to follow it up with a comedian; you always want a good segue from one person to the next.<\/span><\/p>\n

When determining the flow, always ask who\u2019s on first, second, and third? Who will wrap things up at the end in an impactful way? Will there be a breakfast, lunch, or dinner, an intermission, or breaks? If someone isn\u2019t prepared when they\u2019re up, could you rearrange the order of presenters? These are all questions that should be addressed in the Run of Show flow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Timing Considerations<\/span><\/h3>\n

Timing for presenters and speakers should also be recorded and shared with them. It is important that each person understands and follows the timeframe they are given for their portion of the event. If someone gets off-topic or rambles on too long, the audience will lose interest and it can throw the rest of the event off, forcing follow-up speakers to cut their presentation short. This is why events such as the Oscars will \u201cplay people off stage<\/span><\/a>,\u201d using a swelling orchestral overture to let award recipients know it\u2019s time to wrap it up (confidence monitors<\/span><\/a> with a speaker timer that only the presenter can see can also be employed to keep them on track). <\/span><\/p>\n

Technical Considerations<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Run of Show should also include technical elements, such as audiovisual checks to ensure sound and lighting are all set before the guests arrive. Technical cues during the event itself should also be detailed on the <\/span>Run of Show agenda<\/span>. Music, videos, slideshows, and other elements of AV will likely need to be cued up and ready to go at the right time. One of the most uncomfortable things for a presenter is to take the stage only to discover that the supporting audiovisual they were expecting is not ready, or worse, is incorrect (I still remember watching in horror as the wrong track came on during a lip-syncing Ashlee Simpson\u2019s<\/span><\/a> Saturday Night Live<\/i> performance years ago; the mortified singer hoedowned her way off stage due to the snafu). <\/span><\/p>\n

Set-Up & Tear-Down Considerations<\/span><\/h3>\n

Specifying times for set-up and tear-down, and everything they entail, should also be included.  A Few examples:<\/span><\/p>\n