What is a Run of Show?

Run of Show is the minute-by-minute master document that keeps every person, cue, and element perfectly synchronized during your event. It covers everything from speaker introductions to lighting changes to video playback. Without it, even the best-planned events fall apart.

Here's the thing: a run of show isn't just another planning document. It's your event's heartbeat. While your event planning covers the big picture, your run of show zooms into the exact second each thing happens. Think of it as the difference between knowing you're flying to Paris and having your boarding pass in hand.

Key Characteristics of Run of Show

• Time-Stamped Precision: Every element gets an exact start and end time, often down to the minute or second for broadcast events.
• Role-Based Assignments: Each task links to a specific person or team, so there's zero confusion about who does what.
• Cue Integration: Audio, visual, and technical cues appear alongside content elements for seamless coordination.
• Sequential Flow: Items appear in chronological order, creating a clear timeline everyone can follow.
• Contingency Notes: Smart run of shows include backup plans and buffer time for when things go sideways.
• Living Document Status: It evolves through rehearsals and updates right up until showtime.
• Cross-Functional Visibility: Everyone from the stage manager to the caterer can see how their piece fits the puzzle.

Run of Show vs. Related Event Documents

Event Agenda

• Scope: High-level overview for attendees
• Focus: What's happening and when
• Timeline: General time blocks (9:00 AM - 10:00 AM)
• Audience: Attendees and stakeholders
• Goal: Inform and guide the audience experience

Production Schedule

• Scope: Full event lifecycle including setup and teardown
• Focus: Logistics and crew movements
• Timeline: Days or hours before and after the event
• Audience: Production team and vendors
• Goal: Coordinate all operational elements

Run of Show

• Scope: Live event execution only
• Focus: Moment-by-moment cues and transitions
• Timeline: Minutes and seconds during the event
• Audience: Stage managers, AV teams, and speakers
• Goal: Execute flawless live production

These documents work together like layers of a cake. Your event planning process creates the agenda. Your production schedule handles logistics. Your run of show makes the magic happen in real time.

Essential Run of Show Components

Header Information and Event Details

Start with the basics at the top of your document. Include the event name, date, venue, and version number. Add contact info for key decision-makers.

This section prevents confusion when multiple versions float around. Trust us—you don't want someone working from last Tuesday's draft.

Time Column Structure

Your time column is the backbone of everything. Most planners use two time formats:

• Clock time: The actual time (2:15 PM)
• Running time: Minutes from start (T+45:00)

Include both when possible. Running time helps you adjust if you start late. Clock time keeps everyone synced to reality.

Activity and Content Descriptions

Each row needs a clear description of what's happening. Be specific but brief. "CEO keynote begins" beats "John talks about stuff."

Include speaker names, presentation titles, and any special notes. If someone's walking on from stage left, say so.

Technical Cue Integration

This is where event production gets real. Your run of show should include:

• Audio cues (music starts, mic goes live)
• Lighting changes (house lights down, spot on speaker)
• Video playback (roll intro video, switch to camera 2)
• Graphics (lower thirds, presentation slides)

Responsibility Assignments

Every action needs an owner. Use initials or role titles consistently. "SM" for stage manager, "AV1" for audio tech—whatever works for your team.

When something goes wrong (and something always does), clear assignments mean faster fixes.

Building Your Run of Show Step by Step

Start with Your Event Agenda

Pull your high-level agenda and break each block into smaller pieces. A "30-minute keynote" becomes:

• Speaker introduction (2 min)
• Walk to stage (30 sec)
• Presentation (25 min)
• Q&A (2 min)
• Exit and transition (30 sec)

This granular approach reveals hidden time needs. Most planners underestimate transitions by 50% or more.

Add Technical Requirements

Work with your AV team to layer in technical cues. They'll know what's possible and what needs extra time.

For virtual events, add cues for platform switches, screen shares, and breakout room launches. These take longer than you'd think.

Build in Buffer Time

Here's a secret from veteran producers: add 10-15% buffer time throughout your run of show. Speakers run long. Tech glitches happen. Bathroom breaks take longer than planned.

Place buffers strategically:

• After Q&A sessions (questions always run over)
• Before VIP segments (give yourself recovery time)
• At meal transitions (people linger)

Conduct Table Reads and Rehearsals

Walk through your run of show with all key players before the event. Read it aloud, minute by minute. You'll catch conflicts and confusion immediately.

For complex events, do a full technical rehearsal. It's the only way to know if your timing actually works.

Why Run of Show Matters

For Event Success:

• Eliminates Confusion: Everyone knows exactly what happens when, reducing on-site chaos and stress.
• Enables Smooth Transitions: Seamless flow between segments keeps audiences engaged and energy high.
• Supports Quick Problem-Solving: When issues arise, teams can quickly see what's affected and adjust.
• Creates Professional Polish: Tight execution makes your event look and feel world-class.
• Reduces Day-Of Stress: Your team operates from confidence, not panic, because the plan is clear.

For Business Objectives:

• Protects Your Investment: All that planning pays off when execution matches your vision.
• Maximizes Event ROI: Smooth events drive better attendee satisfaction and business outcomes.
• Builds Team Capability: Documented processes help teams improve event after event.
• Supports Sponsor Commitments: Hit your timing marks for sponsor activations and deliverables.
• Enables Post-Event Analysis: Compare planned vs. actual timing to improve future events.

Tools like Guidebook's event management platform help teams share run of show details with staff in real time. When everyone has mobile access to the latest version, coordination becomes effortless.

Run of Show Best Practices

1. Use a Consistent Template: Create a standard format your team uses for every event. Familiarity speeds up both creation and execution.
2. Version Control Religiously: Date and number every version. Destroy old copies. Nothing derails an event like outdated documents.
3. Include Contact Information: Add phone numbers for key personnel directly on the document. You'll need them when things get hectic.
4. Color-Code by Department: Use colors to help teams quickly find their cues. AV in blue, catering in green, speakers in yellow.
5. Write for Scanning, Not Reading: People glance at run of shows under pressure. Use short phrases, clear formatting, and lots of white space.
6. Plan Your Contingencies: Add notes for common problems. "If speaker runs long, cut video intro" gives your team instant guidance.
7. Distribute Strategically: Not everyone needs the full document. Create role-specific versions that show only relevant information.
8. Update in Real Time: Assign someone to track actual times during the event. This data improves your next run of show.
9. Hold a Pre-Event Briefing: Walk through the run of show with all teams 30 minutes before doors open. Answer questions and confirm readiness.
10. Archive for Future Reference: Save your final run of show with notes about what worked. It's gold for planning similar events.

Common Run of Show Mistakes

Underestimating Transition Time: New planners often forget that people need time to move. Walking from backstage to center stage takes 30 seconds. Switching presenters needs a minute. These gaps add up fast and throw off your entire timeline.

Creating It Too Late: Waiting until the week before your event to build your run of show is a recipe for disaster. Start early so you can rehearse, refine, and distribute with time to spare. Your event coordinator will thank you.

Ignoring Technical Realities: That instant video switch you imagined? It might take 10 seconds. That wireless mic handoff? Could cause feedback. Always validate technical assumptions with your AV team before finalizing timing.

Skipping the Rehearsal: Reading your run of show isn't the same as running it. Technical rehearsals reveal timing issues, cue conflicts, and communication gaps that look fine on paper but fail in practice.

Forgetting the Audience Perspective: Your run of show focuses on backstage action, but don't forget what attendees experience. Long gaps, awkward transitions, or dead air kill energy. Plan what the audience sees and hears during every moment.

Over-Complicating the Format: A run of show crammed with every possible detail becomes unusable under pressure. Keep it clean and scannable. Save detailed notes for separate documents.

Not Assigning a Caller: Someone needs to "call the show"—announcing cues to the team in real time. Without a designated caller, your beautiful run of show sits unused while chaos reigns.

Final Thoughts

A solid run of show transforms event execution from stressful improvisation into confident performance. It's the document that turns your months of planning into minutes of flawless delivery.

The best event professionals treat their run of show as a living tool, not a static document. They refine it through rehearsals, update it in real time, and archive it for future learning. Each event makes the next one better.

Whether you're producing a team building event for 50 people or a conference for 5,000, the principles stay the same. Plan precisely. Communicate clearly. Build in buffers. And always, always rehearse.

Ready to level up your event execution? Book a demo to see how Guidebook helps teams share schedules, coordinate staff, and keep everyone aligned from setup to teardown. Check out our templates and guides for more resources. Because great events don't happen by accident—they happen by design.