A run of show is the minute-by-minute plan that keeps a live event on track. It tells everyone what happens next, who is on stage, what is on the screens, and which microphone is live. Planners use it to stay organized. Show callers use it to call the cues. Your AV team uses it to run the technical side without guessing.
If you run meetings and conferences, a clear run of show is the difference between a day that flows and one that stalls between segments. Below is what goes into a good one, how to build it, and a free run of show template you can start with today.
Download the free Run of Show template
What is a run of show?
A run of show (also called a show flow or cue sheet) is a table with one row for every moment in your event. Each row lists the start time, how long the segment runs, what is happening, who is speaking, and the audio, video, and lighting cues that go with it. Read top to bottom, it is the script for the whole day.
It is not the same as an agenda. An agenda tells attendees the topics and times. A run of show tells the crew exactly what to do, second by second, so nothing is left to chance during a high-stakes moment.
What goes in a run of show
The columns are what make it useful. A run of show template built for AV should capture:
- Time and duration: the start time of each cue and how many minutes it runs, so the day adds up and you can see where you are running long.
- Segment and action: a short name for the moment and a plain description of what happens on stage and off.
- Presenter or talent: who is speaking or performing during the cue.
- Microphones: how many mics are live and who is on them, so audio is ready before anyone starts talking.
- Audio and music: walk-in and walk-out music, stings, and the audio from any video roll.
- Video and screen content: what is on the screens at that moment, from slides to video to lower thirds to a holding graphic.
- Lighting and staging: the lighting look for the segment and any set changes.
- Notes and standby cues: reminders for the crew, like a standby call before a video plays.
Our free run of show template lays these out as fill-in-the-blank columns, with a filled example row and an auto-calculating timeline, so the end times and each next start time update as you set the durations.
How to build a run of show, step by step
You do not need to fill in every cell at once. Start with the shape of the day and add detail as it firms up.
- Block out the segments: list the major moments in order, from doors and walk-in through the close, and set a start time for the first one.
- Set durations: give each segment a length in minutes and let the timeline calculate the rest, so you can see whether the day fits.
- Add the AV cues: for each segment, note the mics, the audio, the screen content, and the lighting. This is the part your production company needs most.
- Name who calls the show: pick the show caller and make sure they have the final version. On show day, the crew follows their cues, not the printed agenda.
- Do a paper run: read the run of show top to bottom with your key people before rehearsal. Most timing problems show up here, on paper, where they are cheap to fix.
Pair it with an RFP for accurate bids
A run of show plans the day. An event AV and production RFP plans the budget. The two work together: the RFP spells out the room, the screens, the power, and the crew so every production company prices the same event, and the run of show gives the winning team the cue-by-cue detail to deliver it.
If you are gathering bids, download both, fill in what you know, and your AV partner can turn them into an accurate quote and a technical plan.
Run of show tips for meetings and conferences
Multi-session conferences and corporate meetings have their own rhythm. A few habits keep the run of show useful once the room fills up:
- Build in transitions. The gaps between speakers, the walk-ons, and the slide handoffs are where shows lose time.
- Write down every mic change. A panel that swaps from a podium mic to four handhelds needs that on the sheet, not improvised.
- Keep one source of truth. Share one version with the show caller and the crew, and mark the revision so no one runs an old copy.
- Send your AV team the file early. The sooner they see your run of show, the more they can spec and rehearse around it.
Prime AV builds the technical plan around your run of show for meetings and conferences across Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland, from a single breakout to a multi-day general session. See what we cover under AV services.
Planning your next event?
Download the Run of Show and RFP templates, fill in what you know, and email them to sales@goprimeav.com. We will help you build the scope and the show, or send us your requirements for a quote.