Run of Show vs. Event Agenda: What’s the Difference?
An event agenda tells guests what to expect. A run of show tells the crew how to deliver it. Learn what each document needs and how to turn a session list into a workable production plan. An event agenda tells attendees what happens, where, and when. A run of show gives the production team the timi
Why an agenda leaves production questions unanswered
In an attendee agenda, “9:00 a.m. — Opening keynote” may be enough. It tells guests where to be and what to expect.
For an audio technician, video operator, or stage manager, that line leaves decisions unresolved. Which microphone does the presenter use? Does an introduction video play first? Who brings the speaker onstage? What tells the lighting operator to change the look?
Those decisions belong in the production rundown.
What to include in a run of show
Build the document in event order. For each segment, include a cue or segment number, planned start time, duration, action, responsible person or department, and relevant technical notes. Link to the approved script, presentation, or media file so operators can identify the correct version.
Distinguish a planned clock time from the action that triggers a cue. If a video should begin after the host finishes a particular sentence, write that instruction explicitly. Otherwise, a delayed introduction leaves the operator guessing whether to follow the clock or the speaker.
Work through the transitions
Consider a keynote with an introduction video. The audience sees one session, while the crew coordinates several actions: fade the walk-in music, adjust the lights, play the video, bring the presenter onstage, open their microphone, and display the first slide.
The sequence depends on your production. Review it with the people performing each action and identify who calls the cues. Ask each operator, “What tells you to act, and what needs to happen immediately before you?”
That conversation can expose a missing instruction before rehearsal.
Decide how the show will handle delays
Identify any fixed deadlines, such as a broadcast start or venue cutoff. Agree with the client on which segments can be shortened if the program runs late, and record who can approve that decision.
After rehearsal, update the rundown and make the current version clear. Keep an accessible offline copy for a connectivity failure, with its version and timestamp visible.