How do you make a technical run sheet for an event?
A technical run sheet links every part of your programme to the equipment it needs, with timings and responsible people. Work from broad to detailed: first the timeline, then image, sound and light for each moment, and finally the setup and teardown.
The short answer
A technical run sheet links every moment of your programme to the equipment it requires, with timings and responsible people alongside. You build it up from broad to detailed: start with the timeline of the programme, add image, sound and light for each moment, and finish with the setup and teardown. That way everyone knows on the day itself exactly what has to happen and when.
Why a technical run sheet is indispensable
A content programme tells you what happens, but not how the technology moves along with it. Without a technical run sheet the classic glitches appear: the wrong microphone is live, a video starts without sound, or the lights stay bright during a video clip. The run sheet prevents that by thinking through every moment in advance.
- It makes the dependencies between parts visible
- It records who is responsible for what
- It brings calm on the day itself, because nothing has to be improvised
The basis for a good run sheet lies in the information you gather beforehand. Which details your AV partner needs for this is covered in the article on information for your AV partner.
Build the run sheet from broad to detailed
Do not start with details, but with the big picture. First set down the timeline of the programme, then refine it step by step.
Step 1: set down the timeline
Note every programme moment with a start and end time: reception, opening, speakers, breaks, closing. This is the skeleton on which all the technology hangs.
Step 2: link equipment to each moment
Go through the timeline and add what is needed for each moment:
- Which microphone for which speaker
- Which image on the screen: slides, video or logo
- Which lighting: bright for speakers, dimmed for video
- Which sound: background music, video clip or silence
Step 3: name the transitions
Most mistakes do not happen during a segment, but at the changeover between them. Describe each transition explicitly: who announces the next speaker, when the microphone is handed over, when the image changes.
Step 4: add responsible people
Behind every line belongs a name or a role. That way everyone knows who acts at which moment, and nothing falls through the cracks.
Do not forget the edges of the day
Setup and teardown belong in the run sheet, because that is exactly where time pressure arises. Record when the room is available, when testing takes place and when everything has to be cleared again.
- The time at which the room is accessible for setup
- The moment of the technical test and rehearsal
- The latest time by which the room must be empty
A thorough check of the room beforehand prevents surprises on the day. Use the approach from the article on technically checking a venue and the broader guide to technical event planning for this.
Test the run sheet in practice
A run sheet on paper is a plan, not a guarantee. Walk through it fully once before the event with everyone involved, so that the transitions really do run smoothly and everyone knows their role.
- Run through the critical transitions out loud
- Check that image, sound and light are correct at each moment
- Adjust the run sheet where the test reveals bottlenecks
If you want to hand over both that direction and the execution, the technical support solution is set up for exactly that.
In short
A technical run sheet translates your programme into concrete equipment for each moment, with timings and responsible people. Build from broad to detailed, pay extra attention to transitions and the edges of the day, and test the whole thing beforehand. Then your event runs without improvisation, exactly as intended.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a programme and a technical run sheet?
A programme tells you what happens and when, focused on the content. A technical run sheet translates that same programme into what needs to happen technically: which microphone goes to whom, which image on the screen, which lighting at which moment, and who takes care of it. Neither can do without the other.
How detailed should a technical run sheet be?
Detailed enough that someone who does not know the programme still knows what has to happen at every moment. Each transition between speakers, videos and breaks deserves a line. Do not overdo it with details that change nothing, but leave no changeover undescribed.
Who draws up the technical run sheet?
Usually the organiser works together with the technical party. The organiser knows the content and the timing, the technical party knows what each moment requires in terms of image, sound and light. Bringing both perspectives together creates a run sheet that holds up on the day itself.
Should setup and teardown also be in the run sheet?
Yes. Setup and teardown belong in it, including the moments when the room is available, when testing takes place and when everything has to be cleared again. It is precisely around the edges of the day that most bottlenecks arise, so those deserve a place in the run sheet.