Key Takeaways
- A run sheet is a cue document, not a programme — it contains every technical action, not just timings and speaker names
- The show-caller's version of the run sheet includes technical annotations not in the client version
- A run sheet is a live document — it should be version-controlled and all changes should go through the show-caller
- Every transition between programme elements is a cue set — transitions are not pauses, they are produced moments
- Timing in the run sheet should be in absolute clock time (HH:MM), not relative duration — "Session 1 — 30 minutes" becomes "09:00–09:30 — Session 1"
What a run sheet contains
A run sheet for a full-day conference with 5 sessions, 3 speakers, 2 breaks, lunch, an afternoon panel, and a closing address contains approximately 60–80 individual cue rows. Each row has: an absolute clock time; a duration; a description of the programme element or technical action; the department responsible (lighting, audio, video, stage, show-caller); and the cue type (stand-by, go, or hold). The document is read from the top by the show-caller, who calls each cue in sequence to the relevant departments via intercom. Departments do not act until they receive their cue from the show-caller — they do not act on the clock.
Transition cues
The transitions between programme elements are where shows lose energy and time. A transition from "Speaker 1 keynote" to "coffee break" is not a single cue — it is a cue set: Speaker 1 receives "30 seconds remaining" call via confidence monitor or floor manager; Speaker 1 finishes; show-caller calls "Lighting — transition state"; show-caller calls "Audio — break music in"; show-caller calls "Stage — clear lectern, set table for panel session"; show-caller calls "Front-of-house — doors open for break." Each of these is a separate cue with a separate department receiving it. Run-sheet rows for transitions are typically 3–5 rows for a simple speaker exit and 8–12 rows for a complex setup change during a break.
Version control
A run sheet that is edited without version control produces different versions circulating simultaneously — the lighting designer has version 3 while the audio engineer has version 5, and neither knows the other's version is different. The show-caller owns the master. Every change request comes to the show-caller, who updates the master, increments the version number, records the change in a change log at the bottom of the document, and distributes the new version to all department heads with a clear "this supersedes version X" header. On show day, there is one version, it is clearly marked as the day-of-show master, and every department head confirms they have it.
What gets written in absolute clock time
A run sheet that says "Session 1 — 30 minutes" provides no useful information to anyone during a live event where the session has run 8 minutes over and the show-caller needs to make decisions about which subsequent element to compress to recover the schedule. A run sheet that says "09:00 Session 1 open — 09:30 Session 1 close target" tells the show-caller that at 09:38 they are 8 minutes behind and have a specific decision to make about the programme. Absolute clock time is the operating language of a produced event. All cues in a run sheet should be in HH:MM absolute clock time, with total event duration visible at a glance.