Guides
The short answer
Write a run of show with every award in order. For each award, list the presenter, the nominees slide, the winner slide, the walk-up music and where the winner stands for the photo. Send it to the AV team a few days before, rehearse the first award, and keep each award short.
Write the run of show
A run of show is the timed plan for the night: doors, welcome, dinner, speeches, each award, entertainment and the dance floor. For the awards, give each one its own line with:
- The award's name
- Who presents it
- The nominees slide or video
- The winner's slide, kept separate if the winner is a secret
- The walk-up music
- Where the winner stands for the photo
The cues for each award
| Cue | What happens | Who runs it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The presenter walks up and the lectern lights up | Lighting |
| 2 | The nominees go up on the screen | Screens |
| 3 | The winner is read out: the winner slide, walk-up music and beams | Screens, sound and lighting |
| 4 | The winner on stage, with front light for the photo | Lighting |
| 5 | The music fades, back to the presenter | Sound |
A technician at the desk runs every cue from the run of show, so the presenter only has to read the names.
Make the photo work
Every winner wants the photo. Mark one spot on the stage with front light on it and your branding on the screen behind. Steps or a ramp make the walk-up safe and quick.
Keep it moving
Long awards sections drag. Keep each award to a couple of minutes, let the walk-up music cover the walk, and save the speeches for the big ones. If the list is long, group the smaller awards together.
Rehearse the first one
Before the doors open, run the first award with the presenter, the technician and someone standing in for the winner. It catches most problems: a slide in the wrong order, a mic that's too quiet, a step in the dark.
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