Service Scope
01The five columns every rundown needs
| Column | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Time | To the minute, including lead times and buffers |
| Segment | What is happening in this minute |
| Owner | A named person, not a department |
| Supporting cues | What lighting, sound, video and hostesses each need to do |
| Notes | Triggers, backup plans, points to watch |
Common problem
Many rundowns have only "time + segment" and no cues. The result: when the MC says "let's look at the screen", the video team is still looking for the file.
02How to split the roles
A medium-to-large event usually needs these roles on site. Note that supervisor, coordinator and director are three distinct jobs with no overlap.
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Project coordinator | Accountable to the client, owns overall schedule and resourcing, final decision-maker |
| Project director | Content and presentation, pacing of segments, performances, ceremony design |
| Project supervisor | Delivery on the ground — materials, crew and timings in place |
| Stage manager | Backstage order, entrance and exit sequence, microphone handover |
| Technical director | Unified cueing of lighting, sound and video |
| Guest services | Check-in, wayfinding, VIP hosting |
03What a rehearsal must cover
- BlockingEntrance and exit routes and standing positions for the MC, guests and hostesses
- Microphone handoverWho hands which mic to whom, at what time, at which point
- Video and slide changesWhich file goes with each segment, who plays it, when to switch
- Lighting scenesEntrance, speech, awards, performance, group photo — run each scene separately
- MusicLeader's entrance, awards, warm-up, exit, prize draw — confirm each one
- Contingency drillDead mic, video that won't play, tripped breaker — walk through each response
04Contingency plans: five common situations
| Situation | Plan |
|---|---|
| Microphone fails | Spare wireless mic kept in hand; the MC's cue cards carry bridging lines |
| Video won't play | A local backup copy; a backup source pre-set on the switcher |
| Breaker trips | Distribution board location and reset owner defined; critical equipment on UPS |
| Guest arrives late | Segment order can shift; buffer segments held in reserve to slot in |
| Running over | Compressible segments marked in advance; show control has authority to cut one on the spot |
05How on-site command actually works
- Radio channel groupsShow control, technical, guest services and backstage each on their own channel to avoid cross-talk
- Contact treeWho reports to whom, and who steps in if someone drops off
- Countdown reminders10, 5 and 1 minute warnings before every key segment
- Live logRecord where execution diverged from the plan, as the basis for the debrief
CaseRelated projects
Four high-speed rail routes executed in parallel · 8 million passenger reach
Langham Place, Guangzhou · two-day programme