How to Write a Run-of-Show with AI: Save 4 Hours on Every Event

A run-of-show is one of the most important documents you will make for any event.

It tells every person on your team what is happening, when it is happening, and what they need to do. Without it, things go wrong. Sessions run over time. Speakers miss their cues. The AV team plays the wrong slide. Catering arrives late.

Writing a good run-of-show by hand takes a long time. Most planners spend 3 to 5 hours on it. You have to think through every single minute of the day, assign each task to a person, and write clear notes for your AV team and crew.

AI can cut that time in half. This guide shows you how to use ChatGPT to build a full run-of-show from scratch. It also shows you how to check it, improve it, and share it with your team.

What is a run-of-show?

A run-of-show (also called a run sheet or show flow) is a minute by minute plan for your event.

It covers the whole day, from the moment the crew arrives to the moment the last guest leaves. It says who does what, when, and where.

A good run-of-show has these columns:

• Time: the exact time each action starts
• Duration: how many minutes it takes
• What happens: a clear description of the activity
• Who is responsible: the name or role of the person in charge
• AV cue: what the audio visual team needs to do at that moment
• Notes: anything else the team needs to know

It is different from an agenda. An agenda is what the audience sees. A run-of-show is what your team uses behind the scenes.

Step 1: Gather your information first

Before you ask AI to help, you need to have some basic facts ready. AI can only work with the information you give it. The better your input, the better your run-of-show will be.

Here is what to have ready before you start:

• The event name, date, and location
• The start time and end time
• A list of all sessions and activities in order
• The name and role of each speaker or presenter
• Any AV or tech requirements you already know about
• How long each session is planned to run
• The names or roles of your key team members

You do not need to have everything perfect. You can give AI a rough outline and ask it to help you fill in the gaps. But the more you give it, the less editing you will need to do.

Step 2: Build your first draft with AI

This is where AI saves you the most time. You give it your event details and it builds the full table for you.

You are an experienced event producer. Create a detailed minute by minute run-of-show for the following event.

Event name: [name]
Date: [date]
Venue: [venue name and location]
Event start time: [time]
Event end time: [time]
Crew call time: [time]
Doors open: [time]

Sessions and activities:
[List each session in order with the planned duration]

Key team members:
[List each person and their role]

Format the run-of-show as a table with these columns: Time, Duration (mins), What Happens, Who Is Responsible, AV Cue, Notes.

Make every entry specific and clear. Include transitions between sessions. Add a buffer row after each main session.

Here is an example of what a good run-of-show table looks like for a half-day conference:

Step 3: Check for missing cues and gaps

Once you have your first draft, ask AI to review it. It is very good at spotting things that are easy to miss.

Here is my run-of-show for [event name]: [paste your table]. Review it carefully. Tell me:
1. Any moments where the timing looks too tight
2. Any AV cues that are missing or not clear enough
3. Any transitions that need more time
4. Any tasks that do not have a named person responsible
5. Anything else that could cause a problem on the day

Give your answer as a numbered list. Be specific.

Common things AI spots that planners miss:

• No one assigned to check the microphones before doors open
• Speaker slide decks not loaded on the laptop before the session starts
• No plan for what happens if a session runs 10 minutes over
• Catering arrival time not listed
• No crew break in a long day
• Registration desk closing time not noted
• No one assigned to thank sponsors from the stage
• AV cue for the closing video missing

Step 4: Add a backup plan for the most likely problems

Every event has moments where something does not go to plan. A speaker is late. The slides will not load. A session runs short.

A good run-of-show has a short backup plan for each of these moments. AI can help you write these in minutes.

Here is my run-of-show: [paste your table]. Identify the 5 moments in this event that are most likely to have a problem. For each one, write a simple 2 to 3 sentence backup plan that tells my team exactly what to do if things go wrong. Keep the language simple and clear. Format as a table with columns: Session or Moment, Most Likely Problem, What the Team Should Do.

Step 5: Write a version for your AV team

Your AV team works from a different version of the run-of-show. They only care about their cues. They do not need to know who is responsible for catering or when the registration desk closes.

Ask AI to pull out just the AV information and create a clean cue sheet for them.

Here is my run-of-show: [paste your table]. Create a separate AV cue sheet for my audio visual team. Include only the rows that require an AV action. For each row, list: the exact time, what the AV team needs to do, which piece of equipment is involved (microphone, screen, projector, lights, music), and any notes. Format as a table. Use very clear, simple language. Number each cue.

Step 6: Write a version for your speakers

Speakers do not need the full run-of-show. They need to know their slot, how long they have, what happens before them, and what happens after.

AI can write a short, clear briefing for each speaker in minutes.

Here is my run-of-show: [paste your table]. Write a short briefing email for [speaker name] who is presenting at [time]. Include:
- What time they need to arrive at the venue
- Where to go when they arrive
- What happens right before their session
- How long their session is
- Whether there is a Q and A after their talk
- What happens right after their session
- Any AV or tech notes they need to know

Keep the email under 200 words. Use simple, friendly language.

Step 7: Update the run-of-show as things change

Run-of-show documents always change. A speaker drops out. A session gets moved. The venue changes a room layout.

Every time something changes, you need to update your run-of-show and share the new version with your team. AI can help you do this quickly.

Here is my current run-of-show: [paste your table]. I need to make the following change: [describe the change, for example 'the afternoon keynote has moved from 14:00 to 13:30 and is now 30 minutes instead of 45']. Update the run-of-show to reflect this change. Adjust the timing of all sessions that come after it. Flag any new timing conflicts this creates. Give me the full updated table.

Tips for a better run-of-show

Be specific about times

Do not write '9am registration'. Write '09:00 Registration desk opens. Two staff on duty. Badges sorted A to M on left, N to Z on right.' The more specific you are, the less you have to explain on the day.

Use roles, not just names

Write 'Event Manager' not just 'Sarah'. If Sarah is sick on the day, whoever replaces her can still use the document. Always put the person's name in brackets after the role: Event Manager (Sarah).

Think in minutes, not chunks

Five minutes is a long time in a live event. Break your sessions into small blocks. A 60 minute keynote is not one row. It has a speaker walks on stage row, a talk begins row, a Q and A begins row, and a speaker leaves stage row.

Share it early

Send the run-of-show to your whole team at least 5 days before the event. Give people time to read it, ask questions, and flag problems. A run-of-show that nobody reads until the morning of the event is not useful.

Print a copy

On the day of the event, carry a printed copy. Phones lose battery. Laptops crash. A printed copy never fails. Laminate the first page with the daily overview so it survives a spilled coffee.

Questions people ask about run-of-show documents

Final thoughts

A run-of-show takes time to write. But the time you put into it before the event is paid back many times over on the day.

When every person on your team knows exactly what to do and when to do it, you can focus on the things that only you can handle. The conversations with your client. The decisions that come up that nobody planned for. The small touches that make guests feel looked after.

AI does not replace the thinking you put into a run-of-show. But it handles the first draft, spots the gaps, writes the AV cue sheet, and updates the document when things change. That is a lot of time saved.

Start with Prompt 1 on your next event. Give ChatGPT your event details and see what it gives you. You will be surprised how close it gets to a finished document in one go.

The next post in this series covers how to use AI for venue sourcing. It is one of the most time-consuming parts of event planning and AI can do a big part of the work for you. Subscribe below to get it when it publishes.