Live Streaming video production

A Detailed Look at What it Takes to Produce a Live Stream



Key Categories for Live Video Production

  1. Pre-Production

  2. Talent

  3. Technical Departments (Video, Sound, Graphics, Production)

  4. Going Live

  5. Post Show

Pre-Production:

A successful live stream requires a good amount of pre-production. You only get one chance to get things right during the event so it’s critical to have as many details sorted out before it’s time to go live.

Every live stream production will have its unexpected challenges, things that pop up last second that weren’t accounted for. Even though you might think you’ve thought of everything, you haven’t. It happens every time. By doing as much homework and planning as possible, you buy yourself some time on set to deal with these surprise situations instead of working on things that could have been beforehand.

After identifying what the stream is centered around, the next step is coming up with a concept for the show. It doesn’t need to be complex, just something that can get the ball rolling in the right direction, give some structure to the production and is informative to others who are involved in the production.



The physical location of your event will also play a large role in the setup time and gear required to produce your live stream. Here are some questions that I always ask in regards to the venue:

  1. Is there internet provided by the venue? Is it hardline or only wifi? What is the cost?

  2. How early are you allowed into the venue before your event starts? Is the venue open to you the day before your event in case a full set day is required?

  3. Is the venue including any of its AV gear? i.e. projectors, tv’s, risers or stages, lighting, etc.

  4. Where are we allowed to run cable? Are there any areas that are off limits?

  5. Where is the best place to load equipment in and where is long term parking?


These are just a few basic questions in regards to your event’s venue. Knowing the answer to these questions well in advance of your event is critical.

Next is coming up with a Run of Show. This is a document that outlines your event from start to finish, breaking down each part of the event into different segments. Each segment should be labeled with a unique identified, given a run time, a short description, and labeled either Live or Tapped.

A well made Run of Show allows everyone on the production to follow along and see what’s coming next during the event.

Here’s a good example of a ROS