How to check event media before rehearsal

Collect final versions

Set a media deadline and ask every supplier for the final file, not a link to a folder that keeps changing. Keep one show folder with only current files in it. Move superseded versions out so nobody plays the wrong one.

Use consistent filenames

Agree a pattern such as Session_Speaker_Type.ext and write the same names in the run of show. Avoid “final”, “new” and “v2 (1)” in names. Consistent names make a mismatch obvious.

Match files to cues

Go through the run of show row by row. For every media reference, find exactly one file. Note files that no cue uses, too: they may be a newer version someone forgot to mention.

Inspect metadata and structure

• Video: resolution, frame rate, codec, audio channels and duration against what the show needs and what the cue allows.
• Slides: slide size and the fonts named in the deck.
• Structure: files that are damaged, empty or not the type their extension claims.

Missing and ambiguous files

A missing file is a cue with no matching file. An ambiguous match is a cue where several files could fit, such as Keynote_Deck.pptx and Keynote_Deck_v2.pptx. Chase missing files with the owner, and decide ambiguous ones deliberately rather than assuming.

Fix vs Review

In ShowReady, Fix items need a change to the files or schedule before the show. Review items need a person to look; you can acknowledge or dismiss them. Fix items clear only when the underlying problem is changed and the check is run again.

Test on the real show setup

A file can look correct and still fail on the night. Play every file in full on the actual playback system, with the actual audio path, and open every deck on the show machine to confirm fonts and layout. This is the technical rehearsal's job and nothing replaces it.

Confirm timing and owners

Check that each film's length fits its cue and that someone owns every open item, with a deadline before rehearsal.

Export, share and reattach

ShowReady can export the run of show as a branded Excel file and the check report as JSON for the crew. Your media files are read in your browser and are not uploaded; your schedule, media choices and reports are saved to your show. After a refresh or on another visit, attach the same files again before running a new check.

What ShowReady can and cannot check

ShowReady checks file structure and metadata against your run of show. It cannot verify complete decoding or playback, measure loudness, confirm fonts installed on show machines, or replace a technical rehearsal. See supported files and limits for exact formats and sizes.