What is a Production Schedule?

A production schedule is the timetable for building, running and taking down an event, listing every deadline, delivery, build, rehearsal and load-out the production team must hit. It is the production manager's main planning tool, and often runs from months before the event to the last truck leaving. Every department, supplier and crew plans its own work around it.

How a production schedule is built

Most production schedules are built backwards from the show:

  1. Fix the key dates: show days, venue access and the date the site must be clear.
  2. Work back: add rehearsals, technical days, the build and supplier deliveries.
  3. Add planning deadlines: for example, when riders, permits and site plans must be final.
  4. Allocate people: show which crews, suppliers and departments are needed when.
  5. Share and update: issue it to every department and reissue when anything changes.

A production schedule only works if everyone sees the latest version, which is why many teams build theirs on a shared timeline in Crescat.

Production schedule vs day sheet

A production schedule covers the whole project, often over weeks. A day sheet covers a single show day hour by hour. Festivals often have both: a long build schedule and a daily schedule for each show day.

Example festival production schedule

  • 12 weeks out: site plan and supplier orders final
  • 4 weeks out: artist advances complete
  • Build week: fencing, power, staging and infrastructure
  • Day before: rigging, sound and lighting, then rehearsals
  • Show days: daily crew calls and changeovers
  • Load-out: strike stages and clear the site

Frequently asked questions

Who writes the production schedule?

Usually the production manager, with input from every department and supplier. On a tour, the production manager writes one for the tour and one for each show day.

How detailed should a production schedule be?

Detailed enough that every team knows when they are needed and what must be ready. Many schedules show days in the planning phase and hours during the build and show.

What happens when the schedule slips?

The production manager decides what can move and what cannot, such as doors or curfew. Later tasks are compressed or extra crew are brought in. Building some spare time into the schedule from the start makes this much easier.

Related terms