In short
- Decide first whether every act gets a full recording, or only finalists and winners.
- Cover acts, judges' comments and the awards, since each has a different purpose.
- Use the real running order to plan camera positions and breaks.
- Agree who may see and share each contestant's recording, especially if some contestants are young.
Plan your coverage from the competition rules and the real running order, then decide which parts get full recording and which get highlights. A competition has three jobs for the camera: the acts, the judging and the awards. Each needs a different approach.
Know what the competition needs to record
Start with the rules. They tell you what must be fair, what may be disputed and what the finished videos are for.
- Acts: what each contestant did, as the judges and audience saw it.
- Judging: scores, comments and reactions, which help explain the result.
- Awards: the announcement, the winners’ reactions and the prize presentation.
- Atmosphere: audience, queue, backstage and supporters, if allowed.
Choose full or partial coverage by round
It is rarely practical, or necessary, to treat every round the same way. The table is an example of how an organiser might split coverage across a three-round competition. It is an illustration only.
| Round | Example coverage | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Auditions | Short clip per contestant, or a single wide camera | Many acts, short slots, mainly for the record |
| Semi-final | Full recording of every act, two cameras | Fair record for each contestant before the cut |
| Final | Full recording of every act, three cameras, plus judges | The main product of the event |
| Awards | Announcement, winners and prize presentation | Needed for the recap and for the winners |
Choose what you need by asking what each output is for. A recap film for sponsors needs strong moments. A record for contestants needs complete acts. Our guide to separate records for a multi-act showcase covers how to label and hand over files by group or act.
Use the real running order
Plan camera positions and breaks from the actual running order, not a general guess. A run sheet shows which acts follow each other, where stage changes take time, and when judges speak. Our run-sheet filming planner turns that order into camera cues. Keep contestants’ order and names in one list so files can be labelled correctly afterwards.
Fairness for contestants
Contestants notice if some acts look better than others. Keep the camera setup and sound consistent through a round. If a camera fails during one act, note it so it is not mistaken for a choice. If recordings might be used in a dispute, ask the organiser which version counts as the record.
Judges and awards
Judges’ comments and score announcements are part of the competition’s story. Ask the judges for their agreement to be filmed and agree where they will sit so the camera can see them clearly. For the awards, plan one camera on the stage and one on the winners’ reactions, so neither is missed.
Permissions and sharing
Decide who sees each recording and where it may be posted. Contestants, parents or guardians and sponsors may each have a view. If your competition includes children, get written agreement from guardians before filming and before sharing. Our filming and publication responsibilities checklist helps you record who agreed.
What we confirm for your event
- How many cameras each round needs, from your running order.
- How the look and sound stay the same across contestants.
- How files are labelled by contestant and round.
- A backup plan if a camera or microphone fails during an act.
- Whether you review the recap before it goes online.
See our performing arts event videography service for the full offer.
If you have the competition rules and a draft running order, we can suggest where cameras and recording time should go. Send us the date, venue and number of acts, and we will check what we can cover.
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