In short
- Test the actual file on the actual system, not a copy on a laptop.
- Check picture, sound level, subtitles and the first and last seconds.
- Name the audio-visual (AV) person who presses play, and brief them on the cue.
- Keep a second copy on a different device in case the first fails.
Test the film on the venue’s own screen, speakers and player, with the audio-visual (AV) person who will run it, before the audience arrives. A problem found at the test costs a few minutes; found during the screening, it stops the programme.
Why does a film that looks fine fail at the venue?
The film is rarely played on the machine that made it. The venue may use a different player, a different screen shape, longer cables, a mixer or a projector with its own limits.
Common problems are black bars at the sides, no sound, sound that is too quiet, subtitles that do not show, a file that will not open, and a stutter when the film starts. Each is easy to fix at a test and hard to fix with the audience watching.
What should we check at the test?
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| File opens | The venue’s player opens the file without a message |
| Picture | Fills the screen as intended, no black bars, no cut-off titles |
| Sound | Dialogue and music are clear at a comfortable level in the room |
| Subtitles | Visible, readable from the back of the room |
| Start and end | The first and last seconds are correct, and the end does not jump to something else |
| Controls | The AV operator knows how to start, pause and stop |
| Backup | A second copy opens on a different device |
Play the film from start to finish at least once, not only the first minute. Stand where the audience will sit, not beside the AV desk. Sound that seems fine at the desk can be too loud at the front or too faint at the back.
Who is responsible for what?
- The AV operator runs the playback and knows the venue’s system.
- The approver confirms the file is the one that was approved.
- The person giving the cue tells the AV operator when to play.
- The videographer or editor prepares the file and fixes problems found at the test.
Write these names down before the day. A film often fails on cue not because anyone is careless, but because everyone assumed someone else was ready. The AV operator also needs to know whether the film is part of a programme or a stand-alone item.
What if the film is finished late?
With a same-day film, the final file may arrive minutes before it plays. Plan for this. Do a first test earlier with a short test file, so the setup is proven. Then check the final file as soon as it arrives, even for a short time.
If time runs out, follow the fallback you agreed. See a fallback video plan if the programme overruns. If the editor is working at the venue, read what an on-site editor needs from the venue for the workspace and file-transfer side.
What should we ask the venue AV team?
- Which file types, sizes and screen shape does the player prefer?
- Can the file be loaded from a drive, or must it come by a different route?
- Who controls the speaker level, and where can we test it?
- Is there a person on duty for the whole programme, or only at set times?
- When can we test, and how long will we have?
- Does the system play from a laptop, and which cables does it need?
For example, a company awards night might send these questions to the venue a week before and book a test before the doors open. This is an illustration of the order of tasks, not a standard timetable.
Use the same-day edit deadline planner to place the test in your timeline, and read how a same-day event edit is planned for the whole chain. For a film screened at your event, see our same-day event edits service; we confirm the setup once we know your venue and date.
If a film will be shown at your event, tell us the venue, the screen and who runs the sound and screen. We can prepare the file in a format the venue can play and plan a test with the AV team before the audience arrives.
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