Music & Entertainment Industry Student Association

MEISA is the student organization of MEIEA, the Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Association.

Sponsor a MEISA Regional Conference

Advertising - Funds - Registration Fees / Speakers & Panelists - The Program & Schedule / Sponsors & Post Conference
MEIEA Grants Program / Timeline Check List for Event Production

Timeline / Check List for Event Production

Event planners should develop a timeline as early as possible in the planning process. Realize that this timeline is flexible: it is a working document that is a tool and a guide. The timeline will and should change as needed, and will be a work-in-progress up until the downbeat of the first activity of your event. Here is a suggested, sample timeline. However, working in consultation with your MEISA Faculty advisor, you must settle on your own timeline that allows your event to be successful:

•    Six Months Out – Discuss ideas, brainstorm for event focus with MEIEA faculty advisor and club members

•    Five Months Out – Investigate possible financial support from Student Government, Deans, Provosts, etc., at your college; begin to outline a budget and a possible program for your event; identify possible speakers/alumni to appear; draft samples of pitch letters for speakers, sponsors, etc. Assign lead students for areas like Sponsorship, Marketing, Social Media, Program, etc.

•    Four Months Out – Proposal due to MEIEA; make sure you have your faculty advisor's signature and that your budget and plan has been reviewed by him/her. Keep planning and developing your ideas, as the proposal is under consideration. Reserve campus space for event proceedings (can be done sooner if space is at a premium on your campus).

•    Three Months Out – Start planning "day of" schedule; develop logistics plans for food, parking, merchendising tables, program design, graphics, web site, arrange details of the event registration with national MEIEA office, confirm available funding, start weekly meetings for the event production team.

•    Two Months Out – start reviewing what is confirmed for all critical aspects of event vs. what is not confirmed. Assign 1-2 students to start developing back up or contingency plans for each missing element. Review budget, are you on track for the proposal? Open Registration and start next phase of event promotion (turn up the noise!), start selling sponsorships, securing in kind donations, leverage speakers and panelists to gain more access to panelists and guests.

•    One Month Out – Confirm schedule, budget and report pre registration to MEIEA Director of Student Relations, Confirm rooms, A/V needs, parking for guests, arrange any special access needs with campus, etc. Confirm printing schedule for programs, finalize all copy and ads. Begin more frequent meetings for production team. Assign a moderator for each panel and work with them to insure the talking points will be shared in advance among all panelists and also be relevant to the level and interests of your audience. Be sure to have someone ready to help with both posed and candid photos, these are essential to document your event. (Look at the back pages of Billboard for what these should look like.)

•    One week out – schedule daily meeting with all production team, delegate day of tasks where appropriate to interested students (parking help, grocery/supply run, etc.) Make sure you have contact info including cell phone number for speakers to solve “Day of” snafus with getting lost, parking, running late. Follow suggested plan for speaker liaisons above. Finalize survey forms, copy and have ready to use, assign team members to pass out and collect at the end of the day.

•    Day of – remember, things will happen that you didn’t plan on. Be ready and react professionally at all times. This is a dress rehearsal for your career and acting with as much maturity as possible will set the tone for the event, your student staff and impress the industry members in attendance. If possible, plan a little time for panelists to get to know one another. There are too many details to list here, remember, have good lines of communication and a cell phone “hot list” available to all production personnel. Remember to make every speaker, panelist and attendee feel “at home.” You are the hosts!

•    Day after – safeguard any cash receipts or other assets, safeguard survey forms, go home and get some rest; start the post-event checklist after taking a day off, you have earned it by planning and executing a well produced regional event!