Template T5
Awards night script
The awards block is the part of the kickoff people talk about for a week, and the part most likely to run 40 minutes. This script holds it to about 25 by giving every award the same two-minute slot, announcing President’s Club as a group, and keeping acceptance speeches off the stage. Times are samples for a block that starts at 8:00 PM, and winners appear only as code names.
The two-minute award
Every award in the block runs to this pattern: 1:40 of action, rounded up to 2:00.
| Clock | Beat | Length | Cues and script |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | Citation | 0:30 | GFX: category slide; LX: presenter special. The presenter reads a citation of about 70 words from the card, ending “and the award goes to” |
| 0:30 | Name and walk-up | 0:20 | Presenter reads the name as written phonetically on the card; GFX: winner slide; SND: walk-up track at the chorus; LX: spot on the aisle |
| 0:50 | Trophy, handshake, stage photo | 0:30 | A stagehand passes the trophy to the presenter; one photo on stage; no acceptance speech |
| 1:20 | Walk-off | 0:20 | Winner exits to the photo backdrop offstage; SND: music out; the next presenter steps up |
| 1:40 | Spare | 0:20 | For applause that runs long and the winner who stops to hug their SE on the way up |
| 2:00 | Total | 2:00 | One slot in the block; the next citation starts on the show caller’s go |
The block, minute by minute
Sample times from 8:00 PM. A three-minute open and 11 two-minute awards fill 25 minutes; a one-minute close makes 26. Cue key: LX lighting, VID video, SND sound, GFX slides and graphics, SM stage manager.
| Time | Segment | On stage | Cues and script |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:58 PM (-0:02) | Standby | Empty | SM: emcee and first presenter in the wings, trophies on the table in award order; GFX: winner deck open on the show machine; SND: walk-up 1 cued to the chorus |
| 8:00 PM (0:00) | Open | Emcee | LX: house to half; SND: VOG “Please welcome your host for tonight’s awards.” Emcee: one line on what tonight celebrates, then straight to the Club, no housekeeping |
| 8:01 PM (0:01) | President’s Club, as a group | CRO | GFX: Club names scroll over one photo of the destination; SND: music bed. CRO: “When your name comes up, stand and stay standing.” One roar, no walk-ups |
| 8:03 PM (0:03) | Award 1: SDR of the year (Award 1, Winner A) | Head of sales development, then Winner A | Standard two-minute award. SND: walk-up 1; GFX: winner slide 1 on the name |
| 8:05 PM (0:05) | Award 2: Partner of the year (Award 2, Winner A) | Head of partnerships, then Winner A | Standard award. SND: walk-up 2; GFX: winner slide 2, with the partner’s logo only if they have approved it |
| 8:07 PM (0:07) | Award 3: Rookie of the year (Award 3, Winner A) | Head of enablement, then Winner A | Standard award. SND: walk-up 3; GFX: winner slide 3 |
| 8:09 PM (0:09) | Award 4: CSM of the year (Award 4, Winner A, remote) | Head of customer success | VID: live feed full screen on the name; SND: walk-up 4 plays over the feed. The presenter speaks to the camera, the room applauds the screen, and there is no trophy hand-off |
| 8:11 PM (0:11) | Award 5: SE of the year (Award 5, Winner A) | Head of solutions engineering, then Winner A | Standard award. SND: walk-up 5; GFX: winner slide 5 |
| 8:13 PM (0:13) | Award 6: Unsung hero (Award 6, Winner A) | CEO, then Winner A | In the middle, where it lifts the room. Citation drawn from the peer nominations; SND: walk-up 6; GFX: winner slide 6 |
| 8:15 PM (0:15) | Award 7: Commercial AE of the year (Award 7, Winner A) | Commercial sales leader, then Winner A | Standard award. SND: walk-up 7; GFX: winner slide 7 |
| 8:17 PM (0:17) | Award 8: Manager of the year (Award 8, Winner A) | Second-line sales leader, then Winner A | Standard award. The team stands at their tables; only the manager walks up. SND: walk-up 8 |
| 8:19 PM (0:19) | Award 9: Enterprise AE of the year (Award 9, Winner A) | Enterprise sales leader, then Winner A | Standard award. SND: walk-up 9; GFX: winner slide 9 |
| 8:21 PM (0:21) | Award 10: Deal of the year (Award 10, Winner A) | Head of sales, then Winner A | Winner A is the deal lead and walks up alone; GFX: winner slide 10 names the deal team, who stand at their tables. SND: walk-up 10 |
| 8:23 PM (0:23) | Award 11: The top award (Award 11, Winner A) | CRO, then Winner A | The biggest award, last. LX: full stage look; SND: walk-up 11. No acceptance speech unless one was planned: 60 seconds, told in advance, and the close moves to 8:26 PM |
| 8:25 PM (0:25) | Close | CRO, emcee | CRO: “Tonight’s winners, please stand.” One last round of applause; SND: walk-out music; GFX: congratulations slide. Emcee: dessert is out and photos follow within 48 hours |
| 8:26 PM (0:26) | Block ends | Empty | SND: celebration playlist; LX: party look; SM: stage clear; the photographer finishes winner shots at the backdrop |