Planning an Event – Example Briefing

A briefing document is a good way to make sure your event is on track, and to communicate all of the necessary information to your volunteers/helpers

This is an example of a Briefing Document which was created for an actual event held by Sussex University War on Want Society. You can use it to read through, make edits and changes to help you plan your own event.

  1. Key information

  1. Aims of the event

  1. News release including line-up

  1. Roles and responsibilities (including rotas)

  1. Equipment/Materials

  1. Contact Details

  1. Key Information

What? Wall Street Crash is a club night being put on by Brighton based collective ‘Playgroup’. When? Friday 25th March 11pm – 4am

Where? Concorde 2 (Brighton Seafront)

  1. Aims of the event

Playgroup have asked us to provide a team of people so that there will be a strong War on Want presence at the event, and have asked us to think up some interesting ways of being interactive with the crowd. They will be donating 50% of the proceeds to War on Want.

The purpose will be twofold then: to raise money from the ticket sales, and to raise awareness and the positive profile of War on Want through our interactions with the crowd.

  1. News Release and Line up

It’s War on Want’s 60th Birthday, and our good friends and Brighton based collective ‘Playgroup’ are throwing us a party! While the world is in the grips of an economic recession, the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the great depression of the 1930s, there is one silver lining – a return to the vintage delights and swing spectacular of the very same era: this is Wall Street Crash!

Line up:

★ DJ SWITCH! 4 x World DMC Champion!
★ DUTTY MOONSHINE!
★ SWING ZAZOU! Live 9-piece electro-swing!
★ BILL MURRAY! New 5-piece AV project from Boy Com

★ BOOTLEG DJs!

★PLAYGROUP FESTIVAL LINE UP REVEALED

★GAMES & DISTRACTIONS

★AUDIO VISUAL SHOWS

★HALF OF ALL PROCEEDS FOR WAR ON WANT★ THE PLAYGROUP FESTIVAL LINE-UP REVEALED!lH★ GAMES & DISTRACTIONS!★ AUDIO VISUAL SHOWS!

How much? £5 tickets for War on Want Supporters!! (Otherwise £6 advance, £10 on the door)

Just email your names and get yourself and your friends on the early-bird guestlist!!

  1. Roles and responsibilities

Our presence will be split into 3 key areas:

1)Photoshoppe - an area of the club will be decorated like a drawing room – the scene will be a 60th birthday party for War on Want, there will be vintage costumes and accessories available and groups of punters will be quickly dressed up, put into poses and photographed.

2)Make your own (Crafts tables) – two/three (depending on space) tables will be set up with all of the equipment necessary for punters to make their own monocles and moustaches.

3)Freebie team – Volunteers will mingle and move throughout the crowd handing out free badges, matches and condoms (War on Want merchandise). They will people outside to join the mailing list.

Please check the rotas on the following pages to see which you have been assigned to. Roles may change throughout the night as people allow you to have breaks. The work will not be arduous and you will be allowed to enjoy the night!

Photoshoppe Rota
Name / Role / Responsibilities
Mill / Wardrobe / Arrive in advance (load in any time)
Set up 10pm-11pm
bringing costumes/props
Help set up Photoshoppe set.
Choose outfits for customers
Keep an inventory of costumes
Ensure they are all returned
Laptop / Guard laptop
Upload pictures from camera
Show choice to customers
Save chosen pictures
Take email addresses
Ask customers to join W.o.W mailing list
Susanna / Photographer / Help set up Photoshoppe Set
Bring high quality camera
Make guests feel comfortable
Direct their poses
Take photographs
Help upload them to laptop
Maia / Coordinator / Set up Photoshoppe Set
Provide Props/Racks
Provide lighting
Provide mailing lists
Cover for breaks
Make Your Own (Crafts tables)
Name / Role / Responsibilities
Robyn / Table 1 – Monocles / Arrive in advance (10pm)
up crafts table
Read instructions and practice making
Assist customers in making them
Ask customers to join W.o.W mailing list
Frances / Table 1 – Monocles / Arrive in advance (10pm)
Set up crafts table
Read instructions and practice making
Assist customers in making them
Ask customers to join W.o.W mailing list
Ellen / Table 2 – Moustaches / Arrive in advance (10pm)
Set up crafts table
Read instructions and practice making
Assist customers in making them
Ask customers to join W.o.W mailing list
Catarina / Table 2 – Moustaches / Arrive in advance (10pm)
Set up crafts table
Read instructions and practice making
Assist customers in making them
Ask customers to join W.o.W mailing list
Maia / Coordinator / Provide Materials
Provide Instructions
Provide Mailing lists
Freebies team
Name / Role / Responsibilities
Bambi / Freebies / Arrive between 10-11pm
Collect freebies from Maia
Hand them out to the crowd
Direct questions to craft tables
Provide cover for breaks
Mike / Freebies / Arrive between 10-11pm
Collect freebies from Maia
Hand them out to the crowd
Direct questions to craft tables
Provide cover for breaks
Chris / Freebies / Arrive in advance (10pm)
Help with set up
Collect freebies from Maia
Hand them out to the crowd
Answer questions about War on Want
Maia / Coordinator / Provide Freebies
Provide Clip boards
Answer questions about War on Want
  1. Equipment/Materials

Photoshoppe
Quantity / Item Description / Provided By
1 / Wallpaper (‘Bookshelves’) / Mill
(n/a) / Clothing/ Accessories and hats/ Props / Mill
2 / Extension lead? / Maia
1 / Laptop / Maia
(n/a) / Accessories and hats/Props / Maia
2 / Laundry bags / Maia
2 / Clothing rails / Maia
2 / Staple guns / Maia
2 / Staples / Maia
2 / Clipboards / Maia
2 / Pens / Maia
2 / Cameras / Susanna/Maia
Make your own... (Crafts tables)
Quantity / Item Description / Provided By
30 / Craft felt (two sheets make four) / Maia
1 / Glue Gun / Maia
2 / Glue Sticks / Maia
3 / Scissors / Maia
2 / Craft/Kebab sticks (100pc) / Maia
2 / Curtain Rings (packs) / Maia
1 / Black string / Maia
2 / Clip Boards / Maia
4 / Pens / Maia
Freebies
Quantity / Item Description / Provided By
4-8 / Small Bags of badges / Nadia
4 / Boxes of matches / Nadia
4 / Bags of condoms / Nadia
6-8 / War on Want mailing lists / Nadia
Signage
* = Design on CSS
Quantity / Item Description / Provided By
3 / Photoshoppe This Way (Left arrow) / Maia
3 / Photoshoppe This Way (Right arrow) / Maia
3 / Photoshoppe This Way (forward) / Maia
1 / *PHOTOSHOPPE / Maia
3 / Donations please: £? / Maia
1 / Inventory list / Maia
10 / Inventory record keeping / Maia
1 / Suggested poses/photographer instructions / Maia
1 / *Make your own Moustache (sign) / Maia
2 / *Make your own Moustache (instructions) / Maia
1 / Make your own Moustache (volunteer instructions) / Maia
2 / Template Moustaches / Maia
1 / *Make your own Monocle(sign) / Maia
2 / *Make your own Monocle (instructions) / Maia
1 / Make your own Monocle (volunteer instructions) / Maia
6 / Mailing Lists / Maia
1 / Double sided tape / Maia
1 / Guestlist / Maia
1 / Info for host / Maia
  1. Contact Details

Name / Role / Contact
Maia / Coordinator, War on Want side of event / (email address removed)
(telephone number removed)
Philip / Director, Playgroup / (email address removed)
(telephone number removed)
Declan / Director, Playgroup / (email address removed)
(telephone number removed)
Nadia / War on Want HQ / (email address removed)
(telephone number removed)
Mill / Costumes and set design / (email address removed)
(telephone number removed)
Concorde 2 / Venue information / (address removed)
(telephone number removed)