72-Hour Media Checklist

The 72-Hour Event Media Checklist: Turn Footage Into Content, Fast

A simple system to turn your event footage into usable content while it still matters.

The event is over, but your momentum shouldn’t be. The 72 hours right after your event are a window that closes fast: excitement is high, your community is still buzzing, and sponsors are paying attention. Footage that goes out in three days rides that energy. Footage that sits on a phone for three weeks lands flat, if it goes out at all. This checklist helps you organize, edit, and deliver your content quickly, so the work you did capturing it actually gets used. As the founder of Colorado Under Par, I’ve seen great event footage wasted simply because nobody turned it around in time. Here’s how to make sure that doesn’t happen.

It works for any event type — golf tournaments, pickleball events, multi-sport fundraisers, and more. The footage changes; the turnaround playbook doesn’t.

What this helps you do

• Organize your event media immediately, before files get lost
• Prioritize the content that actually matters most
• Create recap videos and sponsor clips faster
• Deliver content while it’s still timely and people care
• Avoid the all-too-common fate of unfinished edits that never ship

The 72-hour checklist

Follow each phase in order to stay on track:

A simple editing structure

You don’t need to be a professional editor. A recap that works follows a reliable arc:

1. Open with a strong clip — your best hook, the shot that grabs attention immediately.
2. Show the energy — participation, action, the feel of the day.
3. Include sponsor moments — their activations and branding, woven in naturally.
4. Add one story moment — an impact or beneficiary beat that reminds people why the day mattered.
5. Close with a thank-you or recap message — gratitude and a nod to next time.

Keep it tight. A short, high-energy recap gets watched and shared; a long one gets skipped.

Content priorities

If you’re short on time, capture and edit these first, in this order:

• Sponsor activations and logos
• Smiles, reactions, and candid moments
• Gameplay or event action
• Interviews and impact clips
• Awards and closing moments

Content goals to hit

Concrete targets for a strong, fast turnaround:

• 1 recap video (30–90 seconds)
• 1–2 sponsor-focused clips
• 10–20 strong photo selections
• 3–5 short social clips
• At least 1 clear shot of every major sponsor

How this is structured

The checklist moves through three phases over three days:

Organization phase (first 24 hours) — Secure and sort your footage immediately, before anything gets lost and while you still remember what you captured.

Editing phase (24–48 hours) — Build a fast, high-energy recap and your priority clips. Speed over polish.

Delivery phase (48–72 hours) — Export and share quickly, getting content to sponsors and your audience while the moment is still warm.

Who this is for

• Events capturing photo or video content they want to actually use
• Organizers editing media in-house without a production team
• Teams delivering content to sponsors on a deadline
• Anyone who wants a faster turnaround than “someday”

How to use it

1. Block time within 24 hours of the event — put it on the calendar before the event, while you’re still planning.
2. Focus on speed over perfection — a good recap delivered in three days beats a perfect one delivered in three weeks.
3. Prioritize sponsor delivery first — getting sponsors their clips quickly is what makes them feel valued and sets up the renewal.
4. Share your content within 72 hours, while excitement and attention are still high.

This is the turnaround engine for everything you captured — pair it with our event shot list and interview questions (what to capture), our social content prompts (what to post), and our post-event follow-up guide (the full recap and thank-you process).

When you’re ready, list your event on Colorado Under Par to reach participants across the state.