Understanding the hierarchy: Segment → Story → Element

Helmo Rundown organizes a broadcast into three levels inside the rundown. Understanding this structure is essential for planning and executing your shows.

Segment

The top level inside a rundown. Segments divide the show into blocks, and you reorder them by dragging. There are three types:

• Segment: a normal content block that holds stories. "Opening", "First Half", "Interview".
• Break: an ad break or transition.
• Setup: a block that runs before air (opening the graphics, arming a source). Setup segments are pinned to the top of the rundown.

A segment either ends with its content (it is worth exactly what is inside it) or lasts a set time you type. Breaks and Setup segments hold their declared length by default; a normal segment is worth its stories.

Story

Stories are the items inside a segment: one news item, one interview, one play. Each story can carry a slug, a script for the teleprompter and production notes.

The story is also the clock every element inside it is measured against. An element that starts "at 00:05" starts five seconds after its story does.

Like segments, a story either ends with its content or lasts a set time.

Element

Elements are the cues inside a story. Each one puts something on air: a graphic, a clip, an OBS or vMix action, a streaming action.

Every element answers two questions:

• When does it start? At a set time (counted from the start of its story), With previous, or After previous.
• How long does it last? For a set time, or until the story ends (a lower third that holds the block).

A graphics element can also carry clips and field changes: timed content that plays inside the element while it is on air.

During execution each element moves through: Upcoming → Standby → On Air → Done (or Skipped).

Visual summary

Show: "UEFA Coverage"
└── Rundown: "Champions League Final"
    ├── Segment: "Pre-Match"
    │   ├── Story: "Team lineups"
    │   │   ├── Element: Lineup graphic — at 00:00, until the story ends
    │   │   └── Element: Sponsor bug — with previous, for 10s
    │   └── Story: "Pundit preview"
    │       └── Element: Name lower third — at 00:04, for 8s
    ├── Segment: "First Half"
    │   └── Story: "Kick-off"
    │       ├── Element: Score bug — at 00:00, until the story ends
    │       └── Element: Goal alert — after previous, for 6s
    ├── Segment: "Halftime"  (Break)
    └── Segment: "Post-Match"
        └── Story: "Final score"
            └── Element: Player of the match — at 00:02, for 15s

Key points

• A Rundown is the plan for one broadcast, and it lives inside a Show
• Segments are the blocks: Segment, Break or Setup
• Stories are the items inside a segment, and they own the clock
• Elements are single cues, each with a start and a duration
• The list order is presentation, not timing, except for elements set to With previous or After previous, where moving a row moves the air