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Big or small, your production team wants to feel as though they are contributing to the overall mission of helping to deliver the message of Christ each and every Sunday. Putting your crew in “uniform” gives them that sense of belonging.
Just by the very nature of production work, you and your camera crews are bound to draw attention, no matter how small or invisible you try to be. People are curious. So what do they see when they look at your production team?
Depending on your church, jeans with giant holes, t-shirts with provocative art, and or wrinkled flannel might not always be your best look. But some production managers don’t care what the crew wears, they are just happy to have enough volunteers to crew each week. We have all been there, right?
When you feel like you belong, doesn't that make you feel better?
But, ultimately it’s all up to your church and pastor to figure out what they are most comfortable with. So how can you avoid those weird looks and put you and your crew in the best possible light? Implementing a simple, semi-formal working dress code might be a great place to start.
The Practical Part of a Semi Formal Dress Code
Having some simple guidelines isn’t a hard thing to do. It’s all in the presentation. Having the staff all wear the same shirts (even a t-shirt) is a great place to start. It lets everyone know that, even if you are not lugging a camera around, you are part of the production team. So when the crew has to ask someone to move for safety reasons, or they are giving stage directions, it’s understood they are speaking as a member of the production team. If the production crew are all wearing the same shirt, they are easier to spot by the worship team and other crew members. Churches can be loud places and not everyone has an intercom, so sometimes finding a crew member is just easier that way. The third part is all about perceptions and respect for your crew from your congregation. We all know that how people dress isn’t a real indicator of their abilities. Even Jesus wore a robe and flops. But inside a Sunday service? People are people, and if it takes everyone wearing a “staff” shirt to make the church service go better that's ok.
If the production crew are all wearing the same shirt, they are easier to spot by the worship team and other crew members.
One more thing. It is really important to me on a personal level that the congregation respect your crew. I have seen old(er)people get snotty or offended by younger crew members because they were asked politely to do something like moving over to help a camera get by. No doubt age and a bad attitude were playing a part there. Having the crew shirt might not eliminate that problem, but it sure makes it less likely to happen.
The Belonging Part of a Semi Formal Dress Code
Ok, now onto the fun part, or why having a semi-formal dress code is a good thing for the crew. Ask yourself this question. When you feel like you belong, doesn't that make you feel better? Family, friends, church, all bring us closer to that really good feeling. Big or small, your production team wants to feel as though they are contributing to the overall mission of helping to deliver the message of Christ each and every Sunday. Putting your crew in “uniform” gives them that sense of belonging. It says, “We are contributing to the overall good. We are part of the production team, and belonging to this team makes us feel appreciated for what we are doing.” People like to feel appreciated.
This doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition. Nice t-shirts are good, but if you want to go with a polo shirt, why not? Once or twice a year you round up the crew, let them have some input on the style or design, and put the order in. Of course, be sure to also order a few extras in each size for “emergencies.” Powdered sugar is really noticeable on a black polo especially right before the service…not that I would know that from experience.
Closing Thoughts
The few dollars spent on these shirts will reap huge rewards in terms of camaraderie, team building, and morale. It is a way for your church to say “Thank you” to your volunteer crew for all the work they put in.
Lastly, letting your congregation know who is on your crew with “unis” is a great way to build an identity for you and your crew. Letting your crew know that you and the church recognize and appreciate their efforts by getting them some production “unis” is even better. Check out the suggested dress code below.
Semi Formal Dress Code Suggestions (emphasis on semi)
- No jeans with giant holes
- No shirts with provocative messaging
- Decent shoes or sneakers
- No giant jewelry or excessive makeup
- Black pants or jeans
- Crew T or Polo shirt
- Name badge
