Stage Manager/Service Director Job Descriptions

[Mark Nicholson]

I don't know if it is evident, but I am a worship pastor and worship leader. I recently clarified the roles of the different individuals who serve in our technical areas in a timeline format. This is what it looks like:

Service Preparation Timeline
Faith Assembly
North Fort Myers


10 DAYS OUT
Worship Pastor/Leader: draft of service with all songs (90% lock-in)

4 DAYS OUT
Worship Pastor/Leader: Final draft complete; songs updated to Dropbox for Media; detail of any new song in Planning Center service order; final communications noted in Planning Center service order

1 DAY OUT
FOH, TD, SM, Media: Check service order in Planning Center, note any variations from norm, check all notes/communication, listen to recordings of new music

DAY OF SERVICE

Pre-sound check
FOH – Assign mics with the SM; return console to normal (esp. outputs to Aviom channels); check for any changes to stage
SM – Check/distribute radios; check/replace batteries in wireless mics; distribute mics (Frontline, worship leader, Senior Pastor and/or special guests); place radio behind band
TD – Communicate with worship pastor/leader concerning service elements (i.e. videos, baby dedications, etc.); communicate any additional responsibilities to FOH, SM, Media
Media- Check all order of slides for service and make sure all slides are ready to go for worship set and sermon. Run sound check for any videos that will be presented during service.

Band/Frontline line/sound check
TD – Responsible to keep everyone on-task and on-time (including worship leader); communicates monitor mix to FOH (as per worship leader); Responsible for final stage mix, overall stage volume; directs stage troubleshooting
Worship Leader – Sets initial band mix in Frontline monitor; directs blend of vocals in Frontline monitor; encourages full energy/level participation from singers/band/choir; should lead at least one fast song and one slow song to facilitate FOH mix
FOH – supply stage needs, set FOH mix
SM – check stage: proper monitor placement, pipe and drape well distributed (no uprights or supports visible), extra items removed from stage, altar benches in proper locations, trash picked up; distribute water to Senior Pastor, guests, worship leader, vocals; other, as assigned by TD or Worship Pastor
Media – should assist by providing words on stage for full sound check

Choir sound check
SM – Assist choir members to stage, as needed; provide stools/benches to special needs members (as per choir director)
TD – responsible for all monitor mixes, relays any communication to FOH and/or media from choir director
FOH – responsible to supply stage needs, FOH mix


Special Music sound check
SM – communicate monitor levels to FOH

Close of Curtain
SM – closes curtain;
TD – makes final preparations for service, calls for readiness from all areas (stage, FOH, media, lights), checks with Senior Pastor for last minute details, communicates any pertinent information; leads FOH, SM, Media, Lighting in prayer (over radio)
FOH – begins preservice music (level to be audible, but not overbearing – TD can dictate)
Media- Start pre-service announcement loop

Countdown
Media- At 5 minutes until start of service, start 5 minute count down video
TD – calls for countdown, gives one minute updates on radio, final 30 sec
SM – Assists Senior Pastor and/or guests with mic placement; communicates countdown to stage participants; opens curtain at end of countdown

During Service
TD – calls cues to all; walks room to determine overall volume; mans the mix position briefly so FOH can walk the room to listen to mix; gives input to FOH mix; stands ready to assist troubleshooting; directs SM for any special circumstances
SM – Be ready to quickly relay information as needed to appropriate people via radio
FOH – should walk room during fast set and again during slow set, adjusting mix to needs of the rest of the house, not the mix position
SM – Release choir at designated place in service. If a song being sung begins on a verse, wait until the chorus to release.

Between Services
TD – Leads meeting with tech teams to make any adjustments for next service

Post Service
TD – Leads team in debriefing




FOH – Front of House Engineer
SM – Stage Manager
TD – Technical Director

[johnterry807]

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Best regards.

[hdblue]

Dear friends
Thank very much for all. I like Stage Manager/Service Director Job Descriptions very much.

Very useful for me.

Rgs

[hua052011]

Hi
> >
I found that a member asked same question in this forum some months ago.
> >
Pls use search box to find this questions with comments

[[Admin] osborn4]

Um... this thread is from several months ago....

[tua022012]

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Same material can be found at: humanresources.hrvinet.com/production-director-job-description/
I hope it's useful for you and you like it. Please continue sharing more information at this topic.
Best rgs!

[Fireplace]

Does church need to be this complicated?

[tdangelo]

Fireplace,

Originally Posted by Fireplace

Does church need to be this complicated?

Absolutely not…. Depending on what your church services look like.

I have been to 150 seat churches whose order of service is:

Music: One piano, one vocalist, congregation [tech needs one microphone, no lights, no projection, no video]
Announcements: [tech needs one microphone, no lights, no projection, no video]
Message: [tech needs one microphone, no lights, no projection, no video]
Offertory: One piano, one vocalist, congregation [tech needs one microphone, no lights, no projection, no video]
Music: One piano, one vocalist, congregation [tech needs one microphone, no lights, no projection, no video]

And the service was great, nice worship, message, congregation experience, wonderful … no problems. In this instance yes, it would be absurd to have all the planning, tech positions and management in the previous emails.

However many tech-arts staff and volunteers on this website are involved in churches which seek to use tech arts and the performing arts much more fully. For them, their congregants (the tech-arts, performing arts and church consumer) have a level of expectation which needs to be met and exceeded. More importantly, God’s Word, the Bible has much to say about tech-arts, performing arts, etc., and the level of expertise which must be shown to honor God.

In today’s age where many church congregants are either suspect of the arts, or conversely are addicted to the arts at a level of mediocrity, it is vitally important that we who are involved in tech-arts in the church strive to manage our performance of these arts in the most God honoring, biblically consistent manner possible. And to that end, “does church need to be this complicated,” my answer is, maybe more so.

[cmchamp]

Tom wrote:
"In today’s age where many church congregants are either suspect of the arts, or conversely are addicted to the arts at a level of mediocrity, it is vitally important that we who are involved in tech-arts in the church strive to manage our performance of these arts in the most God honoring, biblically consistent manner possible. And to that end, “does church need to be this complicated,” my answer is, maybe more so."

Well worded, especially where mediocrity is concerned. Too many aspects of our society settle for mediocrity.

[Gracetech]

What's complicated?

I come from the professional industry where these services pale in comparison to intricate details and accuracy of the everyday productions i've worked on. Imagine, if you will, having control of hundreds of moving fixtures addressed over 5 dmx universes. Or working with 10 media servers to 40 projectors. Some projectors cranking out more lumens then most churches crank out in their entire building. What about 60 wireless mixed with a fully miked orchestra along with 4 audio servers totaling 128 inputs with 800 audio cues.

No, my friend, Church production is a cake walk.

I'm sure if you could remember back when you were learning the alphabet you would remember thinking why is this so complicated. Now it's just part of the everyday.

Church services are designed to engage the Church. Can you imagine coming in and listening to someone lecture for an hour? Heck i'm so ADD, at times, i get bored after 2 minutes. Different strokes for different folks.

crt

[waynehoskins]

Originally Posted by Gracetech

Can you imagine coming in and listening to someone lecture for an hour?

I watched one on the internet (an hour-long science education lecture) last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. But that's me, and quite tangential...

[Gracetech]

Yeah i deleted a whole extra part off of my post last night that i felt i should have left on. It was talking about Shepherding the Church and how the services are molded to the over all, not to just one member. It's usually best if a member doesn't feel comfortable with the type of service for a particular Church to visit others that fit better. Some Churches services are more liturgical and others more worship centered. The beauty of it is there are Churches for everyone and as we know we are all different, Thank God!

crt