What a set chaplain does
A chaplain is not decoration and not a mascot. He is there to do a few concrete things, and the production should know which ones it is asking for.
- Mass when possible. On a shoot of any length, a weekday Mass before call or on a rest day. Whether Mass may be offered on location rather than in a church depends on the local bishop. See below.
- Confession. Available on a predictable basis, in a private place away from the working set. Crew will not use it if they have to ask in front of others.
- Prayer at call. A short prayer at the start of the day, two minutes at most. Offered to everyone, required of no one.
- Pastoral presence. Someone who is not the producer and not the director, whom anyone on the crew can talk to about grief, exhaustion or conflict. He has no authority over anyone's job. That is the point.
- Reader for sacramental scenes. Before the shoot, he reads every scene that shows a Mass, a confession, a wedding or a baptism, and tells you what is wrong. See Depicting the sacraments.
He is not a script supervisor, not on-camera talent unless that is separately agreed, and not the production's spokesman to the press.
How to find one
Start early. Months, not weeks. Priests have parishes, and a parish does not stop for your schedule.
- Your own pastor. Begin where you are known. Even if he cannot serve, he knows who might, and a request that comes through a pastor is taken more seriously.
- The diocesan offices. The communications office is often the first to hear from productions and may already have a name. The vocations office knows younger priests with the energy and interest for a shoot. If you are not sure, call the chancery and ask which office handles requests from film productions.
- Religious orders with a media apostolate. Some communities publish, broadcast or teach media as part of their work. A priest from such a community is more likely to understand a shooting schedule and a closed set.
- Universities with a film program and a campus ministry. A campus chaplain near a film school has seen sets before and may be within driving distance.
- A deacon. If no priest can be found, a permanent deacon can lead prayer, bless, preach and be present to the crew. He cannot hear confessions or offer Mass.
What to agree in writing
There is no standard form for this. A letter of agreement signed by the producer and the priest, with a copy to his pastor or religious superior, is enough. It should cover the following.
- Schedule. Which days, which hours, and who his contact on the production is. Shooting schedules change. Agree how he will be told.
- Stipend, travel and lodging. Ask what is customary in his diocese. An honorarium plus expenses is normal. Put the amount and who pays it in writing. He may need to report it to his parish or community.
- What he will and will not do. Hear confessions: yes. Appear on camera: only if agreed beforehand. Give notes on the script: agree on which scenes and in what form. Be quoted in publicity: agree first, every time.
- Liability and insurance. Put him on the call sheet and on the production's insurance the way your insurer treats a visitor or a day-player. He should not be an unlisted person on set.
- Faculties and permission for Mass on location. A priest ministers under the faculties of a diocese. Mass is ordinarily celebrated in a church or oratory; offering it somewhere else, such as a soundstage or a location house, normally needs the permission of the local bishop. Do not assume. The chaplain should ask for this himself, in writing, from the diocese where you are shooting. If the shoot crosses diocesan lines, each diocese is asked. Confession and blessings do not need a special place.
- Safe-environment clearance. Any diocese will expect the priest to have current safe-environment compliance. Your production should hold the same standard for anyone who works around minors. See Content standards.
How to brief the crew
A chaplain who is introduced badly becomes a stranger in the corner. Ten minutes of care on day one avoids that.
- Introduce him at the first-day gathering by name, and say plainly what he is for. If you are also blessing the production, do it at the same gathering.
- Say out loud that prayer is offered, not required. Crew who do not share the faith should feel welcome at it and free to skip it without explaining themselves.
- Give him a place: a quiet room or a trailer with a door. Confession needs privacy, and so does a hard conversation.
- Put him on the call sheet with a number, with his permission.
- Tell department heads that he is outside the production hierarchy. A crew member who goes to him has not made a complaint to production, and no one should ask him what was said.
- Confidentiality is absolute. The seal of confession cannot be broken for any reason. Pastoral conversations are private too. A producer never asks the chaplain what the crew are saying.
If you cannot find one
Go to the parish nearest your location, attend a Mass, and ask the priest afterwards. Most pastors will at least hear confessions for a crew that asks politely. Where nothing can be arranged, a lay leader can still gather the crew for prayer at call; the blessing page says what a lay leader can and cannot do.