WHAT DOES BELOW THE LINE MEAN IN FILM? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Below the line / Photo Credit: Vashi Visuals

WHAT DOES BELOW THE LINE MEAN IN FILM? (In the Entertainment industry.)         

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

What does below the line mean in film?

"Below-the-line" is a term derived from the top sheet of a film budget for motion pictures, television programs, industrial films, independent films, student films and documentaries as well as commercials. The "line" in "below-the-line" refers to the separation of production costs between script and story writers, producers, directors, actors, and casting ("above the-line") and the rest of the crew, or production team.

The top sheet of any creative project's budget serves only as an at-a-glance reference to a fully detailed and attached main budget document, which features total expenses including federal, state and local taxes, as well as insurance within the entire production, and or production incentives. This painstaking task is usually assigned to the Production Manager or UPM of a production and should be completed before principal photography begins for any project.

Below-the-line crew

Beyond salaries, below-the-line costs also include the costs of production. This could include money spent on sets and props, music licensing and composition fees, trailers, craft services, publicity, travel and insurance. Basically, any money that isn't going to an actor, producer, director or screenwriter can be categorized as a below-the-line expense for accounting purposes.

In addition to their location on the balance sheet, below-the-line costs share a number of common features. Unlike above-the-line costs, they cover the cost of production, not pre-production, and are variable rather than fixed. In addition, they usually remain fairly stable between projects, while above-the-line costs can soar or tank depending on the key players involved in a production.

In Hollywood, the term "below-the-line" also has another connotation. It refers to the people whose salaries fall within this category, which is usually the crew or production staff on a film as opposed to the more recognized names. If your salary falls above the line, you've likely seen your name in lights; if it falls below the line, you're lucky if anyone has time to spot your name as the end credits scroll across the screen.

Some below-the-line film and television film crews operate in pre-production, production, or post-production stages of filmmaking. For example, the film editor may work solely in the post-production stage of filming but they might also work throughout the production, editing the film as it is shot and advising the director if and when additional shots or scenes are needed. The boom operator on the other hand is mostly on set during filming because they have to pick up the dialogue of the actors as well as ambient noise when the scene is being recorded.

This particular type of film crew usually belongs to a guild or union. Some of the unions and/or guilds that represent below-the-line crew include: I.A.T.S.E., The International Cinematographer's Guild (an IATSE organization), The Teamsters, Motion Picture Editors Guild, Animation Guild, and the Motion Picture Sound Editors.

It is usually the case for the "below-the-line" crew to work for hourly wages, as opposed to a set wage, or negotiated contractual wage on the front, or back end of any given project. These set workers are responsible for a number of many other unsung, and demanding tasks that must be completed to achieve the common goal of creating a film, or television program. These positions could be considered "less glamorous", and the unmentionable part of filmmaking. However, many dedicated and hardworking individuals have made a good living with "below-the-line" job positions, whether it's in independent filmmaking, and or for a major film studio.

Within the many entry-level positions available to gain knowledge of the industry, such as Lighting technicians, grips, wranglers, stunt performers, property masters, ADR, foley, set painters or any stagehand etc., one could gain knowledge and skill of these, and many other key positions within the film industry. Many schools and or nonprofit organizations are set up to train the youth and other interested individuals to better prepare and teach a trade that may not otherwise be available within the traditional school system. These organizations teach about film and video terminology, equipment, and life skills, a must for today's highly completive entertainment market.

Below-the-line crew refers to everybody else including: (though not all listed)

• Assistant director
• Armorer
• Art director
• Art Department Coordinator
• Assistant Accountants
• Best boy electric and grip
• Boom operator
• Camera operator
• Carpenter (s)
• Casting
• Caterers
• Construction
• Character generator (CG) operator (television)
• Craft Service
• Director of photography
• Costume designer
• Composer
• Dolly grip
• Film editor
• Gaffer
• Generator Operator
• Graphic artist
• Greens
• Hair stylist
• Key grip
• Line producer
• Location manager
• Make-up artist
• Medic
• Mill
• Office Production Coordinator
• On Set Dressers
• On Set Painters
• Paymaster
• Production assistant
• Props
• Scenic
• Script supervisor (continuity)
• Set Designers
• Set construction
• Sound engineer
• Stage manager (television)
• Still Photographer
• Travel Coordinator
• Technical director (TD) (television)
• Truck driver
• Unit production manager
• Video control broadcast engineering (television)
• Visual effects editor
• Wardrobe (Costumers) 

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Careers Hub, Screen Play Scripts, Script Doctor, ASCAP, Film Independent, Any Possibility, Ethan Laughman, CTLsites,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Below the line / Photo Credit: Vashi Visuals