Below the line (film production)
Encyclopedia
Below the line is an accounting term used in filmmaking
and television production, an imaginary line delineating those who have influence in the creative direction of a film's narrative from others who perform duties related to the film's physical production.
Below-the-line is a term that refers to the list of individuals who perform the physical production of a given film, the post-production work and all of the related expenditures. These positions include but are not limited to the following:
Individuals considered below-the-line do not have any official influence on the creative direction of the film except at the discretion of the director. However, many of these individuals have greatly influenced the look, feel and tone of cinema through their work in their respective departments and have been acknowledged for these creative contributions by winning Academy Awards
and being individually sought out by producers and directors for the unique vision they can bring to the creation of a film.
The head of each department is known as a "key". These individuals are responsible for the overall workings of their area, such as hair, make-up, wardrobe, grip and electric (G&E), lighting and camera. The head of the camera department is the Director of Photography, also known as the cinematographer
.
Below-the-line costs include allowances for non-starring cast member
s and the technical production crew and post-production team(s). Costs for locations such as filming sites, film studios and sound stages with its related technical equipment are also considered below-the-line expenditures. Crew travel expenses, catering
costs, craft service and many other expenses fall under the below-the-line banner. Keys will often move around their expenses to suit their departmental needs unless absolutely necessary during production. In addition, below-the-line costs include production insurance, errors and omission coverage (E&O) insurance and other unforeseen expenses under the heading "contingency", which usually begins at around 10%.
Below-the-line costs are generally fixed, meaning they were already budgeted for a particular department before principal photography begins in what is known as a "locked" budget.
that publishes articles and production listings whose primary audience is the film crew. It could be considered the complement to Variety
.
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
and television production, an imaginary line delineating those who have influence in the creative direction of a film's narrative from others who perform duties related to the film's physical production.
Below-the-line is a term that refers to the list of individuals who perform the physical production of a given film, the post-production work and all of the related expenditures. These positions include but are not limited to the following:
- Assistant DirectorAssistant directorThe role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
- Art DirectorArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
- Line ProducerLine producerA line producer is the key manager during the daily operations of a motion picture production.The line producer supports the vision given by the director but does not have direct influence on the creative expression or narrative of the film....
- Best Boy ElectricBest boyIn a film crew there are two kinds of best boy: best boy electric and best boy grip. They are assistants to their department heads, the gaffer and the key grip, respectively.- Job responsibilities :...
- Best Boy GripBest boyIn a film crew there are two kinds of best boy: best boy electric and best boy grip. They are assistants to their department heads, the gaffer and the key grip, respectively.- Job responsibilities :...
- Boom OperatorBoom operator (media)A Boom operator is an assistant of the production sound mixer. The principal responsibility of the boom operator is microphone placement, sometimes using a "fishpole" with a microphone attached to the end and sometimes, when the situation permits, using a "boom" which is a more intricate and...
- Character generatorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
(CG) operatorOperator (profession)An operator is a professional designation used in various industries, including broadcasting , computing, customer service, physics, and construction. Operators are day-to-day end users of systems, that may or may not be mission-critical, but are typically managed and maintained by technicians or...
(television) - Costume DesignerCostume DesignerA costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
- Director of PhotographyCinematographerA cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
- Camera operatorCamera operatorA camera operator or cameraman is a professional operator of a film or video camera. In filmmaking, the leading cameraman is usually called a cinematographer, while a cameraman in a video production may be known as a television camera operator, video camera operator, or videographer, depending on...
- ComposerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
- Dolly gripDolly gripIn cinematography, the dolly grip dedicated technician trained to operate the camera dolly. The individual places, levels, and moves the dolly track, then pushes and pulls the dolly and usually a camera operator and camera assistant as riders. If the dolly has a moveable vertical axis, such as a...
- GafferGaffer (filmmaking)A gaffer in the motion picture industry and on a television crew is an electrician that can be head of the electrical department, responsible for the execution of the lighting plan for a production. Gaffer, outside of the motion picture industry, is a traditional British English word for an older...
- Graphic Artist
- Hair Stylist
- Key GripKey gripIn the United States and many parts of the world in film-making, the key grip is the head of the grip department and chief rigging technician on the set. Using light, he or she is in charge of the shadows of light, the movement of the camera, the placing of cameras on any stationary, moving,...
- Make-up Artist
- Production AssistantProduction assistantA production assistant, also known as a PA, is a job title used in filmmaking and television for a person responsible for various aspects of a production...
- Script SupervisorScript supervisorA script supervisor is a member of a film crew responsible for maintaining the motion picture's internal continuity and for recording the production unit's daily progress in shooting the film's screenplay...
(continuity) - Sound Engineer
- Stage ManagerStage managementStage management is the practice of organizing and coordinating a theatrical production. It encompasses a variety of activities, including organizing the production and coordinating communications between various personnel...
(television) - Stage Carpenter
- Technical DirectorTechnical directorThe Technical Director or Technical Manager is usually a senior technical person within a software company, film studio, theatrical company or television studio...
(TD) (television) - Video control Broadcast engineeringBroadcast engineeringBroadcast engineering is the field of electrical engineering, and now to some extent computer engineering and information technology, which deals with radio and television broadcasting...
(television) - Film EditorFilm editingFilm editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
- Visual Effects Editor
Individuals considered below-the-line do not have any official influence on the creative direction of the film except at the discretion of the director. However, many of these individuals have greatly influenced the look, feel and tone of cinema through their work in their respective departments and have been acknowledged for these creative contributions by winning Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
and being individually sought out by producers and directors for the unique vision they can bring to the creation of a film.
The head of each department is known as a "key". These individuals are responsible for the overall workings of their area, such as hair, make-up, wardrobe, grip and electric (G&E), lighting and camera. The head of the camera department is the Director of Photography, also known as the cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
.
Below-the-line costs include allowances for non-starring cast member
Cast member
A cast member is:* An actor who performs in a theatrical production, motion picture, or television program. The actors who perform in the show are collectively referred to as the cast....
s and the technical production crew and post-production team(s). Costs for locations such as filming sites, film studios and sound stages with its related technical equipment are also considered below-the-line expenditures. Crew travel expenses, catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
costs, craft service and many other expenses fall under the below-the-line banner. Keys will often move around their expenses to suit their departmental needs unless absolutely necessary during production. In addition, below-the-line costs include production insurance, errors and omission coverage (E&O) insurance and other unforeseen expenses under the heading "contingency", which usually begins at around 10%.
Below-the-line costs are generally fixed, meaning they were already budgeted for a particular department before principal photography begins in what is known as a "locked" budget.
Magazine
Below the Line is also the name of a Hollywood trade magazineTrade journal
A trade magazine, also called a professional magazine, is a magazine published with the intention of target marketing to a specific industry or type of trade. The collective term for this area of publishing is the trade press....
that publishes articles and production listings whose primary audience is the film crew. It could be considered the complement to Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
.
See also
- Above the line (filmmaking)
- Film budgetingFilm budgetingFilm budgeting refers to the process by which a line producer, unit production manager or filmmaker prepares a budget for a film production. This document, which could be over 150 pages long, is used to secure financing for the film and lead to pre-production and production of the film. Multiple...
- Film crewFilm crewTelevision crew positions are derived from those of film crew positions.A film crew is a group of people hired by a production company for the purpose of producing a film or motion picture. Crew are distinguished from cast, the Actors who appear in front of the camera or provide voices for...
- Television crewTelevision crewTelevision crew positions are derived from those of film crew, but with several differences.-Pre-production:-Casting Director:-Costume designer:-Director:* Associate Director -Location Manager:-Make-up artist:...
External links
- btlnews.com, Below the Line Magazines official website