Below-the-line: Meaning in Film Production

Below-the-line

Definition

Below-the-line (BTL) refers to the budget accounts for physically making the film: crew wages, equipment rentals, art and construction, locations, transportation, catering, post-production, insurance, and general expenses. These costs sit beneath the above-the-line total on the top sheet and mostly scale with the length of prep, shoot, and post.

Why the schedule drives it

Almost every below-the-line line has a time unit. If a feature shoots 20 days on a 5-day week, the budget carries 4 shoot weeks for the crew, plus prep and wrap by department. A quick way to see this is the daily cost of the shooting company:

Item	Per shoot day
Crew wages (28 people)	$14,200
Fringes on crew	$2,300
Camera, grip, electric packages	$3,100
Location fee and site rep	$1,800
Catering and craft services	$1,150
Vehicles, fuel, parking	$950
Total	$23,500

These are sample figures for a small non-union show. At $23,500 a day, two extra days on the stripboard cost about $47,000 before overtime, and a line producer will price every added day that way.

How it's usually split

Most charts break below-the-line into three blocks: production (the 2000 and 3000 series), post-production (4000s and 5000s), and other or general (insurance, legal, accounting, office). Some budgets reserve "below-the-line" for production and post only and list "other" separately. Check which convention your financier expects before you send a top sheet.

Contingency is often figured on it

Many producers calculate contingency on below-the-line alone, because above-the-line deals are fixed contracts and BTL is where surprises happen. On a $750,000 below-the-line, a 10% contingency is $750,000 x 0.10 = $75,000. Others figure it on above and below combined. Neither is wrong; just say which one you used.

Mistakes to watch

Leaving out kit rentals and box rentals is a classic. So is pricing crew on a day rate in the budget while the deal memos say weekly rate with guaranteed hours, which quietly changes the overtime math. Budgets also miss the second-unit and pickup days that post discovers later.

During production, below-the-line is where the hot cost report earns its keep: it compares each day's actual crew hours, meal penalties, and extra equipment against what the film budget assumed.

Frequently asked questions

What are below-the-line costs in film?

Everything needed to shoot and finish the film that isn't creative talent or rights: crew, gear, sets, locations, vehicles, food, post-production, insurance, legal, and office costs.

Who is considered below-the-line crew?

The production crew, from the UPM and 1st AD through camera, grip, electric, sound, art, wardrobe, makeup, locations, and transportation, plus editors and post staff. Department heads like the DP and production designer are usually below the line too.

Why do below-the-line costs go up when the schedule grows?

Because most BTL lines are priced per day or per week. Add three shoot days and you add three days of crew, equipment, catering, location fees, and vehicles.