If you’ve ever spent time behind the camera, you may have heard the terms “above the line” and “below the line” thrown around.
Above the line or “ATL” denotes the roles on a film crew which provide guidance or leadership on the creative side. Likewise, below the line represents the more technical roles.
Why divide above and below the line?
The term itself comes directly from budgeting. Production budget sheets are divided into two sections by a line. This budgetary line is where crew members are placed either above or below.
Only a handful of positions are considered above the line, while the majority remain below the line. Above the line roles typically include:
📽 Producers
📽 Directors
📽 Screenwriters
📽 Principal Actors
📽 And yes… Casting Directors!
#themoreyouknow #thecastingdirectorscut #terminologytuesday #actorlife