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What is above the line production?

Author

Mia Phillips

Updated on March 04, 2026

What is above the line production?

Above the line credits (also called ATL) in film production refer to the positions responsible for the creative development of the film—before pre-production or principal photography ever begins. The people in these positions make major decisions about the look and feel of the project.

Then, is production designer above the line?

You'll notice some major film positions are not included above the line. You may have expected to find important personnel such as the director of photography, editor, and production designer above the line, but these roles are actually considered below the line by this traditional metric.

One may also ask, what is above the line promotion? Above-the-line marketing refers to marketing expenditure on advertising in the media such as the press, radio, television, billboards, cinema and the World Wide Web. It is clear who the advertiser is, and in most cases that the message is an advertisement.

Similarly one may ask, what does above the line mean?

In filmmaking, above the line refers to the budget for directors, actors, story writers, and the likes, while below the line includes the rest of the production team or crew. In marketing, above the line is related to mass media marketing, while below the line is direct marketing.

What is the difference between above the line and below the line in film?

Typically, above-the-line refers to producers, directors, writers, cast (including name actors/movie stars, etc.), and stunt cast/personnel. “Below the line” then refers to everything and everybody and every expense that isn't considered Above the Line. More simply, imagine a line drawn in on a budget page.

Are actors above the line?

"Above-the-line" refers to the list of individuals who guide and influence the creative direction, process, and voice of a given narrative in a film and related expenditures. These roles include but are not limited to the screenwriter, producer, director, and actors.

What is above the line and below the line marketing?

Below-the-line advertising is an advertising strategy where products are promoted in media other than mainstream radio or television. Above-the-line methods are ideal for general brand awareness, while below-the-line tactics are preferable for fostering direct relationships with potential customers.

What to study to become a production designer?

It is a good idea, however, to have a bachelor's degree in graphic design, theatre, architecture, or art, as this will give you a solid background in some of the key skills you'll need to get into the industry—and can provide you with valuable connections who may end up in the film, TV, or theatre worlds and can hook

What does production designer do?

Production designers are responsible for the visual concept of a film, television or theatre production. They identify a design style for sets, locations, graphics, props, lighting, camera angles and costumes, while working closely with the director and producer.

What is a line producer's job?

What does a line producer do? Line producers are at the heart of a production, hiring the crew, allocating the money and making sure the filming is done safely, creatively, on budget and on time. They are typically the most senior member of the production team, second only to the producers.

What is a gripper film?

In the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, grips are technicians in the filmmaking and video production industries. They constitute their own department on a film set and are directed by a key grip. Grips' responsibility is to build and maintain all the equipment that supports cameras.

Which of the following jobs is considered above the line?

What Are “Above the Line” Jobs? There are only a few film jobs that are consistently above the line—director, executive producer(s), producer(s), screenwriter(s), casting director(s), and principal cast.

What does below the line mean?

Below the line refers to line items in the income statement that do not directly impact a firm's reported profits. For example, a bad debt may be charged against the allowance for doubtful accounts, so that a specific bad debt does not appear on the income statement.

Is depreciation above or below the line?

Typically, depreciation and amortization are not included in cost of goods sold and are expensed as separate line items on the income statement. However, a portion of depreciation on a production facility might be included in COGS since it's tied to production—impacting gross profit.

What is above and below the line Behaviour?

The line signifies a choice between how you thoughtfully respond to a situation or automatically react. Operating above the line is open and positive. It's about ownership, accountability and responsibility. Operating below the line is closed and negative.

What does it mean for a point to be far above the line?

A phrase, a prop and a place

For those already using Heartstyles to guide their character development journey, 'above the line' (which abbreviates as ATL) is a highly resonant term. It describes a place where their behaviours and deepest values align, moving them closer to becoming their best self.

What is a cost line?

Definition: The estimated line of cost behavior is line drawn on a scatter diagram to show the relationship between cost and sales or units produced. In other words, it's a line drawn through the average costs on a scatter plot diagram to show how total costs increase as production or sales increase.

Are 162 deductions above the line?

Internal Revenue Code Sections 62 states that the following items are allowable as above-the-line deductions: Contribution to Traditional IRA (Form 1040 Line 32) Certain expenses of performing artists (Form 1040 Line 24) Certain expenses of state officials (162) (Form 1040 Line 24)

What is better above the line or below the line deductions?

Below-the-line deductions include any deduction reported on a line that comes after the AGI calculation on a return. While both deductions ultimately reduce your taxable income, some can have a more favorable impact on your tax bill than others. In most cases, above-the-line deductions are the better choice.

What is above the line marketing examples?

ATL & BTL Agencies refer to two different styles of marketing agencies, especially in promotion marketing and communication. "ATL" stands for "Above The Line", meaning that the advertising is going to be deployed around a wider target audience, e.g. television (TVC), radio, or billboards.

PPC/social media ads can be extremely well targeted and therefore should be considered for any BTL marketing campaign. While I said above that social media profiles are ATL in nature, any ads that you run through them are BTL as they should have a level of targeting attached to them.

Why is it called above the line marketing?

Above The Line (or ATL) refers to conventional marketing techniques using mass media such as TV, Radio, Billboards or the Internet. The term “The Line” came from a specific ad campaign. “The Line” should also be thought of as being between mass media and one-on-one communications.

What is the difference between above the line promotion and below the line promotion?

Above the Line, or ATL Marketing, refers to generally untargeted, massive campaigns to raise brand awareness and reach more people; below the Line, or BTL Marketing, refers to the much smaller and highly targeted world of ads, aimed at individuals and with easy to track returns on investment and a definitive audience;

Is sales promotion above the line?

Below the line promotion

This concerns promotional activities where the business has direct control over the target or intended audience. There are many methods of below-the-line, including sales promotions, direct marketing, personal selling and sponsorship.

What is an in line promotion?

Promotions in line typically entail accepting responsibility for supervising people in positions like the one you hold now. Promotions in line, like other promotions, aren't about reward or recognition — they satisfy employer needs.

What is the difference between ATL BTL and TTL?

'ATL Marketing' stands for 'Above the Line Marketing'. 'TTL Marketing' stands for 'Through the Line Marketing'. This kind of marketing is really an integrated approach, where a company would use both BTL and ATL marketing methods to reach their customer base and generate conversions.

How do you calculate a film budget?

In order to estimate your film's budget, you need to decide how many days you aim to be in production. Studio films get by on shooting only one page of script a day. The majority of films average about five pages, and a low-budgets can plan to shoot as many as ten.

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