Above The Line
Definition
"Above The Line" is a budgeting and production term that refers to the key creative contributors whose fees are negotiated and locked in before the production budget is finalized. This group typically includes the director, the screenwriter, the producer(s), and the principal cast. The term originates from the physical layout of traditional film budgets, where a literal horizontal line separated these high-level creative roles from the technical crew costs below. Above The Line talent often receives a combination of upfront fees, deferred payments, and profit participation deals.
Contextual Usage
During a budget review meeting, the executive producer might say, "Our Above The Line costs are already at $2 million with just the director and lead actor attached. We need to be very conservative with our Below The Line budget if we want to stay within the studio's parameters."
About this section
Production — or "principal photography" — is the phase in which the film or video is actually shot. It is the most visible and, typically, the most expensive phase of the entire process. Every day on ...
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