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Which jobs are usually considered below-the-line positions in filmmaking?

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Director Sir David Lean sits atop a ladder beside a film camera, surrounded by crew and equipment on the set of Doctor Zhivago (1965) under a blue sky. — film David Lean (sitting atop a ladder) during the filming of *Doctor Zhivago* (1965).

In the context of film production, workers are generally categorized into two groups based on their roles: above-the-line and below-the-line.

Below-the-line positions are those responsible for the technical and logistical work required to bring a film to life. These roles are essential to the physical production process and include, but are not limited to:

Set designers1
Costume designers1
Makeup artists1
Camera crew members, such as camera operators, focus-pullers, and clapper-loaders2
Grips, who handle equipment and camera support2
Lighting technicians, including the gaffer and their assistants (best boys)2

While above-the-line workers provide the artistic and creative vision—such as directors, screenwriters, and actors—below-the-line workers provide the technical expertise and labor necessary to execute that vision. Since the industry shifted toward a project-based approach after the 1940s, below-the-line workers have often faced a higher degree of precarity and uncertainty compared to the studio-contract era.1