Freelance projects where you become one of the crew
Welcome to the crew! Working as a professional craftsperson and technician means you are part of the team that makes screen stories come alive. The work is freelance and project-based, meaning that you may work on a teen drama one year and a big budget feature film the following year. The work is different every day.
Working on set in production is not 9 to 5 work. As a freelancer, work patterns are somewhat seasonal, and the workdays are longer, often 12-15 hours long. Work can take place in many different locations, so reliable access to a vehicle is recommended.
Expect to earn well: the median annual wages for below-the-line workers (working full time or part time and inclusive of overtime) is $58,460. That’s 34% higher than median individual wages for full and part time workers in BC in 2017. Source: B.C. Motion Picture Below-the-Line Labour Market Study
Median annual wage (2017)
Higher wages than BC average
BC Productions a Year
Get to know how industry is organized below-the-line
There’s a lot to understand in the world of motion picture production including exactly what all of the departments are, and the many roles that comprise each one.
There are 31 departments below-the-line and over 300 distinct job roles within those departments. While there are many who work on commercials and independent productions (including short films, documentaries and low budget features) the majority of people who work in a below-the-line capacity belong to one of more of B.C.’s six motion picture unions and guilds. Use this Careers section to learn about every department and role, they’re all included.
Importantly, you’ll see which roles are the entry point for a department and which ones are “in demand”, meaning there is low supply in B.C.’s current workforce. The information in this section will help you make strategic choices while also considering which creative pathway is most aligned to your interests and aspirations.
Departments
Job Roles
Unions and Guilds
Explore a Below-the-Line Career
Creative Support Roles
B.C.’s motion picture industry’s recent labour market study of the below-the-line workforce gives a snapshot of which segments of the unionized workforce within industry have the majority of members and workers.
Explore a below-the-line creative pathway in B.C.
Disciplines & Roles
Creative Pathways below-the-line in B.C.
Top picks within this site for further action and learning
Create a listing in a diversity directory
Discover equity programs
Read about entrepreneurship
Check out relevant opportunities
Quotes from set
“You’re in a different place every day. I was working on set on Tuesday, we were out a dam in Maple Ridge, and we had control of the dam so we could turn it on and off. We had helicopters with lighting, we had a big crane with a camera on it, we had stunt people coming across the dam on fire. That was Tuesday, and then Wednesday we were in a sound stage with two people in a room. And then Thursday we were downtown. It’s a job that you will never get bored of, because you’re going to be doing something different tomorrow.”
~ Production Assistant, DGC BC
