Below-the-Line/BTL
Where work is different every day
Image: Ben Tubb
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.
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
Explore a below-the-line creative pathway in B.C.
Departments & Roles
Creative Pathways
below-the-line in B.C.
Community
Networks to know about
below-the-line in B.C.
The Journey
Enter, build and advance
below-the-line in B.C.
Top picks within this site for further action and learning
Learn about entry to unions and guilds
Discover equity programs
Check out relevant opportunities
Build your freelance toolkit
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
