Below-the-Line/BTL
Where work is different every day
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.
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
