Above the line (film production)

See Above the line for other meanings and uses of the phrase. In the movie industry, above-the-line expenditures are those that are negotiated or spent before filming begins. These costs can include rights for the material on which the screenplay is based, the salaries for the screenwriter, director, producer, and actors. It also covers Assistants to Directors, Actors and Producers (not to be confused with Assistant Directors).
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