Below the Line
A publication focused on the craft professionals working behind the camera in film and television
Overview
Below the Line (BTL) is a publication dedicated to the craftspeople who work behind the camera, including cinematographers, editors, production designers, costume designers, and visual effects artists. It highlights the work of professionals who are often overlooked in mainstream entertainment coverage.
The site features interviews, profiles, and technical breakdowns that illuminate how films and shows are made from a craft perspective. Its awards season coverage focuses on the below-the-line categories that rarely get mainstream attention.
How It Works
For actors, BTL provides valuable education about the work of your collaborators. Understanding what a cinematographer, editor, or production designer does helps you work more effectively with the entire production team and appreciate the collaborative nature of filmmaking.
Below the Line's content is free to read. The site provides accessible coverage of technical and craft-focused topics without requiring a subscription.
Who Uses It
Reading BTL makes you a better-informed and more empathetic collaborator on set. Understanding the challenges and artistry of below-the-line work enriches your appreciation of the filmmaking process and your relationships with crew members. The publication has become particularly important during awards season, when its focused coverage of craft categories helps shine a spotlight on the technical and artistic achievements that make great performances possible — from the cinematography that captures your best work to the editing that shapes the final rhythm of your scenes. Below the Line also covers labor issues and working conditions for crew members, providing context that helps actors understand the pressures and constraints their behind-the-camera collaborators face. For actors committed to being true team players on set, reading BTL demonstrates and deepens the respect for craft that makes collaborative filmmaking possible.
Pricing & Plans
Below the Line is completely free to read, with all articles, interviews, features, and awards coverage available without a paywall or subscription requirement. The site is ad-supported and maintains a clean, accessible design that makes for a pleasant reading experience. BTL also produces video content including interviews with craft professionals and technical demonstrations that are freely available on the website and its social media channels. The publication's modest scale means it does not have the advertising clutter that larger entertainment sites sometimes suffer from, creating a more focused reading environment. For actors on any budget, BTL provides free access to a unique perspective on filmmaking that complements the actor-centric and business-centric coverage of other entertainment media outlets.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
Below the Line's greatest strength is its singular focus on the craft professionals who make films and television possible but who rarely receive mainstream media attention. The publication's interviews with cinematographers reveal how they approach lighting and camera movement to serve performances, giving actors valuable insight into how their work is captured and enhanced by the visual team. BTL's profiles of editors illuminate the post-production process where performances are assembled, paced, and refined, helping actors understand that their on-set work is just the beginning of how their performance reaches audiences. The site's production design and costume design coverage demonstrates how physical environments and wardrobe choices support and shape character work, enriching actors' understanding of how their performance exists within a larger artistic ecosystem. During awards season, BTL's coverage of craft categories provides thoughtful analysis that is often more substantive than the cursory attention these categories receive in larger trades.
What Could Be Better
Below the Line's primary limitation is its narrow focus, which means actors looking for casting news, business analysis, or industry trends need to supplement it with broader trade publications. The site's editorial team is small, which limits the volume and frequency of content compared to larger entertainment outlets. BTL's audience is niche — primarily below-the-line professionals and industry observers — which means its stories generate less industry-wide conversation than coverage from Deadline, Variety, or THR. The publication's coverage is concentrated on film and high-end television production, with less attention to theater, commercials, independent web content, and other performing venues where actors regularly work. BTL's relatively low profile means that some actors may not discover it without a deliberate effort to seek out craft-focused entertainment journalism.
Our Recommendation
Every actor who works on film and television sets should read Below the Line regularly to develop a deeper appreciation for the craft professionals they collaborate with every day. Understanding what cinematographers, editors, production designers, and costume designers do — and the creative choices they make — transforms you from someone who simply shows up and says lines into a genuine collaborator who understands how your performance fits within the larger artistic whole. BTL is not a replacement for trade publications focused on casting and business news, but it is an invaluable supplement that provides perspectives you will not find in actor-centric media. If you want to build a reputation as an actor who is generous, knowledgeable, and easy to work with on set, understanding the work of your below-the-line collaborators is one of the most effective ways to do so.
Pro Tips
Read BTL's interviews with cinematographers and editors to understand how your on-set choices affect the work of these key collaborators — knowing that a cinematographer needs you to hit specific marks for focus, or that an editor relies on consistent performance energy across takes, helps you deliver work that integrates seamlessly into the final product. When you are preparing for a new project, research the key below-the-line crew members attached to the production and read any BTL interviews or profiles they may have given, as this demonstrates respect for their craft and provides conversation starters that build rapport on set. Pay attention to BTL's awards season coverage of craft categories, and make a point of watching nominated films with attention to the technical and design elements that support the performances — this kind of holistic film appreciation deepens your understanding of how all elements of filmmaking work together. Share BTL articles with fellow actors to help build a culture of craft appreciation within your professional community. Use BTL's coverage as a reminder that great filmmaking is a collaborative endeavor, and that the most rewarding on-set experiences come when all departments are working together in service of the story.