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Be Part of the New Detroit Film Industry!

The developing film industry in the Detroit metropolitan area is looking for thousands of people.  Many of these opportunities are termed "Below-the-Line" positions which you could qualify for!  Have you ever considered working in the film industry but don't know how?  The Agency is committed to supporting your transition and the cultivation of your career in the continuously growing film and entertainment industry. 

What are "Below-the-Line" Career Opportunities in Film Making?


In budgeting a motion picture or television, below-the-line costs include the salaries of the cast members and the technical crew, as well as use of the film studio and its technical equipment, travel, location and catering costs, etc.

 

The distinction originates from the early studio days when the budget top-sheet would literally have a line separating the above-the-line and below-the-line costs.

Some of the positions that fall into the below-the-line category are:


  • Director of photography
  • Assistant director
  • Dolly grip
  • Gaffer
  • Key grip
  • Best boy electric
  • Best boy grip
  • Art director
  • Editor
  • Continuity
  • Composer
  • Production assistant
  • Transportation
  • Make-up/Hair
  • Special EFX Make-up
  • Wardrobe
  • Costume design
  • Graphics

 


Thirteen distinct departments are involved in the production of a movie and when you expand the time frame to include the pre-production and post-production phases the list grows even longer. It is important that people entering the film industry for the first time understand this so they can find the right fit. It is also hard to know the best fit until you’ve actually gotten on set and tried a few of them out. There are also numerous support positions that may not be directly with the movie production companies but with the various vendor companies that make the movie industry possible. These are just a few examples:  

  • Caterers
  • Equipment rental houses
  • Wardrobe rental
  • Prop rental
  • Tent and table rental houses
  • Vehicle rental, trucks and picture cars
  • Cleanup and recycling crews

 

 

How Do I Qualify for These Positions?

The most important fact to understand about the movie industry is that it is a nomadic, freelancer-dominated, family business. Most movie crews consist predominantly of a group of people who have worked together for years as a team and who travel all over the world to work with the particular director or producer whose team they are a member of. Because of this simple fact, it is not what you know, but who you know that will get you access to these teams. It is practically impossible to break in without experience and relationships, which really is often in fact, the same thing.


As you get experience you will meet people who will then pull you into other projects because of their relationship with you. Almost everyone gets their initial experience as an intern, and most of these opportunities for experience are on low or no budget films where your compensation besides experience and food will consist of a credit and something for your demo reel. This is not something to disdain. Even doctors spend time as interns between medical school and practice. Without it you will not get into the paying positions.


To get this non-monetary compensation type experience you will have to know independent filmmakers and ideally you will work on a number of projects with different filmmakers in different departments and positions. This will allow you to try out and discover which position you really want to pursue. Working these gigs will also connect you with the next generation of directors and if you stick with them you can ride up with them and be part of their film making family. They will take you with them as they travel the world making bigger and bigger films.