GFA Film & TV Production (1000) Complete Practice Test 2026

Labor paid on hourly rates falls under below the line. In production budgeting, costs are split into above the line and below the line. Above the line covers the creative talent with negotiated salaries—director, writers, producers, principal cast—whose compensation isn’t typically based on hourly on-set rates. Below the line includes all crew and on-set staff—camera, sound, lighting, grips, PAs, editors—whose pay is usually hourly, daily, or per unit. So the term that best describes hourly-rate labor is below the line. The production office is just a department handling logistics, and the 2nd A.D. is a role within the below-the-line group.