Line producer: What It Means in Filmmaking
By Muhammad Wisal and Muhammad Ali / 2 min read
A line producer is the producer who manages a film's budget and day-to-day logistics, making sure the production gets made for the money and in the time available.
What does line producer mean?
The name comes from "the line" in a film budget. Costs above the line cover the key creative people, such as the writer, director, producers and lead cast. Costs below the line cover everything else: crew, equipment, locations, transport, catering and so on. The line producer is mostly responsible for the below-the-line side. They build or check the budget, hire most of the crew, negotiate rates with vendors and locations, approve spending and track actual costs against the estimate throughout the shoot.
A line producer usually comes on in pre-production, once the script is close to final. They work with the 1st AD on the schedule, because the schedule drives the budget: every extra day costs money. On bigger productions a unit production manager (UPM) may share or split these duties. On small films, the producer often does the line producer's job too. Titles and the exact split of duties vary by production and country.
Example: a line producer's daily check
Take a five-day indie feature shoot called "Salt Road". On the morning of day 3, the line producer looks at the previous day's figures:
| Item | Estimate | Actual | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew overtime, day 2 | $0 | $480 | Wrapped 90 minutes late at the gas station location |
| Catering, day 2 | $650 | $610 | On track |
| Generator rental | $300 | $300 | On track |
The overtime is the problem. The line producer talks to the director and the 1st AD, and they agree to cut one of the three planned setups in scene 41 so day 3 wraps on time. That kind of trade-off, between what the story wants and what the money allows, is the core of the job.
Related terms
- Above the line / below the line: the two halves of a film budget. See above the line vs below the line costs.
- Unit production manager (UPM): manages the production's logistics and crew, often reporting to the line producer.
- 1st AD: runs the schedule and the set. See 1st AD.
- Producer: the person who drives the project overall. See what a film producer actually does.
FAQ
Is a line producer the same as an executive producer?
No. An executive producer is often involved in financing or packaging the project. The line producer works on the ground, managing the money and the logistics of the actual shoot.
When should you hire a line producer?
Ideally before you lock the budget and schedule, so they can shape both. A line producer brought in after the money is spent can only report the damage.
