“ In the mid-1990s, I followed several technicians working in New York's independent feature film world. I asked them questions about their work, their dreams, and their personal lives. Shot on the sets of three low budget films and in the crew's various NYC apartments, Below the Line offers a slice of what it's like to chart a creative path in film, to begin an unconventional career, and to balance a demanding professional life with a personal life. This documentary short was produced as my thesis project for a Certificate in Culture & Media at NYU, a joint program of the departments of anthropology and cinema studies(1997). Many wonderful people donated time and equipment to the effort, and I thank them by name in the video credits.” - Ashley David, Vimeo