Film Credits Unveiled - Your Complete Guide To Acknowledging Contributors - Descript

23. 12. 16.
오후 3:55 Film credits unveiled: Your complete guide to acknowledging contributors | Descript
Introducing AI Actions: Your new creative sidekick. Learn more →
Product Tour Features For Teams For Work Resources Pricing Sign in Sign Up
Creator HQ Video Editing Film credits unveil… Se
Film credits
February 8, 2022
unveiled: Your
complete guide to
acknowledging
contributors
Brandon Copple
Head of Content at Descript. Former Editor at Groupon,
Chicago Sun-Times, and a bunch of other places. Dad.
Book reader. Friend to many Matts.
Most people don’t stay in the theater until the

last film credits roll, but those who do know
just how many dedicated people it takes to
make a feature film.
https://www.descript.com/blog/article/structure-opening-and-closing-film-credits-the-right-way 1/14
23. 12. 16. 오후 3:55 Film credits unveiled: Your complete guide to acknowledging contributors | Descript
The opening and closing credits acknowledge

and thank everyone involved in making a film,
Product Tour Features
from the highest-paid
For Teams For Work
movieResources
stars to the guy
Pricing Sign in
who held the boom mic. In fact, the production
Sign Up
company is contractually obligated to list

almost everyone who worked on a film.
Today’s screen credits are almost an art unto
themselves—more than a simple list of names
—so you’ll want to take the time to get them
right on your own film production.
Regardless of whether you’re creating a short
film or feature motion picture, this guide
shares how to create film credits for your next
video project.
Our full-featured video editing

tool is as powerful as it is
easy to use.
Look for our all-in-one audio
& video production that’s as
easy as editing a doc. →
What are film credits?

Film credits outline people's roles in creating a
movie or television show. You can show them
at the beginning or end of a show, and give
thanks to the people who worked on it.
Film credits differ slightly depending on when
you show them:
Opening credits. In modern films, the
opening credits typically run through the
key creative forces behind a project,
such as the production company,
executive producers, the director, the
lead actors, and the show creator, if
applicable.
Closing credits. Closing credits are more

comprehensive and may include all the
Product Tour Features For Teams
individual crew members.
For Work Resources Pricing Sign in Sign Up
In older films, before television was more

widespread, the opening movie credits were
often the only credits on screen. They listed
the film's major creative and financial forces,
cast members, and all of the crew. Of course,
there are many exceptions to this, like the
original Star Wars trilogy or Citizen Kane.
In contrast to film, television shows and
movies, which are more ephemeral
productions that are often shorter in length
than a typical film, used the closing credits to
list everyone who worked on the show.
This trend caught on in the film world around
the mid-1960s; by the early 2000s, most
American films had done away with opening
credits entirely.
Closing credits for the Star Wars III movie. Source:

YouTube.
The importance
credits of film
Film credits are a big deal in the world of TV
and cinema. Production team members rely on
them to get the word out about their
contributions, particularly if they work behind
the scenes.
Cast credits might also reveal the identity of a
character actor who disappeared into their
role, or that one actor whose name was on the
tip of your tongue the whole movie. Writing

and design credits call attention to the team
members whose
For Teams
creative visions
For Work
shaped Pricing
Resources
the Sign in
production.
Sign Up
Professional unions and guilds, such as

SAG/AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America,
may stipulate specific billing orders within a
film credits template. They do this to advance
the careers of their union and guild members.
Some film companies specifically hire a
production credits editor to ensure that credits
appear correctly and no angry letters arrive
from Hollywood law firms.
Opening
structurecredits
The standard film credits order for an opening
credit sequence goes as follows:
1. Production company
(distributor)
The distributor acquires and releases films in
cinemas or home video platforms. They also
help market and advertise the movie.
2. Production company
(producer)
This company sees the actual production,
from financing to locations to legal contracts.
Big entertainment companies (think Disney or
Warner Brothers) might have the film's
production company and distributor under the
same roof. In other cases, these are separate
entities.
3. Film title
The title usually comes before most of the

heavyweights on a film, though sometimes the
lead actors’Fornames
For Teams Work
appear before the title.Pricing
Resources Sign in
Sometimes, films don’t even show the title
Sign Up
card until the end.
4. Lead cast
The featured lead actors may get their names
before the film title—particularly if they’re
super famous—or they may wait their turn and
appear in the credits.
5. Supporting cast
The supporting cast has roles smaller than the
big stars. Or, they could be actors who aren’t
super popular just yet. Either way, they
typically appear after the film title and the top-
billing actors.
6. Casting director
The casting director is the person who leads
the overall casting process, including scoping
talent and auditioning roles.
7. Music composer
If a film has original music (most do), the film
composer might be credited right around this
point in the opening credits. This would not be
the place to list the bands whose music you
licensed for the film.
8. Costume designer
The costume designer usually gets
acknowledged at this stage of the opening
credits sequence.
9. Associate producers
Product Tour Features In most cases,

For Teams associate producers
For Work Resources aren’tPricing
the Sign in Sign Up
bigwigs whose name and money bring caché,

but they do a lot of the actual work to make
film sets function.
10. Editors
Video editors take all the footage from the film
shoot and then shorten and shape it in post-
production. They work closely with the
director and turn raw footage into the final
product. They’re credited after many other key
players in a film.‍
11. Production designer

The production designer oversees all visual
design choices in a movie, from sets to
costumes to props to hair and makeup (and
maybe even the fonts used for the very
opening credits you’re watching). Other
designers who work under them may not get
mentioned until the end credits, but the
production designer often ends up right
around here in the opening sequence. ‍
12. Director of
Photography
Also known as a cinematographer or DP, the
director of photography is in charge of the
actual filming process (plus the lighting and
camera considerations that go along with it).
In many cases, their artistic role on set may be
second to only the director.‍
13. Executive producer

Sometimes the film’s stars serve as executive

producers. Executive producers can also come
CONTENTS
from the studio.
For Teams
They couldResources
For Work
also be the Pricing Sign in
managers of the directors and screenwriters.
Sign Up
What are film
credits? Whatever role they had in the film, they
The importance provided some meaningful service to the
of film credits production.‍
Opening credits
structure
Closing credits 14. Producer
structure
When should In most cases, the producers are the bosses
you use logos in of the film. They’ve arranged for all the
film credits? financing and legal rights, and they can hire
How to add and fire pretty much everyone on set—
credits to your including the director. In some cases, the
film producers are the principals in the production
The ultimate companies listed at the top of the opening
tool for video credits. But they’re also mentioned again (the
and sound perks of the job!).
editing: Descript
TRY
15. Writers
DESCRIPT The penultimate item in most opening credit
TODAY
sequences is a screenwriting credit. This goes
The all-in- to the writer or writers who drafted the script.
one video When you see multiple screenplay credits on a
& podcast
editor, film, this may mean it underwent substantive
easy as a rewrites. The first name listed is the person
doc.
who wrote the original draft.‍
Get
started for
free
16. Director
The director is the lead artistic figure in a film
production. The producer has the money and
the legal rights and can hire and fire people,
but the director is the boss of every designer,
actor, and crew member on set. They also get
the premium billing in an opening credits
template.
Some movies include all or parts of this
information; some films don’t have opening
credits at all—this is mostly a creative choice

by the director.
Opening credits for James Bond’s movie, No Time to

Die. Source: YouTube.
Closing credits
structure
Closing credits tend to have a less uniform
structure than opening credits. In the old days
of Hollywood, nearly all the credits came
before a film, and the end credits typically just
named the production company or said “The
End”.
That said, most contemporary films now list
the cast and crew in the closing credits. A
typical order would be:
1. Director
2. Writers
3. Producer
4. Executive producer
5. Cast—often in order of appearance or in
order of story importance
6. Director of photography
7. Production designer
8. Editor
9. Associate producers
10. Costume designer
11. Music composer
12. Music supervisor (someone who
oversees all of the film’s music, both
original and licensed)
13. Music collaborators and facilitators

(orchestrators, contractors, copyists,
Product Tour Features For Teams
editors)For Work Resources Pricing Sign in Sign Up
14. Casting director

15. Unit production manager
16. First assistant director
17. Second assistant director
18. Entire production crew, separated into
departments like electrical, sound, set,
and costumes
19. Entire post-production crew, separated
into departments like editing, color,
sound, and visual effects
20. Stunts (performers, directors,
choreographers)
21. Second unit credits—a film crew that
shot additional footage beyond the main
production
22. On-set catering and craft services
23. Title design
24. Licensed songs, including artists,
composers, and publishers
25. Final sound design, including mix
recording studio and fixing bad quality
audio
26. Special thanks
27. Shooting locations
28. Logos for guilds, unions, rental houses,
equipment sponsors, and local film
boards or government agencies that
helped the film by way of tax credits or
other incentives.
29. The film’s copyright
30. Disclaimers (e.g., the film is a work of
fiction, no animals were harmed in the
making of the film, etc.)
When should you use

logos in film credits?
For Teams For Work Resources Pricing Sign in Sign Up
You’ve likely seen film credits examples where

various logos appeared alongside the names
of the cast and crew. These logos may be for:
Film commerce boards, such as the
National Film Board of Canada.
Equipment makers like Panavision.
Guilds, including The Writers Guild of
America.
Production companies like Broadway
Video.
Whenever these logos appear, you can safely
assume they were specifically negotiated with
the film’s producers. For instance, the National
Film Board of Canada may have provided the
producers with great locations, favorable tax
incentives, and 2-for-1 Tim Horton’s coupons…
but they had to put that logo at the end of the
film in exchange.
If you end up making a film that requires logos
in the end credits, you can expect those
parties to provide their own logos for you to
use.
Closing credits for the original Toy Story movie.

Source: YouTube.
How to add
your film credits to
Descript includes a ton of handy templates for

common filmmaking tasks, including credits.
To create rolling
For Teams
credits, justResources
For Work
click the Pricing Sign in
“Templates” icon at the top (which looks like
Sign Up
four squares), then navigate to “Gallery,” then

“Titles,” then select “Credits.”
Rolling credits created in Descript
The
videoultimate
and tool
sound for
editing: Descript
Whether you’re at the Spielberg level remaking
West Side Story, an indie filmmaker, you can’t
do it alone. You’ll need help from other people
and tools to help you achieve your vision.
Descript helps with the entire production
process—from your movie opening to your
ending credits. The video editor cuts together
the perfect scenes from filming. You can even
add funny bloopers to ending credits, or
whatever you want to make your vision come
true.
With Descript, you can:
Remove audio from video for smooth B-
roll or a scene with only a soundtrack for
accompaniment
Add music to pieces of footage to add
drama or emotion to a scene
Compress videos in MP4 format to make
sure your videos are small enough for
uploading to video streaming services
The best part? Descript also has advanced

features like video and screen recording, color
grading, andForAI-powered
For Teams Work
green screen Pricing
Resources Sign in
technology.
Sign Up
You’re not limited to just video credits—you

can also use Descript’s editing software for
social media videos, music albums, and
feature films. Sign up for a free account today.
Articles you might find interesting
VIDEO PRODUCT PODCASTING

UPDATES
Vlog Video How to use
names: 7 Marketing: background
tips for A Must- music in
finding the Have Skill your
best name for podcast
for your Marketers
vlog Here, we
share some
Vlogs revolve Want a tricks for
around the definition of
creator’s video
PODCASTING PODCASTING PODCASTING

The big list How to pick How to
of clips for upload your
podcasting social podcast to
resources: media Apple
From the How to Podcasts: A

experts choose clips guide

(2023)
For Teams to promoteResources Pricing
For Work Sign in
Learn how to
Sign Up
We’ve submit your

collected podcast to
how-tos and
Join millions of creators

who already have a
head start.
Get free recording and editing tips,
and resources delivered to your
inbox.
Email addr Subscribe

Our lawyers say we have to remind you: by
subscribing, you consent to receiving marketing
emails. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share this article

Email Twitter Facebook Copy link

Film Credits Unveiled - Your Complete Guide To Acknowledging Contributors - Descript

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Film Credits Unveiled - Your Complete Guide To Acknowledging Contributors - Descript

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

23. 12. 16.

Introducing AI Actions: Your new creative sidekick. Learn more →

Creator HQ Video Editing Film credits unveil… Se

Most people don’t stay in the theater until the

The opening and closing credits acknowledge

company is contractually obligated to list

Our full-featured video editing

What are film credits?

Closing credits. Closing credits are more

In older films, before television was more

Closing credits for the Star Wars III movie. Source:

tip of your tongue the whole movie. Writing

Professional unions and guilds, such as

The title usually comes before most of the

card until the end.

Introducing AI Actions: Your new creative sidekick. Learn more →

Product Tour Features In most cases,

bigwigs whose name and money bring caché,

11. Production designer

13. Executive producer

Sometimes the film’s stars serve as executive

credits at all—this is mostly a creative choice

Opening credits for James Bond’s movie, No Time to

13. Music collaborators and facilitators

14. Casting director

Product Tour Features

For Teams For Work Resources Pricing Sign in Sign Up

You’ve likely seen film credits examples where

Closing credits for the original Toy Story movie.

Descript includes a ton of handy templates for

four squares), then navigate to “Gallery,” then

Rolling credits created in Descript

The best part? Descript also has advanced

You’re not limited to just video credits—you

Articles you might find interesting

VIDEO PRODUCT PODCASTING

PODCASTING PODCASTING PODCASTING

From the How to Podcasts: A

Product Tour Features

We’ve submit your

Join millions of creators

Email addr Subscribe

Share this article

Introducing AI Actions: Your new creative sidekick. Learn more →

You might also like