Credits (cinema)

See also: Generic

The generic (or appropriations in English) counts the whole of the natural persons or morals which took part in the creation of a cinematographic work.

Formal composition

The first part of the credits generally introduces the actors and specifies the characters whom they incarnate, it also details the whole of the technical personnel as well as the music used.

The appropriations appeared formerly at the beginning of the film which ended in simple a fine paperboard . Thereafter, only the name of the realizer and the main actors appears during the credits of beginning. The remainder of the team appears only at the end and the fine paperboard disappeared gradually.

With the wire of the decades, the credits of cinema became increasingly long. That is due mainly to the permanent growth of the budgets of production and to a maturation of the techniques of realization in the direction of a larger professionalisation and a greater diversification of the various trades.

The speakers at the various stages of the realization and throughout the chain of Production, Assembly and diffusion are increasingly numerous: actors (the name of the observers appears with the credits only according to rules sometimes a little complex and obscure), but also technicians of all kinds - special effects, lighting, Photographie, its, decorations, make-up, costumes, scripts, cascades and raisings possible, etc - but so many administrative having to manage teams increasingly more important, in charge of coordination, Repérage S, Casting S, Relations of press, musicians and thousand other trade associations still which revolve closely today or by far around a film turning and which contribute each one to their measurement with to make turn the immense machinery of the cinema.

The constant lengthening of the credits is the perfect mirror of this progressive transformation of the cinema during the 20th century, an art which owed all with the clean talent of some impassioned genius in an industry powerful and complex with the productions increasingly more expensive, more sophisticated and more ambitious.

A not written rule (?) wants what appears with the credits of film (in addition to the authors, realizers, directors, actors and others whose contribution is direct, obvious and immediately recognizable) all those of which the significant contribution to summer either with the screen, or during turning, or of the pre operations and post- production, or in the realization and the distribution of the end product (film and video), even still simply in the total operation of the team of turning during all the time of existence - transitory by nature - of this one, like all the sub-contracting companies having taken part in these same operations.

In addition, information appearing with the credits is generally graphically treated on a hierarchical basis (size, grease, capitals, names grouped or isolated, etc) the details of the presentation of the contribution of the natural persons or morals are sometimes specified by contract.

Credits of beginning and pregeneric

Initially, the credits of beginning consisted just of a formal presentation (title, participants…). It fulfilled an explicit function of an administrative nature (card of identity of film) as well as an implicit function of temporal demarcation of the fiction: the history started after the credits of beginning and was completed on the “fine” paperboard. Gradually, the realizers transgressed the rules in order to better immerse the spectator in work.

It is in particular thanks to Saül Bass that the credits of beginning became a true introduction to film, a “conditioning of the spectator”, and either a list of names. He in particular carried out many credits for Alfred Hitchcock, of which that of Cold sweats ( Vertigo ), presenting revolving spirals, symbol at the same time giddiness (one of the engines of film) and Temps.

Thereafter, of the realizers introduced “prégénérique”, i.e. a sequence of action located before the credits. One can quote in particular pregeneric James Bond , showing the hero at the end of a mission in general without relationship with film in itself.

Certain films do not have credits of beginning. It is for example the case of Apocalypse Now whose title seems late only one graffiti in film.

For the exit of the Star Wars in 1977, George Lucas had been put at back the trade unions of the professionals of the cinema (to which it was affiliated) because the credits of beginning did not contain the names of the participants in the film (recall: the credits are a text introducing the history, on bottom of space black). However the anecdote had been classified without continuation since these trade unions did not believe in the future of film. Three years later, for the Empire counter-attacks , these same trade unions returned to the load for the same reasons, and George Lucas was obliged to pay them a fine of several million dollars. It then had to resign of these trade unions, in order not to have to change its operating process for following films.

Particular final credits

Although the credits of end are generally presented in the form of simple paperboards or an unrolling text, certain films present nevertheless more original versions of them:

  • inclusion of a collection of howlers:
  • inclusion of additional scenes which even supplement give another lighting to the intrigue
    • Sexcrimes : additional scenes which took place during film but were not shown (as crossed to the assembly)
    • X-Men the final confrontation : reappearance of the late Professor X, in another form
    • the Secrecy of the pyramid : reappearance of the late professor Rathe, under another name
    • Lethal weapon 3 : scene on the topic of the running gag explosion of a building
    • the City of the fear : scene on the topic of and during this time with Furtive Veracruz
    • : flickering of the eye of the IA which one believed dead (a great classic in this kind of film)
    • the Three Brothers : the three brothers continue the discussion which launched the credits of end, and draw with the fate the heart from the beautiful Marie
    • Pirates from the Caribbean 3 : ten years afterwards, the Dutch Stealing returns
    • Transformers : interview of the parents of the hero, and escape in direction of the space of malicious which survived
  • inclusion of basic images (ex: the Lord of the Rings )
  • inclusion of whimsical appropriations
    • the phantom Threat : the character of Jabba the Hutt is played by itself (whereas it is an actor of synthesis for a fictitious character)
    • the City of the fear : does appearance inter alia appropriations for Spiderman (Peter Parker), Batman (Bruce Wayne), or some That make of it (world hein?) naturally accompanied by the Tulle at sight (Kim Onku)
    • Didier : in the part devoted to raising of the animals, one can note the enculeurs of fly (everyone)

In Irreversible of Gaspar Noé, the history is presented in a antechronologic way and adopting this logic from a formal point of view, the film thus starts with credits being held top to the bottom (contrary to the usual direction). Se7en and Good COP, Bad COP is other examples of film whose final credits proceed from top to bottom.

Creators and typology

  • Saul Bass is famous like one of the best creators of credits for the cinema.

Outstanding credits

Credits cinema

1970s

1980s

1990s

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000s

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

  • X-Men the final confrontation

2007

See too

Random links:CA Colón de Santa Fe | Rosas company | Ringō | Paul Andre | Blenheim Bristol-board |

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