Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2016 November 23

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November 23

Film production house moving logos

At the start of a movie these days are a series of short animated logos identifying the various production houses or whatever that are involved in the making/distribution of the movie. Village Roadshow, Searchlight, Hopscotch and numerous others have their things. There used to be one or maybe two of them, but these days there can be up to 6 or 7 of them, taking up what seems like the first half an hour of the screen time (I exaggerate, naturally).

What are these damn things called?

And then, once the movie proper starts, we get a series of presentations:

• AAA presents
• in association with BBB and CCC
• a DDD production
• an EEE film
• an FFF release
• and on and on.

Only then does the movie proper proper actually start.

All this stuff at the front seems to sit very poorly with the current ethic of having the main credits at the end. What is the rationale for splitting credits into the "portentously self-important" ones at the front that nobody remembers; and the "trivial" ones at the end (like names of the actors, director, producer, composer, cinematographer ...) that most people don't stay to watch in the first place? -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 20:38, 23 November 2016 (UTC)

Maybe because they're the ones who paid for it? Also, typically the actors and other major crew (writer, cinematographer, editor, etc.) are listed in the opening credits, which nearly always end when the director's name is given. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:01, 23 November 2016 (UTC)

Bugs is correct about those who pay for it wanting their acknowledgement up front. In this day and age most films (even some of the biggest blockbusters) require money from numerous sources to get made. You are probably right about the "portentously self-important" aspect of it but without their money they film might not see the light of day. If you haven't already read it the article Opening credits may have some info for you. MarnetteD|Talk 21:17, 23 November 2016 (UTC)

"What are these damn things called?" production logo, vanity card, vanity plate, or vanity logo jnestorius^(talk) 21:58, 23 November 2016 (UTC)

Now I know. Thanks all. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 09:35, 24 November 2016 (UTC)

The point here is that all those AAA/BBB/CCC credits are for something different, they're not all for companies who have financed the film. "AAA Presents" might be the executive producer, another one might be for the producer's company, another one for the director's company, another one for the screenwriter's company, and so on. Like many self-employed people, producers, directors and screenwriters form companies for legal/financial/tax reasons, and those companies have to be credited in the film. --Viennese Waltz 09:57, 24 November 2016 (UTC)

Resolved

Tacked onto the front of your typical DVD is yet another credit, for the company responsible for producing the DVD, such as "Warner Home Video" or some such. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:17, 24 November 2016 (UTC)

Idents — Preceding unsigned comment added by 185.7.166.71 (talk) 08:00, 25 November 2016 (UTC)