I’ve got a problem with the end-credits, whether in films or television. You know, those damn scrolly-thingies that are either too fast, too slow, or, on TV recently, squished to miniscule proportions. Here’s the question: WHY do they exist at all? For instance, after watching an episode of, say, “E.R.” do we need to see the name of the 3rd assistant costume assistant? When the credits roll after “Jurassic Park III,” do we care who the gaffer or best-boy was? There’s no similar credits for books (unless the author credits them somehow), and there’s no “credits” given for the burger that you ate for lunch today, or the automobile that you bought last year, or the computer that you are reading this page on right now. I’m sure it has something to do with the unions that represent the various trades represented in the credits…but it’s still irksome.
credits films
February 20th, 2006 at 8:49 am
It’s like the annoying adage I kept hearing from the sales department at my old employer, the printing place. They kept pumping themselves up by saying, “You know, without us selling product, the rest of you wouldn’t have anything to do.” The obvious response, of course, was that without us, they’d have nothing to sell.
I suppose the film industry is the same. You can’t have a movie without directors or writers, but you also can’t have one without the guy who runs the camera or the guy who builds the sets. If credits are to be handed out at the end of the movie, then these guys deserve some, too. Doubtless the unions have played a big part, but it does, in the end, make a certain amount of sense. We do refer to movies as a collaborative art form, which makes even the carpenter one of the “authors.”
I agree with you in that once that got started, everyone started getting put on the credits. I know why vendors like caterers and assistants get put on the credits –they’ll charge less to the studio if they get some promotion out of the deal– but I don’t have to like it. An author doesn’t list all the restaurants he ate at while preparing his novel.
February 20th, 2006 at 12:49 pm
Yes, the unions have a lot to do with it, but it’s obviously more complex than that because some of the other examples you mentioned are also union industries. I suspect a lot of it has to do with it being show biz, where egos tend to be large.
Authors don’t list all the restaurants the eat at because those aren’t actually part of the production, whereas feeding the entire cast and crew is a much more direct contribution.
Actually, unions even have something to do with which titles are given. For example, I’ve been told that due to union rules, a writer can’t edit another writer’s script. To get around this, someone who is basically just a writer but changes the work of another writer is often given the title of producer. I think this is why you see so many producer credits, especially in television, where some writers may contribute one or two scripts, but others write the ongoing story arcs and may have to edit the script to fit upcoming stories.
What bugs me is when they squish the credits so you can’t see the names of the guest stars, and then you can’t figure out who that familiar looking face is.
February 20th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
And that’s when you head to Google and/or IMDB.com to get the answer!
February 20th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Right…PITA if I’m not already logged on, or if you don’t know the episode title.
February 20th, 2006 at 6:32 pm
“…not already logged on…” ACK! OMG, please don’t tell me you’re on dial-up!
February 20th, 2006 at 8:05 pm
OK. I won’t tell you.
February 21st, 2006 at 3:32 pm
As for me and my house we completely agree you. It has gotten absolutely ridiculous. We sit through that list of credits, with clearly printed names and titles (including Becky who brought the donuts), so we can view who wrote and performed the songs; only when it gets there - towards the very bottom - it’s all scrunched up, blurry and almost impossible to read.
February 21st, 2006 at 6:04 pm
You know, I’d like to add a related irritant: the “bug.” That’s the little (or sometimes not-so-little) logo in the corner of the screen that sometimes turns into a screaming billboard. Why is it necessary to create a distraction, after EVERY commercial break, about another over-hyped special, season premiere, season finale, “very special episode,” regular episode, or crappy televised poker game that’s going to be on in three weeks? And that’s after the tell me what show it is that I’m already watching, and what’s going to be on next — usually “another great episode” of the same show.
Worse yet, often the bug/advertisement covers up the names of the guest stars or the person offering their opinions, or obliterates some type of subtitle.
I think this started with MTV and VH1, who remain the worst offenders, along with TBS and Spike. I also remember at some point I turned on ESPN and in the corner of the screen they had a rather large clock counting down the seconds until the World Series of Poker. At the point where I saw it, there remained something like 10 hours to go, and the clock remained there all day. (Why poker is being carried on ESPN, as well as every other channel known to man, is whole other rant.)