Yep, you're definitely right -- absolutely required that they run them, but someone figured out long ago that there was nothing in the contract that says they can't do it that way. However, since these credits obviously can't be read by human eyes, it's beyond insulting to the people being credited, and also to the viewers who understand that they're looking at complete nonsense on their screens due to the station's greed.
I’ve always wondered why the various guilds don’t raise a stink about this. What’s the point of being credited if no one can read the credits?
I recently smirked when watching an 1980 movie on a new Blu-ray where the 2019 restoration credits were as long as the original credits. Some films are the lead in to the 11pm news and 4 mins of credits benefits nobody when they sell that same airtime for ads at $x0,000 per 30 seconds. When I use to watch tv movies, I say this as someone who wondered "what city was this shot" or "was that an early role by __?" or "I can never remember that character actors name...." and waited for credits that did nothing for me.
What they probably should do in that case is agree to create a "TV version" of each movie's credits. Put it in the contracts that for the purposes of TV airings, film credits can be condensed to sixty seconds, by eliminating the need to list every assistant gaffer, key grip, assistant stunt coordinator, every production baby, etc., and only scrolling through the absolute marquee information. Keep them large enough to read, and scroll them at a non-hilarious speed -- keep things to a minimum. I understand that people want their work credited, but let's be honest. There is not a single person at home watching an edited movie of some 20 year old movie, with commercials, who cares about who the "best boy" was.
I'm sure artist with big songs over the credits(Oscar winning?) have had them zapped on tv broadcasts.
This is just another reason why I don't go to movie theaters anymore or at least as far as superhero or fantasy films go. Watching at home, I can just FF the scroll to see the last few seconds of extras instead of having to endure 10 minutes of everyone on planet Earth getting a credit.
I was talking to a producer colleague about this last year (I am a professor in a film production department). A lot of it is union regulations regarding crews. But also a lot of producing credits have multiplied because it's a way of negotiating more money, even if someone wasn't really a producer in the traditional sense.
Do cinemas have to play the movie from start to finish? Some cinemas in my location may stop the projection one or two minutes after the end if there are not post credits scenes.
Not in New Zealand. Our unions got crushed in the 80s and 90s. When the Hobbit films were made, the government changed the law to accommodate the big studio bosses by casualizing the labour market to radical extent. Made no difference whatsoever to the length of the credits! I can only speak for myself, but its nice to see your name up there as the credits roll and contribution acknowledged, even if it is just for a nano-second. It takes years to build a team and credit is cheap.
I remember watching the commentary of Billy Crystal's film, 61*. When the credits started at the end, Billy said it was important to read all of the credits. The film couldn't have been made without every single one of these people. I always make a point of reading the credits anyway, but this gave me a new perspective.
Hello! Stating that below-the-line crew members being credited has anything to do with “union regulations” is patently untrue. The producers have always considered screen credit a courtesy unless specifically agreed to ahead of time in a deal memo. Heck, I just had a deal memo approved for a new project today and you can see for yourself how things are very plainly spelled out. ~Huck
Here is a good article about this: Waiting for the Credits to End? Movies Are Naming More Names (Published 2017) So many factors in the last 50 years especially unions. But one thing I didn't consider is since most movies are screened digitally, it's easier to include more names. In the past, most everyone would have been a studio employee but especially in the age of special effects you have more independent contractors. And yes, credits get negotiated with producers but that also seems determined by unions and general contracts. I know people who worked on films and television who weren't formally credited for their set design work for example. So it's an interesting issue!
Spot on. I was thrilled beyond belief when I received my first screen credit. Also nice was that they kept the entire Art Department credits together as it should be IMHO. It’s just awful when it’s all broken up and randomly distributed. I can’t fathom what their point is in doing so. Studios are well aware we work as departments contributing our particular skill set. And yes, our family and friends proudly enjoy seeing our names in screen. I often laugh when seeing all the producer credits on some films I’ve done with too many mystery producers, because the vast majority are completely unknown to me. They had no offices and were never seen during the production. Sometimes they’re people who had a hand in the development of the film at an earlier stage or version, other times they may have just invested money in the project, and then there are a few dubious names that make no sense at all. But that’s show biz folks!
Even "trainee (whatever)" get a mention in a lot of film credits. Digressing... You get intros and outros in music.
A similar trend came about in music. Probably the effect of an excess of democracy than union demands. I think I can even recall cds where the artist would thank an extensive list of names of no meaningfulness to me, and then the artist would thank God for giving him/her such talent. At least that printed info did not detract from listening to the album.
i think they want us to know just how many people it takes to make a film these days...........and they all have to get paid!
I don't work in the industry, so I will take what you wrote at face value. Without getting too political, I'll just say that I find it sad that hard working people will accept something of little value for their hard work instead of demanding a reasonable wage. Then again, how else are the people who profit the most from the industry supposed to live extravagantly if not for denying reasonable compensation for everyone else involved?
With most films I watch on TV, I stop at the end I'm never interested in the credits. I do occasionally check them out on IMDB, mostly to check whether I'm right or wrong about particular actors being still alive or dead. The music does occasionally interest me and I sometimes check to see who sung or played what. It's a lot easier now with the internet. When I first saw "Bell,Book & Candle" at the cinema in my teens, there's a scene at a club where there's a jazz band including two trumpet players. They weren't in the credits. I wanted to know who they were, it took a phone call to Columbia in the UK to find their names, Pete and Conte Candoli. They are listed in IMDB as "uncredited" But other functions performed by technicians etc., aren't at all important to me.
C'mon. These people all have families and credited looks better than un-credited on a resume. No one forces you to sit through the credits. Most people leave. If you stay these days you get sometimes get rewarded with outtakes or even a final snippet that maybe sets up a sequel.