credits

1
credits

• Therese Oppermann
• introduction entertainment law
• METKA, University of Oulu

2
you can create an agreementthat provides that
the other partywill wear pink ribbons in their
hairevery second friday

• no-one will notice
• no-one will comment

3
what they look at

• fee
• per diems
• class of travel
• size of trailer
• credit

4
who reads them

• credits roll so quick, who can possibly read
  them?
• the credits arent for cinema-goers
• the people who read the credits
• are the other people in the industry
• databases trawl the credits

5
why

• international freelance competitive industry
• the credit is the creators advertising
• hey Mr Producer sitting in the audience
• did you like the costumes?
• want to use similar costumes in your film?
• ring Pekka Smith he did the costumes

6
why

• credit position reflects industry position
• if a top billing star gets second position
• it may suggest they are on their way down
• if a writer gets sole writing credit
• can ask for more on their next script

7
types of credit

• presentation credit
• financiers, distributors, producer, director
• title credits
• single frame, shared frame
• static frame
• end credits
• logo credit
• thank you credit
• and you thought the producer was just being nice.

8
name get it right

• exact form of credit in agreement
• copy credits from agreements
• if they didnt check, its their own fault
• If Pekka Smith satisfies his obligations under
  this agreement, Producer will accord him credit
  substantially in the form
• Editor .Pekka Smith

9
position

• keep a record of already agreed positions
• dont accidentally agree 2 second positions
• if you have lots of egos
• alphabetical Woody Allen
• in order of appearance
• order may be dictated by industrial agreements
• writer second last title credit
• director last title credit

10
paid ads

• similar credit/position in paid ads/publicity
• posters, press releases, newspaper ads
• may be limited to billing block
• excluded ads

11
paid ads

• dont know what to ask for?
• link your credit to someone elses credit
• financier A gets credit
• whenever financier B gets a credit
• editor gets credit
• whenever composer gets credit

12
dispute about credits

• two writers wrote screenplay together
• first writer wrote first two drafts
• second writer wrote final draft
• who goes first?
• DONT GO THERE GIRLFRIEND
• any dispute arbitrated by writers guild

13
i hate the film, i want nothing to do with it

• sometimes projects end badly
• producer changes the directors ending
• the set designs were butchered
• the G book became a M movie
• contributors have the right to remove their name
  from the credits
• must give the producer reasonable notice before
  the credits are finalised

14
not my fault

• cinemas/broadcasters dont like long credits
• how tempting to cut them or speed them up
• If contributor notifies Producer that there is
  an error or omission, producer will use all
  reasonable efforts to restore the credit.
• Producer will not be liable for any inadvertant
  failure of the Producer, or any third party
  failure to accord the contributor the credit.
• Distributor agrees will not remove or alter the
  credits.