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No credits at beginning?
  • I'm going to send a short film out to some film fests pretty soon. My inclination at the moment is not to roll any credits, not even a title card, until the ending. Anyone have an opinion on this?

  • 9 Replies sorted by
  • I don't think it makes any difference unless you're using the opening credit scenes as a dramatic element.

  • I've seen this in war and high action stuff before to give that sudden "Holy Shit" moment but that's about it. I'm sure it's been done thousands of times before though. I do think you should have a reason to do it though.

  • Quite a trend over the past decade. Off the top of my head I can think of Miami Vice, Punch-Drunk Love, Pan's Labyrinth, The Tree of Life. If it's good enough for Mann, Anderson, Del Toro and Malick, I'm sure it's good enough for you.

  • @brianluce

    You mean no Title card "DUR: 12:00:00 TITLE: My Title STARTS: Fade from black, flute music ENDS: Fade to black, credits" info for the projectionist;

    no countdown to "cue from" as we needed with film or tape?

    It may be time for a change but for now I'd be doing what the other contestants do.

  • I shoot for one director where 3 films out of every 4 don't have opening titles.

  • I don't mean no countdown. I mean no credits at the beginning. Not even title.

  • Personally, I think if you want it to have that vibe .. I'd put one up for 4 seconds then 4 seconds of nothing before the first shot

  • I like it better without credits and title. I already know the name of the movie I bought the ticket to see. I also usually already know who's in it but I'd rather be whisked away into movieland rather than study a handful of names to let me know who is pretending to be people in the movie.

  • I like it better without credits and title. I already know the name of the movie I bought the ticket to see. I also usually already know who's in it but I'd rather be whisked away into movieland rather than study a handful of names to let me know who is pretending to be people in the movie.

    That's where I kinda coming from. I'm also lousy at making title graphics.