How do you credit yourself?

[cheeseandachallenge]

I'm not sure about you guys, but one of the appeals of film to me was that it was a way to avoid the spotlight of other creative medians (can't act, can play music, but hate performing).

That said, I'm still at the stage where I'm mostly doing everything myself. On shorts that have a crew of.. actors, myself and then a composer (and on my recent project, a sound designer - which is a first for me), I'm not going to list everything I did from writing to directing to editing etc. Though, it seems equally arrogant to write "a film by.."

Arguably, at my level, credits are somewhat redundant, but I want to achknowledge everyone involved and celebrate film as a collaborative median. I'm tossing up between these three ways of crediting my current film:


What's the most subtle way to do it? There is something audacious about not crediting myself at all, as well..

How do you do it?

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

Is it a short or a feature?

What did you do? What other crew members were there?

I'd start with Written and Directed by, then the main cast, followed by the composer and then the film's title.

 

[cheeseandachallenge]

Short. I was the only crew, and essentially did everything (writing, storyboarding, directing, operating camera, editing, colour correction and grading, small amount of subtle VFX, etc) myself.
I have a composer and a foley artist (who is also doing my sound design) which is how we got away with that (there's no dialogue).

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

Short. I was the only crew, and essentially did everything (writing, storyboarding, directing, operating camera, editing, colour correction and grading, small amount of subtle VFX, etc) myself.
I have a composer and a foley artist (who is also doing my sound design) which is how we got away with that (there's no dialogue).

Written, Directed, and Produced by _________
Cast.
Foley Artist and Composer.
Film Title.

 

[cheeseandachallenge]

Written, Directed, and Produced by _________
Cast.
Foley Artist and Composer.
Film Title.

Hmm, but I feel giving myself a multitude of credits or more obnoxious.. (besides, i don't really think I know anything about being a producer, and would value my contribution as an editor much higher - how do you decide what's more important if this approach is take?)

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

Hmm, but I feel giving myself a multitude of credits or more obnoxious.. (besides, i don't really think I know anything about being a producer, and would value my contribution as an editor much higher - how do you decide what's more important if this approach is take?)

I'd go with:

Written and Directed by ______
Cast
Foley Artist + Composer
Title

The simpler the better.

 

[Alcove Audio]

I have a composer and a foley artist (who is also doing my sound design).

If he is doing all sound effects, Foley and mix the credit can be "Audio Post By." Same credit for those who also do the dialog edit in addition to the sound effects, Foley and mix.

A separate credit for the score.

 

[HaloUnionProductions]

Unless you want to be an editor or anything other than a director/writer, I would put "Written and Directed by....." and just leave it as that as far as your role goes.

If you do want to be a producer, editor, etc., I would be sure to credit yourself as such.

 

[Alcove Audio]

If you do want to be a producer, editor, etc., I would be sure to credit yourself as such.

That actually gets sort of silly and redundant after a while. That's why "A Film By" is, in my opinion, a better credit. If I was credited for all of the audio post jobs I performed on a film it would run a very long time.

Sound Designer
Supervising Sound Editor
Dialog Editor
ADR Mixer
ADR Editor
Foley Mixer
Foley Artist
Foley Editor
Sound Effects Editor
Music Editor
Rerecording Mixer
Media Wrangler

Even though it may just be a ten minute short I still do all of those jobs. So I just KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid - "Audio Post By."

 

[rotwang]

Though, it seems equally arrogant to write "a film by.."

Why should it? You did all those jobs. You`re a filmmaker. Most filmmakers understand photography and have precise ideas how to edit their stuff. Some even can score and sound. Typically they focus on writing and directing. "A film by ..." is recommended.

 

[cheeseandachallenge]

Why should it? You did all those jobs. You`re a filmmaker. Most filmmakers understand photography and have precise ideas how to edit their stuff. Some even can score and sound. Typically they focus on writing and directing. "A film by ..." is recommended.

Granted, i did do most of the film. But I feel that it is kind of an audacious credit, as it seems to make it so much about me, and negates from the other people involved. Though it might be the most suitable credit, I guess.

That actually gets sort of silly and redundant after a while. That's why "A Film By" is, in my opinion, a better credit. If I was credited for all of the audio post jobs I performed on a film it would run a very long time.

Sound Designer
Supervising Sound Editor
Dialog Editor
ADR Mixer
ADR Editor
Foley Mixer
Foley Artist
Foley Editor
Sound Effects Editor
Music Editor
Rerecording Mixer
Media Wrangler

Even though it may just be a ten minute short I still do all of those jobs. So I just KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid - "Audio Post By."

This - I kind of want to be a number of things, and I'm not 100% sure which I want to focus on yet.

 

[Sweetie]

a by b
c by d
Everything else by [insert your name here]

Sounds kind of dumb, but I think this is the answer you're looking for.

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

All credits go at the end of the movie, ESPECIALLY a short.

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

All credits go at the end of the movie, ESPECIALLY a short.

+1

I hate watching a five minute short that opens with a minute of credits, and ends with a minute of credits.

 

[cheeseandachallenge]

Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to put them at the start! I have. 2 second title card, but that's it.

 

[Alcove Audio]

All credits go at the end of the movie, ESPECIALLY a short.

Not always........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXCUBVS4kfQ

 

[dmontgom]

Not always........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXCUBVS4kfQ

But seriously though, I think it comes down to what YOU want in the credits. I choose to put Written/Directed/Produced etc. on my one man crew projects (all 2 I've done so far)... but if you're not comfortable with that "A film by" is quite alright too. Just do what feels right.

Also, see my first film for how NOT to do credits at the beginning of a short... lol.

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to put them at the start! I have. 2 second title card, but that's it.

This alone will help a so-so film get into the "maybe" pile for a film festival.

The other thing -- instead of credits, end your film with your website url. Indeed, you should do this anyway. This way interested people can follow up and see everyone who had a hand in the film.