Production and distribution company clips and logos in movies: who cares?

In My Humble Opinion
1

<rant>

Just now, I watched the first few minutes of Angels & Demons as I was transferring it from DVR to DVD.

The first few seconds had the big traditional Columbia Pictures screen, then it seemed like something was about to start, but it turned out to be an elaborate Imagine Entertainment logo, which dissolved, and then there were some lights in the distance, but no, it was the Skylark logo. I turned off the TV at that point.

WHO CARES?

I know these companies are funding and distributing the movie. But I don’t think they need brand recognition because that’s not what customers shop for. They’re willing to pay to see a sci-fi/superhero movie with Robert Downey Jr. or a bike-messenger thriller with that cute guy who was in Inception. Car chases with big orange explosions or nice romantic moments with a saxophone playing in the background.

I don’t get the feeling that anybody cares if Amblin or Warner or Disney or Alliance is involved. Except maybe in a negative way, if they want to boycott this-or-that company for political or religious reasons.

Seriously, maybe the little Fox clip with the search lights gives a little seriousness to the movie process (you can kinda smell the popcorn), but make it brief and just show us the movie already.

</rant>

So, what do these companies have to gain by making their brand so annoyingly visible?

2

I think they are doing this to increase their stock among observers within the movie industry. I’ve heard (anecdotally) that lots of people in L.A. sit through the credits to pick out names of people they know, and these production companies are as familiar as car makes & models are in Michigan.

3

Production companies write the checks that make the whole screen sing. They are going to get their 3 seconds of fame for this skilled and artistic endeavor.

I agree that there’s a point at which the string of artful little clips goes from enticing to irritating to flat-out hilarious.

4

Not just L.A. I’m from the Kansas City area. My brother is a musician out in Hollywood and is credited on several films. I stay to watch his name if it is on a movie, and if it isn’t, then I stay out of respect for all the people out there who are Second Assistant Grip to the Gaffer’s Best Boy.

5

What’s the record for this? I swear there were 5 when I saw Looper.

6

These are the same people who insist on such credits on posters and trailers as “From the Producers of Independence Day and The Matrix” as though that is going to make any impact on the quality of any new film.