# What do movie production credits mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 31, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416 "2017-03-31T15:33:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/1 "2017-03-31T15:33:21Z")
> **[What do movie production credits mean?](https://www.straightdope.com/21344419/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean)** Good column. Ever-lengthier movie production credits seem to be equally driven by ballooning production costs and gigantic Hollywood egos. I noticed a typo at the start of the last paragraph: “The big push to establish this mark began after Shakespeare in Love won Best Picture in 1995 and five whole people showed up onstage to collect their \*\*trophiesa \*\*skeleton crew by today’s standards…” Looks like a dash is needed between the bolded words. ---
**Author:** ![f.coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@f.coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/f.coli)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/2 "2017-04-01T16:08:13Z")
I’m curious as to why some credits include initials after the person’s name, e.g., the cinematographer will often add A.S.C. to his name. After all, the actors don’t add S.A.G. to their credit, assuming they are actually members. Also, when was it decided, and by who, that director’s would get final mention in the opening credits, as well as that silly early credit "A film by . . . ". Finally, when did movie makers decide to drop the redundant “The End” screenshot? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/3 "2017-04-01T17:34:15Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3334/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3334/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean) > > Good column. Ever-lengthier movie production credits seem to be equally driven by ballooning production costs and gigantic Hollywood egos. > > I noticed a typo at the start of the last paragraph: > > “The big push to establish this mark began after Shakespeare in Love won Best Picture in 1995 and five whole people showed up onstage to collect their \*\*trophiesa \*\*skeleton crew by today’s standards…” > > Looks like a dash is needed between the bolded words. Fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/4 "2017-04-02T02:03:39Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/5 "2017-04-02T02:39:57Z")
> [@f.coli](#): > > I’m curious as to why some credits include initials after the person’s name, e.g., the cinematographer will often add A.S.C. to his name. After all, the actors don’t add S.A.G. to their credit, assuming they are actually members. > > Also, when was it decided, and by who, that director’s would get final mention in the opening credits, as well as that silly early credit "A film by . . . ". > > Finally, when did movie makers decide to drop the redundant “The End” screenshot? I know some of these. A.S.C. is an invitation-only professional society, whereas SAG-AFTRA is a union. “A film by…” was the result of a long, hard-fought battle, and there are still very strong feelings about it. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/6 "2017-04-02T11:25:36Z")
What’s “CSA” in film credits? “Casting mumblemumble”, I assume. Also, when was the switch from having all the credits at the beginning to the modern model, and why? ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/7 "2017-04-02T15:01:44Z")
[https://www.backstage.com/news/8-facts-about-casting-society-america/](https://www.backstage.com/news/8-facts-about-casting-society-america/) ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/8 "2017-04-02T21:57:29Z")
> [@Gunslinger](#): > > What’s “CSA” in film credits? “Casting mumblemumble”, I assume. I’ve always wondered why people on duty with the Confederate States Army are making movies. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/9 "2017-04-03T00:43:02Z")
> [@Gunslinger](#): > > Also, when was the switch from having all the credits at the beginning to the modern model, and why? Movies as far back as _Citizen Kane_ have used end credits instead of opening credits. The trend accelerated, however, after the _Star Wars_ movies (George Lucas famously quit the DGA for the fact they fined him over having omitted the director’s credit from the opening of _Star Wars_ and _The Empire Strikes Back_). The '80s saw increasing use of end credits only. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/10 "2017-04-03T07:50:07Z")
> [@f.coli](#): > > Also, when was it decided, and by who, that director’s would get final mention in the opening credits … From Wikipedia: [Billing.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billing_(filmmaking)#History) > [@](#): > > If the main credits occur at the beginning, then the director’s name is last to be shown before the film’s narrative starts, as a result of an agreement between the DGA and motion picture producers in 1939. However, if all billing is shown at the end, his/her name will be displayed first, immediately followed by the writing credits. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/11 "2017-04-03T08:02:09Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] What do movie production credits mean? [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...n-credits-mean](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...n-credits-mean) Good column. Ever-lengthier movie production credits seem to be equally driven by ballooning production costs and gigantic Hollywood egos. I noticed a typo at the start of the last paragraph: “The big push to establish this mark began after Shakespeare in Love won Best Picture in 1995 and five whole people showed up onstage to collect their trophiesa skeleton crew by today’s standards…” Looks like a dash is needed between the bolded words. [/QUOTE] > [@TubaDiva](#): > > Fixed. [Shakespeare in Love won in 1999](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/71st_Academy_Awards) (for the year 1998) It was \*Forrest Gump \*who won in the [1995 ceremon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/67th_Academy_Awards)y. If you mean for the year 1995; [then Braveheart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/68th_Academy_Awards) won (in a ceremony which took place in 1996) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/12 "2017-04-03T15:11:31Z")
I don’t know; this column seemed like the sort of thing that would make perfect sense to anyone who already knew the answer. For instance, if the producer has the ultimate artistic control, then what’s the distinction between the producer and the director? If the producer is in charge of how the money is spent, then what’s the distinction between the producer and the investor? Does the investor have any special title in the credits? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/13 "2017-04-03T19:31:39Z")
**Chronos,** most of what you ask is governed by private contracts between parties. The duties of each functionary don’t have a fixed definition in law. Often the party with the most clout gets to dictate their own position and even control someone else’s position. The job is not spelled out like an elected official’s is. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/14 "2017-04-06T20:32:26Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > **Chronos,** most of what you ask is governed by private contracts between parties. The duties of each functionary don’t have a fixed definition in law. Often the party with the most clout gets to dictate their own position and even control someone else’s position. The job is not spelled out like an elected official’s is. That shouldn’t matter. If I tell you that my job is “inventory control specialist,” you have a pretty good, if perhaps vague, idea right away about what I do. It’s the same with most jobs outside of the entertainment industry. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/15 "2017-04-10T13:38:11Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > It’s the same with most jobs outside of the entertainment industry. There’s your trouble right there. Movies are (more or less) artistic but on the other hand, are a collaborative effort. This means colliding egos and a multitude of ways to soothe them. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-movie-production-credits-mean/783416/16 "2017-04-19T22:57:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I don’t know; this column seemed like the sort of thing that would make perfect sense to anyone who already knew the answer. For instance, if the producer has the ultimate artistic control, then what’s the distinction between the producer and the director? If the producer is in charge of how the money is spent, then what’s the distinction between the producer and the investor? Does the investor have any special title in the credits? The producer is the one in charge of the money being spent, but it’s not his money, it’s the investors.