"Quick, I need the name of a good production accountant." Topic

Why does TV and, especially, films, have to tell me EVERYBODY involved, no matter how tangentally? I know it will be contractual, but books don't have a long list of who typeset/computer-set, who was in charge of the paper-cutter etc. Once you get past the actors no one watches. Sometimes you will look for things by the same writer or director, but 'Catering Services','Transport Manager'? WHY?

I've heard that Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe gets a lot of business.

I always look for unique and interesting job titles in the credits, like "Mr. Tarentino's llama wrangler", or "Ms. Joie's navel double".

Allen

I can find that information if you really need it, but I believe that you're right that it is mostly contractual. There was a pretty big stink when the local channels (here in LA) started cutting off the credits, or shrinking them to a corner so they were practically unreadable.

Wyatt

I'm sure they're also not too happy about the credits that run by so fast the only way you'd be able to read them (if you cared) is to tape it and play it back in slo-mo.

There are a myriad of reasons, but ultimately it all comes down to union contracts.

Better at the end, where I can ignore them, or leave the cinema early, than at the beginning, over a boring flyby or montage.

It's all about accountability. When your next job depends on what you've done previously, if you can point to on screen credits for a job it makes it rather easier to check references. There's a pretty formal set of criteria for how credits are given in Holywood, something that the computer games industry doesn't have and credits are all over the shop and sometimes it can be very hard to prove what you did or didn't work on.

Last Hussar I know several but they're all UK based, if thats any good to you email me.

Paddy- are you seriously trying to tell me the best reference the TV industry can come up with is your name for a fraction of a second? Has no-one thought of something revolutionary like typing a list. Just because you had a job as 3rd standby carpenter is hardly any form of reference. Also the caterers get a mention, the insurance company gets a mention, the company providing the cameras get a mention. This is a specialised industry- people get known. "This Robert Redford bloke- has he done anything?"

Redford, Redford … hmmm, I think I saw his name shoot by on some credit roll once.