Research - My Initial Understanding of Conventions

To my own knowledge, there seems to be some conventions that are shown throughout multiple films however I am not entirely sure I know all of the features or why they occur; the final piece is supposed to be a film opening that I have created - which adheres to the conventions I discover in relation to a 'good film' or 'good opening title'.


Distributors and Production Studios

From my own knowledge, I am aware that distributors and studios will add their icons/logos at the beginning of an opening title sequences. However, Wikipedia notes that usually Distribution companies show their icons first, followed by the Production companies'. The film Blitz for example, shows this: Lions Gate is the distributor and so is credited first, followed by Davis Films who is the studio that produced the film. This is shown in the link provided below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFs3bVOfihA

Here is a list of a few Production companies and Distribution companies:

• Paramount Pictures - Production and Distribution
• Warner Bros. - Production and Distribution
• Columbia Pictures - Production and Distribution
• Lions Gate - Distribution
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) - Production and Distribution
• Universal Pictures - Production
• Disney Pixar - Production
• Davis Films - Production

Conglomerates

Some are known as conglomerates which is a multi-industry company; a company that works in multiple forms of media can be counted as a conglomerate i.e. being involved in television, film, gaming and music (or any combination of two or more). For example, Time Warner is the main company responsible for Warner Bros. as well as TT Games.

The order of credits, according to Wikipedia:

• (NAME OF THE STUDIO) or (NAME OF THE STUDIO) PRESENTS

• (NAME OF THE PRODUCTION COMPANY)

• POSSESSORY CREDIT/S (A [name of director] FILM)

• STARRING (MAIN ACTORS)

• (FILM'S TITLE)

• FEATURING or WITH or ALSO STARRING (MORE ACTORS)

• CASTING or CASTING BY

• MUSIC or MUSIC COMPOSED BY or ORIGINAL SCORE BY

• PRODUCTION DESIGN or PRODUCTION DESIGNER

• EDITOR or EDITED BY

• DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

• PRODUCER or PRODUCED BY, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

• BASED ON [INSERT SUBJECT]

• (SCREEN) STORY or STORY BY

• WRITER(S) or WRITTEN BY or SCREENPLAY or SCREENPLAY BY

• DIRECTOR or DIRECTED BY