Billing is a film term denoting the amount and order in which film credits information is presented in advertising and on the film itself. Information given in billing usually consists of the actors appearing in the movie, the directors, producers, the companies producing and distributing the movie (by name and/or logo), and artistic and technical crew. The title of the movie is also considered to be part of the billing. This article is about motion pictures. ... For other uses, see Actor (disambiguation). ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... A film producer creates the conditions for making movies. ...

History

During the era of the studio system, on-screen billing was presented at the beginning of a film with only a restatement of the cast and perhaps a few additional players at the end, since the studios had actors under contract and could decide billing. However, after the studio system's collapse, actors and their agents fought for billing on a film by film basis. Combined with changes in union contracts and copyright laws, a greater amount of actors and film crew members were included in the credits sequence, expanding its size significantly. As a result, since the late 1960s and early 1970s, at least some significant amount of the billing has been reserved for the closing credits of the film (generally also including a recap of the billing shown at the beginning). The studio system was a means of film production and distribution dominant in Hollywood from the early 1920s through the early 1950s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

By the 1990s, some films had moved all billing except company logos and the title to the film's end. Although popularised by the Star Wars series (see below) and used sporadically in films such as The Godfather and Ghostbusters, this "title-only" billing became an established form for summer blockbusters from 1989, with Ghostbusters II, Lethal Weapon 2 and The Abyss being released in that year.^[1] This has led to an occasional practice of even leaving the title to the end, e.g., The Mummy Returns, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto. This article is about the series. ... This article is about the 1972 film. ... For other uses, see Ghostbusters (disambiguation). ... Ghostbusters II is the 1989 sequel to Ghostbusters (1984). ... Lethal Weapon 2 is the second movie in the Lethal Weapon series, released in 1989. ... The Abyss is a 1989 science fiction film which was written and directed by James Cameron, starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. ... The Mummy Returns is a 2001 American movie starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, and Arnold Vosloo, and is directed by Stephen Sommers. ... This article is about the film. ... Apocalypto is an Academy Award nominated 2006 epic film directed by Mel Gibson. ...

Main billing

Generally speaking, the order in which credits are billed signify their importance to the film. For example, the first is usually the motion picture company, followed by the producer (as in "A Jerry Bruckheimer Production"). Next, depending on his/her standing, the director may be granted a second, more prominent credit (as in "A Ridley Scott Film"), generally then followed by the major starring actors, the title of the movie and the rest of the principal cast. Jerome Leon Bruckheimer (born September 21, 1945) is a film and television producer in the genre of action, drama, and science fiction. ... Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30, 1937 in South Shields, South Tyneside) is a British film director and producer. ...

The following production credits usually form part of the main billing:

• Casting
• Composer
• Costume designer
• Film editor
• Production designer
• Director of photography

If their contribution is deemed significant, other personnel (such as visual effects supervisor) may also be included. These are then followed by the other producers, the screenwriter(s) and again the director (as in "Directed by..."). The order in which the latter are billed is usually directly related to an individual's status in the film industry or role in the film. 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 pictures producers in 1939. However, if all the billing happens at the end, then his/her name will be displayed first, immediately followed by the writing credits. In the performing arts, casting is a vital pre-production process for selecting a cast (a meaning of the word recorded since 1631) of actors, dancers, singers, models and other talent for a live or recorded performance. ... A score is a set of musical compositions written to accompany a film. ... Costume design is the design of the appearance of the characters in a theater or cinema performance. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Film editing. ... Production designer is a term used in the movie and television industries to refer to the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. ... A cinematographer (from cinema photographer) is one photographing with a motion picture camera. ... Visual Effects (or VFX for short) is the term given to a sub-category of special effects in which images or film frames are created and manipulated for film and video. ... Screenwriters, scenarists or script writers, are authors who write the screenplays from which movies and television programs are made. ... Director Guild of America building on Sunset Boulevard. ...

Some directors are so highly regarded that they even receive what seems to be a producer's credit, even if they did not produce the film. Victor Fleming was one such director: his films always featured the credit "A Victor Fleming Production," even when someone else produced the film. James Whale was similarly credited. Victor Fleming (February 23, 1883 - January 6, 1949) (sometimes Vic Fleming) was an American film director. ... James Whale (July 22, 1889 – May 29, 1957) was a ground-breaking British Hollywood film director, best known for his work in the horror movie genre, making such pictures as Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and The Invisible Man. ...

The actors whose names appear first are said to have "top billing." They usually play the principal characters in the film and have the most screen time. However, well-known actors may be given top billing for publicity purposes if juvenile, lesser-known, or first-time performers appear in a larger role: e.g., Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman were both credited above Christopher Reeve in Superman (1978), despite Reeve playing the main character. Frequently, top-billed actors are also named in advertising material such as trailers, posters, billboards and TV spots. Having a particular star at top billing can often draw audiences to see a movie regardless of any other aspect of it. Another example is The Hunt For Red October, in which Sean Connery received top billing as Marko Ramius, even though Jack Ryan (played by Alec Baldwin) is the main character. For other uses, see Actor (disambiguation). ... Marlon Brando, Jr. ... Eugene Allen Gene Hackman[1] (born January 30, 1930) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Christopher DOlier Reeve[1] (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. ... For the franchise, see Superman film series. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Theatrical trailers are film advertisements for films that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema, on whose screen they are shown; they are commonly known as previews of coming attractions. ... German three sheet movie poster for Metropolis. ... Billboard redirects here. ... A television advertisement or commercial (often called an advert in the United Kingdom) is a form of advertising in which goods, services, organizations, ideas, etc. ... The Hunt for Red October was a 1990 film based on the best-selling novel of the same name. ... Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930) is a retired Scottish actor and producer who is perhaps best known as the first actor to portray James Bond in cinema, starring in seven Bond films. ... This article is about the fictional character. ... Alexander Rae Alec Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an Emmy- and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe Award-winning, American actor. ...

Also, an actor may also receive "last billing," which usually designates a smaller role played by a famous name. They are usually credited after the rest of the lead cast, prefixed with "and". In some cases, the name is followed by "as" and then the name of the character. This is obviously not the case if that character is unseen for most of the movie (see Ernst Stavro Blofeld). Sometimes an actor is prefixed with "with" directly before the "last billing". This denotes as well that the role is smaller and played by a famous name, i.e. Samuel L. Jackson is credited as "with" in the latter two Star Wars prequels for playing Mace Windu. Ernst Stavro Blofeld is a fictional character from the James Bond universe. ... “Samuel Jackson” redirects here. ... This article is about the series. ... “Windu” redirects here. ...

The two or three top-billed actors in a movie will usually be announced prior to the title of the movie: this is referred to as "above-title billing". For an actor to receive it, he/she will generally have to be well-established, with box-office drawing power. Those introduced afterwards are generally considered to be the supporting cast, not the actual "stars" of the movie.

Actors that may have higher status in the industry won't always get top billing: if they only played a bit-part then it would go to the person whose character was the main focus of the movie. Some major actors may have a cameo, where they are only noted within the other cast during the end credits. Sometimes top billing will be given based on a person's level of fame. For example, besides his brief appearance in Superman, Marlon Brando received top billing in both The Godfather and Apocalypse Now: his role in the latter could also be considered an extended cameo. A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television. ... This article is about the 1972 film. ... Apocalypse Now is a 1979 Academy and Golden Globe award winning American film set during the Vietnam War. ...

If an actor is making his screen debut, and has an important but supporting role, he may be listed last in the list of principal supporting actors, his name prefixed with "and introducing" (as Peter O'Toole was in Lawrence of Arabia). Sometimes, he may not receive special billing even if his role is crucial. For example, William Warfield, who played Joe and sang "Ol' Man River" in the 1951 film version of Show Boat, received tenth billing as if he were merely a bit player, while Paul Robeson, an established star who played the same role in the 1936 film version of the musical, received fourth billing in the 1936 film. Peter Seamus OToole (born August 2, 1932, uncertain but presumed correct date[1]) is an eight-time Academy Award-nominated Irish actor. ... Lawrence of Arabia is an award-winning 1962 film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. ... Portrait of William Warfield by Carl Van Vechten, Feb. ... Ol Man River (music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II) is a song in the 1927 musical Show Boat that tells the story of African American hardship and struggles of the time. ... Show Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. One notable exception is the song Bill, which was originally written for Kern in 1918 by P. G. Wodehouse but reworked by Hammerstein for Show Boat, and two songs... Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson (April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was a multi-lingual American actor, athlete, bass-baritone concert singer, writer, civil rights activist, Communist sympathizer, Spingarn Medal winner, and Lenin Peace Prize laureate. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

If more than one name appears at the same time or of a similar size, then those actors have "equal billing," with their importance decreasing from left to right. However, an instance of "equal importance" is The Towering Inferno (1974) starring Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. The two names appear simultaneously with Newman's on the right side of the screen and raised slightly higher than McQueen's, to indicate the comparable status of both actors' characters (this also features on the advertising poster). If a film has an ensemble cast with no clear lead role, it is traditional to bill the participants alphabetically or in the order of their on-screen appearance. An example of the former is A Bridge Too Far (1977), which featured 14 roles played by established stars, any one of whom would have ordinarily received top billing as an individual. The cast of the Harry Potter films includes many recognized stars who are billed alphabetically, but after the three principals. The Towering Inferno is a 1974 disaster movie adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novels The Tower by Richard Martin Stern and The Glass Inferno by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Steve McQueen (March 24, 1930 – November 7, 1980) was an Academy Award-nominated American movie actor, nicknamed The King of Cool.[1] He was one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s due to a popular anti-hero persona. ... This article is about the American actor and race team owner. ... An ensemble cast is a cast in which the principal performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance in a dramatic production. ... A Bridge Too Far is a 1977 film based on the 1974 book of the same name. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... This article is about the Harry Potter series of novels. ...

If an actor is not an established star, he or she may not receive above-the-title billing, or even "star" billing; they may just be listed at the head of the cast. This is the way that Judy Garland was billed in the opening credits to The Wizard of Oz. F. Murray Abraham was billed in a similar fashion in Amadeus, which did not even say "starring" after the title, but rather "with F. Murray Abraham". Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an Academy Award-nominated American film actress and singer, best known for her role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939). ... The Wizard of Oz (film) redirects here. ... Fahrid Murray Abraham[1] (born October 24, 1939) is an American actor. ... Amadeus is a 1984 film directed by Miloš Forman and based on the stage play Amadeus. ...

Competitive top billing

Sometimes actors can become highly competitive over the order of billing. For example:

• In the film Ocean's Twelve, Catherine Zeta-Jones received billing over Julia Roberts, which reportedly led to a feud between the pair.^{[citation needed]}
• In The Bonfire of the Vanities, award-winning F. Murray Abraham asked for above-title billing. This was rejected as too many other stars were getting it (Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith). Thus, Abraham asked for his name to be completely removed, even from the credits.
• Gary Oldman requested his name be completely removed from the billing and credits of Hannibal, though Nathan Murray is still credited as "Mr. Oldman's assistant".
• In the film Miami Vice, Colin Farrell originally received top billing. However, after Jamie Foxx won an Academy Award he requested top billing and received it. Foxx's name appears first in the opening credits, while Farrell still receives top billing in the closing credits.

Oceans Twelve is a 2004 film that takes place after the events of the 2001 movie Oceans Eleven. ... Catherine Zeta-Jones (born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress based in the United States. ... Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American film actress and former fashion model. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Fahrid Murray Abraham[1] (born October 24, 1939) is an American actor. ... Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American two-time Academy Award-winning film actor, Emmy-winning director, voice-over artist and movie producer. ... Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955 in Idar-Oberstein, Germany) is an American actor and singer. ... Melanie Griffith (born August 9, 1957 in New York City) is an Academy Award-nominated American film actress. ... Leonard Gary Oldman (born March 21, 1958) is an English actor, writer and director who initially came to prominence for his portrayal of Sid Vicious in the 1986 film Sid & Nancy. ... Hannibal is a 2001 film, directed by Ridley Scott about Hannibal Lecters time in Italy following his escape from imprisonment. ... For the 1980s TV series, see Miami Vice. ... Colin James Farrell (born May 31, 1976) is an Irish actor who has appeared in several high-profile Hollywood films including Daredevil, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth and S.W.A.T.. // Farrell was born prematurely. ... Jamie Foxx (born December 13, 1967) is an American actor, singer, and stand-up comic. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ...

Filmmaker billing

• In 1980, George Lucas resigned from the Directors Guild of America after it insisted, against his wishes, that Irvin Kershner, the director of The Empire Strikes Back, be credited at the beginning of the film (this was after it had allowed the original Star Wars, which had a similar opening sequence, to go unchallenged). Since he got his way, he has been generally viewed as being responsible for popularising the "title only" style.
• Kevin Smith doesn't use the tag "A Kevin Smith Film" in the credits of his movies. His feeling is that a movie is made by everyone involved, and not the product of just the director.

Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... George Walton Lucas, Jr. ... Irvin Kershner (born April 29, 1923) is an American film director born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Movie poster Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is the sequel to the first released Star Wars movie, and the second film released in the original trilogy. ... This movie poster for Star Wars depicts many of the films important elements, such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters Star Wars, retitled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1981 (see note at Title,) is the original (and in chronological... For other persons named Kevin Smith, see Kevin Smith (disambiguation). ...

References

1. ^ IMDb.com: Keyword 'no opening credits'

See also

• Opening credits
• Closing credits
• Motion Picture Editors Guild
• WGA screenwriting credit system

Opening credits, in a television program, motion picture or videogame, are shown at the beginning of a show and list the most important members of the production. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG) is the guild that represents freelance and staff motion picture film and television editors and other post-production professionals and story analysts throughout the United States. ... Credits for A Christmas Story. ...

External links

• "Movie credits 101", Robert Glatzer, salon.com, Oct. 1998