Proper Credit in Independent Film

Question

Level 1

5 points

Proper Credit in Independent Film

I know that this question isn't specifically about FCP - but I wanted feedback from other Editors and this seemed to be the best place to do it. I have a question about proper credits on an independent film I've been working on.

The movie was shot about eight years ago and then shelved. At that time the original editor pieced together a rough cut and then loss interest in the project. The Writer/Director/Producer on the film has done some editing on the film both originally and since I came onto the project but in all cases I had to go in and clean up what he had done, make a few tweaks, etc. Right now all three of us are listed as Editors in the credits. I'm not trying to be greedy but I've put A LOT of time in on this project (MUCH more than the original Editor) and if what the other two have done would technically, and more appropriately, fall under the credit of Assistant Editor I would like to know. Or if there is some other credit that would be fine as well.

Thanks!
Matt

Octo 2.8GHz Intel Zeon, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 12, 2010 9:15 AM

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Answer 1

Jim Cookman

Level 7

23,447 points

Jan 12, 2010 9:38 AM in response to Matthew Ulm

It's sometimes a hard pill to swallow, but it's totally up to the producer how the credits play out. You can certainly lobby for the big credit, but it's not your call unless it's part of your contract.

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Answer 2

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

Jan 12, 2010 9:53 AM in response to Matthew Ulm

I'll add what I said to the question that you tagged onto the end of another thread...

If you capture footage, organize it. Maybe just do a simple stringout of narration and soundbytes (that is in a doc world)...then outputs, export EDLs and XMLS and interface between the audio post house and effects house and online house, and do all the TECHNICAL things... Then you are an assistant editor.

If you make any creative editing decisions...regardless if they are cleaned up or changed by someone else later...you are an editor. Even doing the rough cut. That is an EDITOR duty. They should get editor credit, but not necessarily shared credit at the front of the show.

If you tried to tell the director/producer/writer that what they did is "assistant stuff," and that you did all the work and should get headline editing credit, I'd be surprised if you received ANY credit. My initial read of this situation would be that you and the director receive shared credit in the front of the film, and that the original editor who did only the rough cut might recieve ADDITIONAL EDITING in the end credits. BUT, credit placement is highly political, so this might not be the case.

And it is entirely up to the producer if you will even RECEIVE credit. Again, this is political.

For example. I was the Apprentice Editor on U-TURN (Oliver Stone film). But when the movie came out, I didn't receive an on screen credit. Yeah, it hurt...it hurt a lot. But contractually they didn't have to give me a credit. They don't have to give most people credit, only heads of departments really. But they are nice. Also, when I worked on that film there were two editors and one associate editor. By the time the movie came out, the Associate editor moved up to EDITOR, and one of the editors working on the rough cut left the show and moved to Seattle. So he received ADDITIONAL EDITING credit in the end credits.

Shane

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Answer 3

Matthew Ulm Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 12, 2010 11:21 AM in response to Shane Ross

Actually the Writer/Producer/Director and I have been wrangling with how to credit people as this has been such a long process. Not only from my entry but given the amount of time since principal photography. Add in the fact that since I came on board I've assisted in multiple new scenes, narration adds and graphics work and it all starts to get muddy since we had different crews for principal photography and all of the post work. Is there a resource out there that's an industry standard on assigning credits? I know that IMDB has a good glossary but there just always seems to be ambiguity in many of the titles. It's almost an art trying to figure out what a person did since we didn't have ironclad assigned duties.

-Matt

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Answer 4

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

Jan 12, 2010 11:28 AM in response to Matthew Ulm

Is there a resource out there that's an industry standard on assigning credits?

Not sure. I don't think there is one online really. Might be something that the producers/directors guilds have printed somewhere, or on their sites for members only.

One thing you can do is that if one person did many things, give them multiple credits. But limit it to two or so. Seeing the same name on the screen over and over really blares out INDY FILM! NO BUDGET! And can get kinda tacky. You can ask people "hey, if you got one credit in this film, what would you like to be listed for doing? Keep it to one or two things."

Shane

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