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Author Topic: Missing credits at the end of a movie Todd Cornwall Film Handler Posts: 91 From: Madison, WI Registered: Feb 2004 posted 05-24-2004 10:02 AM                     Here is something I have never seen happen before, nor has anyone at the theater I worked at. The theater was a first run house and we just got in our copy of Godsend (this was several weeks ago). After putting the whole movie togehter, I got down to the end credits, however, there were NO credits. The movie ended in the correct place, however, the credits were missing. This film had been previously viewed somewhere, by someone, as the heads and tails were reattached with masking tape and the print had some noticable wear to it. Could this have been a special screener? Are movies shown before the credits are added? I must stress that we are a first run house, we got the film the day before it was scheduled to open. Don't these things get checked closer? Who would send out a film with no credits at all?? Curious if this is common occurance?? We ordered another reel and there was no problem, however, it makes me wonder....who had this print.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-24-2004 10:40 AM                        When you say 'the movie ended in the correct place', do you simply mean that the story seemed to finish as it should when watching it, or that you've checked for signs of tampering with the last reel of your print? Absolutely zero credits sounds wrong to me, especially for a modern mainstrem film. Is there any cut or join between the end of the picture and the tail ID section on the last reel? If so, it would suggest that some moron has chopped the credits off and not reattached them. I've never known combined 'rough cut' versions without credits to be printed up as combined optical release prints. I've shown the odd workprint for a preview screening, but only with sepmag sound. My gut instinct is that someone has removed them from your print.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-24-2004 10:54 AM                        I ran a sneak but the day the print arrived we also got a FedEx of a roll that was to replace the existing credits. The credits however were on the print and spliced at that. But this was an independent and not a mainstream. The screening was for backers to see it, so I probably was a work still in progress, although one would think that by the time the internegative is assembled they would have settled on what was supposed to be in the credits. In Todd's case, it seems like it is just a whopper of a mistake. However, how someone could make such a mistake as cutting off the credits when breaking down a print is really questionable. On the other hand, through the years I've seen stuff that I would never have believed anyone could do, so I put nothing past the latter day "projectionists."  |  IP: Logged Todd Cornwall Film Handler Posts: 91 From: Madison, WI Registered: Feb 2004 posted 05-24-2004 11:25 AM                     The movie was over....then there was about 1/3 of the reel left, however the film was completely blank.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-24-2004 11:55 AM                        Oh, ok, then this is a lab error (blown printing light or perhaps a lighting step change that went askew, like being read as a 1 instead of the proper number). Which makes more sense than someone in a booth accidently chopping off the credits. Was there sound on this 1/3rd of a reel? In any case, a replacement reel should be ordered ASAP.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-24-2004 12:11 PM                        I've seen at least one print (from the late 1970s) that was made for bookers' screenings. It had a track but no picture for the first two minutes' of the first reel and for the entire length of the credits. So, yes, that type of print does exist, but I would hope that those prints would have the first and last reels replaced before being sent out for theatrical bookings.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 05-24-2004 12:11 PM                        A printer light failure would result in CLEAR film on the print, not black. Separate light sources for the picture and soundtrack(s).  |  IP: Logged Todd Cornwall Film Handler Posts: 91 From: Madison, WI Registered: Feb 2004 posted 05-24-2004 12:25 PM                     I understand it may have been an error, however, this print had been screened previously. There were splices and slight film damage. So, if the print was screened by someone, why didnt replace the reel then? If it was meant as a screener, why werent steps taken to make sure THIS print does not get sent out to a theater? If it was a brand new never viewed print, I could see this just being a lab error, but for people to know this particualr print had no credits, and to let it circulate is just plan laziness.  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 05-24-2004 12:34 PM                     I ran a sneak showing of "Road Trip" that had no real end credits- the cast list scrolled over the last scene as it does in the final version, but there were no credits or music after that. Some of the music in the film was different than in the final version too.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 05-24-2004 01:28 PM                     It sounds like the exchange mixed a screening print reel with yours. Many times a print is ready before the full end title credits are ready. I get prints from Lion's Gate, New Line, Miramax and a few others. That the print is used for critic screenings and some previews. The critic screenings we hold here in New York, someone from that studio hands out a full set of press notes which include a full credit listing. Sometimes on the head or tail of that reel, it will read preview or bid print. Lion's Gates films are handled with TES..  |  IP: Logged Daniel Alt Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Lakewood, OH, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 05-24-2004 09:09 PM                     I won't say where or when, since I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but I saw a showing of "Galaxy Quest" looong after it was in first run where somehow the theater had been shipped a work print. Not only were there no credits, but half the effects hadn't been added in, so instead of shots of the spaceship at the end, there were a bunch of shots of an Apollo capsule reentering the atmosphere. That was sorta nifty.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-24-2004 11:00 PM                     Todd, edit the subject title of this post. Teaser topics are NOT permitted here. The subject has to explain what the topic is about. If someone has to click on it to figure out what your "interesting film problem" is, then it is a teaser topic and you will soon be banned for it if not corrected. Click the FAQ link for more policies. Have a nice day.  |  IP: Logged Todd Cornwall Film Handler Posts: 91 From: Madison, WI Registered: Feb 2004 posted 05-24-2004 11:19 PM                     I didnt think it was a teaser. But I understand your point.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-24-2004 11:23 PM                     Awesome. Only 19 minutes! He'll do.  |  IP: Logged David Ingalsbe Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Eagan, MN, USA Registered: May 2004 posted 05-25-2004 02:44 AM                     I too have recived one of these "screener prints". I recived a sneek peek of somthing a year and a half ago, 3 hours before it was to be shown and while building the last reel the movie faded to black and nothing. I called the 800 number for fox and the lady said that it was a screener print. She had me a new reel in 45 min. Fox has not sent me a sneek with less then 1 day to build and sreen since.  |  IP: Logged

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