A Production of Presention of a Film?!?!
 

I see all this gobblegook intro stuff on most films, where they say such and such is a production of, and a presentation by, of a such and such film...

Ok, so what is the difference between them all?

It's all contractual stuff. These days it takes fifty production companies to make a movie and they all want credit and this is a way to give it to them. It's all negotiated. You may have a small production company that has a production deal with a big studio who may have a distribution deal with someone else and the project was originated by someone else, or maybe a group of people, all of whom want producer/production credits.

There really aren't any rules, but the "A Film by" or "A xxx film" may refer to the creative elements, and the whole "Presentation" may be the distributor. But it could just as easily be the studio that financed the film, who may or may not have anything to do with the actual production or distribution. When it says "John Doe Presents" it means he had nothing to do with the film, probably, but his company may have developed the project.

Succinct explanation, thanks Adam!