Documentry Credits

[Colin Sato]

I'm wrapping up a 1/2 hour documentary and need help with two topics. I'm trying to figure out opening and ending credits. I've done most of the work myself and feel silly listing myself as Director, Editor, Composer (via Cinescore), Camera Operator, Sound, Lights etc. I've done most of the work but there are some others to credit. There are secondary camera operators (when interviewing me) and there is a Producer who also served as the interviewer (though not on camera). The other are all in my family so we'll all share the last name LOL.

I'm thinking:
Directed, Edited by: me
Produced by: name
Camera Operators : List
Special Thanks To: List all interviewees

Stock Flood Footage courtesy of: USGS
Flood Still Images courtesy of: Daily Report

This last credit(s) is the most 'sticky'. My images were from the public library, and were donated by City Hall. However, they originally appeared in a now out of business daily paper. I've corresponded with a reporter that used to work for the old paper (and now it's successor) and he 'felt that with proper credit, using the images should be fine'.

My gut is that he's right, and that trying to get permission from an expired entity could be more trouble than it's worth. I just wanted to get some second opinions.

[Ken Plotin]

If you did most of the photography yourself, then: "Directed, Photographed and Edited by:" is certainly fair.
The rest of the list seems fine.
However: what about locations and any other crew help besides the additional operators?
Ken

[Colin Sato]

Thank you for the reply. There really wasn't Any other crew, I handled sound as well as lighting but credits for this aren't terribly important to me.

All of the filming locations where in the interviewees homes so I consider them thanked in the other credit section. We did the film in a restaurant for one person and they need to be credited (thanks for reminding me). Otherwise, it's the library, the librarian who helped me, the website where we all congregate.

As for producer credits, I understand that this is generally for the person who funded the project. But what is the difference between an executive producer and producer?

[Rainer Listing]

Sounds like you're the producer as well. The exec. producer is who funds the project. For you on credits on something like this I'd just put "Filmmaker:" As mainly a producer, I hate it when people ask "what does the producer do?" (Quick answer: gets the film made). And note its the producer who (deservedly) picks up the "Best Picture" Academy award.

[Colin Sato]

Thanks for the reply. I've been searching and some suggest "a film by" in lieu of a long list of my name over and over again. In this situation, in the credit roll, "a film by" or "filmmaker" first, followed by executive producer, camera operators and then the list of interview subjects and lastly thanks to locations, newspapers, websites etc.?

[James Redmond]

I generally just say "produced by; then my name"

If there were additional crew I add
second camera: persons name

etc.

Good luck, James

[Joe Garrick]

Originally Posted by Colin Sato

This last credit(s) is the most 'sticky'. My images were from the public library, and were donated by City Hall. However, they originally appeared in a now out of business daily paper. I've corresponded with a reporter that used to work for the old paper (and now it's successor) and he 'felt that with proper credit, using the images should be fine'.

Check back with that photographer to find out who owned the rights to the photos. In most cases, press photos are works for hire owned by the paper. If so, they may have been sold when the paper folded. If not, then the photographer who shot them would own the copyright.

If there was a successor paper, it's possible they purchased rights to the archives of the out of business paper, or may at least know who owns them.

[Trevor Dennis]

Could you just say

A Colin Sato Production