Credits in Short Films

After watching several short films, I have decided to only use an end credits as I do not think the film is long enough to justify having opening credits, and I believe that it will only distract from the viewing experience for the viewer.

My research into credits for short films has backed this theory up, as there is not usually enough time for opening credits. In addition to this, short films usually have a smaller crew and cast than a full length feature film. The end credits for a short film usually take a maximum of 30 seconds, with the copyright shown last.

**list found at: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/where-credit-is-due-film-credits-order-hierarchy-with-free-film-credits-template/

Here is an example of short film credits that I found on Vimeo:

Short Film End Credits from August Miller on Vimeo.

Another option for short film credits is to have rolling white font on a black background with outtakes or extra's from the film playing, as demonstrated here:

After researching into similar products, I have found that Netflix tend to put warnings at the start of any films or episodes that may contain sensitive or triggering material:

These warnings could be very useful for anyone who is struggling with similar issues to that which the film portrays. This is presented in a clear white font against a black background to represent the importance of the message.

One thing that short film's do include at the start is usually a title and a institution logo. A short film's title style can depend on the genre and message of the film, as shown below. Some films, such as Nadia, place their titles over the opening scene to save time and to get a specific effect. Others, like i'm beautiful, have a similar style to the traditional end credits of a film: a clear white font over the top of a black background.

I have decided that for my own short film I will include a title and a warning at the start of the film using the more traditional clear white font over a black background, as I think that this appears very effective and the contrast in colours catches the audience's attention much better. I have decided to keep this style consistent and keep this style for the end credits of my film too.