I've just completed an 8 minute experimental mockumentary with most of the movie happening during the movie's scrolling end credits. I'm concerned that screeners will watch until the credits start to roll, then stop watching without realizing they're not even half way through. Should I give them a heads-up about that and risk spoiling some of the movie, or should I say nothing and risk that they won't watch the whole thing?
Filmmaking / Directing : Do Festival Screeners Watch Credits? by Jay Pulk
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Thanks William, that gives me a bit of reassurance that they'll watch the whole thing even if I don't mention anything.
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Interesting question...think about the Old days...back when ...I remember actually seeing so many styles of Credits ..including all the credits ...in the Beginning ...sometimes before the film started and sometimes as the film is starting...and yes more at the end...but I believe if the film is brilliant...they will watch everything and if the sound score is brilliant it will take them on a Journey that will STEAL their souls...but if it's just another story that is like many others ...then after the first minute ...they will click and go to the next one...it's about the True Brilliance of your work..not the Copy Cat films we see over and over ...all over the Internet...be a Voice and they will not only watch whatever you created...they will sit there after it is Over every second and be FROZEN in your World ...thinking and feeling inspired.... So ...make a great film...and create credits that are also brilliant...and it will be seen...and if not then the SOULS watching are not Qualified to be in charge...that's a tough reality...but REAL...blessings ...hope that inspires you... credits rolling... ~ By Sirtony ~
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definitely out of the box thinking.... ballsy. you have an 8 min short and the 'meat' of your movie is during Credits scroll? So how much movie is without Credits? just be sure your opening kicks ass. festivals Screeners (it's an intern) watch lots of movies, just like Agents who read stacks of scripts. People turn off the DVD when credits roll...tricky to do successful. good luck!
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Dan, between opening and closing credits, the part of "Kidnapping" that doesn't have credits comes in at about 27 seconds.
I'm also wondering if submitting with an online screener will help, since the play window timeline is more obvious than with DVD playback.
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jay not sure if this applies to your short movie (or if you are planning to sell/distribute) but closed captioning/Subtitles won't fit on the same shared screen as CREDITS. If there is dialogue over Credits... it's something to think about in post production if u are planning to sell in different languages/markets
Good call Dan, I hadn't considered subtitles for this until you mentioned it. Standard subtitles won't work, but there is a way to do it in an unconventional way if I need to.
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This screener does.