Researching Opening Credits

In a Film the opening credits are shown at the very beginning and list the most important members of the production.
They are now usually shown as text  on a blank screen or static pictures. They can also appear on top of  action in the film.
Opening credits can be built into a separate sequence of their own called a title sequence.
For Example James Bond, Pink Panther and Sweeney Todd.
There are a variey of  variations to opening credits but they usually follow this basic order.


I looked at a few opening credits examples to understand the order and basic set out of opening credits from studing the credits that appeared in my variety of films I picked up the general order that they all seem to follow.
I looked at; Coraline,  Forest Gump, Fight Club, Edward Scissorhands, Casino Royale, Halloween and Se7en.


NAME OF THE STUDIO/ PRODUCTION COMPANY

This is the name of the studio that is distributing the film. All film openings start with this. 

For Example New Line,Columbia, Lions Gate, Universal.

NAME OF THE PRODUCTION COMPANY
Name of the production company that made the film.Name of the investment groups or companies that financed the film
Generally credited as " A ___________ production"/ "In association with"/ "A  ______ film"


STARRING
Normally the main actor. It could say for example Johnny Depp "in" then followed by the films Title.


FILM'S TITLE
This will simply be the name of the film.


FEATURING
Featured actors the other actors in the film.


CASTING/CASTING BY
Casting director.


MUSIC BY
This will be the composer of music. It could state the Title of the song within the opening credits and who proformed it, who wrote and produced it.


PRODUCTION DESIGN/ PRODUCTION DESIGNER
This would be the production designer.

Within this category you can have the following featured

STUNTS/ STUNT COORDINATOR
CAMERA OPERATOR
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR
PUBLICITY AND MARKETING
PROMOTIONS
SET DESIGN
WARDROBE SUPERVISOR
COSTUMES BY/ COSTUME DESIGNER
HAIRDRESSER
MAKE-UP ARTIST/ SUPERVISOR
SOUND RECORDIST
ELECTRICAL SUPERVISOR
VISUAL EFFECTS DIRECTOR/ VISUAL EFFECTS BY


EDITOR / EDITED BY
This will be the Editor of the film.


DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
This is the Director of photography.


PRODUCER / PRODUCED BY/ EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Producers, co-producers, executive producers, Co executive producers


BASED ON THE BOOK/NOVEL/STORY BY
Whether the film was based on a on a book.


BASED ON THE CHARACTERS BY / BASED ON THE CHARACTERS CREATED BY
If the story features characters from a book.

STORY / STORY BY
The writer of the story.

WRITER(S) /WRITTEN BY
The Screenplay writers.


DIRECTOR / DIRECTED BY
This is the Director of the film they will be the last to been shown in the opening sequence they lead the opening sequence into the beginning of the film this is generally the end of the credits.