what's happening to credits and subtitles???

Is there anyone else who likes to look at some of a film/TV credits? I like to look at the cast and film score credits, but it seems that it is getting harder to do. Why? x(

I don't know what's happening exactly, but I have noticed a trend towards using smaller fonts. So therefore I can't make out a song or a performer who has been driving me crazy. I know most people don't like credits in general, but what about these types of credits? I can't be alone here...sheesh!

And if that isn't bad enough, I am seeing a rise in films with poor subtitles. Last night, I wasted 2 hours watching "The Other Boleyn Girl", which had ending subtitles probably at a 8 pt font. I had to get up and stand by my TV in order to read part of them. WTF ? Some black-&-white films will have white subtitles, which mean I can't read a significant part of the picture. :mad:

If anyone knows who I can complain to, I would appreciate it.

Or both, which is what I've had to resort to.

:hi:

Bake

Credits have been shrinking because most people don't read them and the people that want to see/read them typically will look them up on IMDb.com. Expect a reverse in that credits trend though as there is a labor pushback to mandate a minimum font size...crediting is important to you if you work in the industry.

And in fact, that's one of the things about going to the movies that has always driven me absolutely crazy. Everybody just jumps up and leaves the minute the credits roll. I think it's disrespectful to the people who worked on the film, and besides, there's oftentimes some interesting little tidbits found in the credits. Most people when they go to a film know who directed it, etc., but you don't always know where it was filmed, or you may not know the songs that are used in the soundtrack.

I always stay and read the credits so I can check out the music and where it was filmed, etc.

I hate the fact that they squash credits on TV.

And I like to have subtitles on to make sure I catch everything.

Movies now are full of background music that is too loud with dialogue over it.

The same is true of radio commercials and TV commercials.

I wish they would leave off the music if they are going to announce.

:banghead:

Nobody listens to anything any more, apparently.

the ones for the LOTR went on for 15 or 20 minutes, I think. Not that production folks' work shouldn't be acknowledged, they should, but it's so different than old school movies, which maybe 1-2 minutes of credits.

Fell asleep, I was so bored. So....I never made it to the credits on that one.

we loved it and have watched the extended release numerous times. Gorgeous. We also watch all the extras- fascinating take on movie-making, although I for one became tired of Kiwi accents after a while. ;)

Not a fan of the books or the movies. Or the fantasy/science fiction genre in general.
In fact, I torture my best friend (who is a complete LOTR freak) by deliberately referring to them as "those elf movies you like." (It balances out. She hates rock and roll, and tortures me in return by referring to "that screechy white boy music you like.")

"screechy white boy music you like" :rofl:

(and Star Trek, yup I'm pretty much a geek.)



:hi:

Those @#$%$# channel identifiers that sit in the lower right corner on more channels? It drives me absolutely crazy when they obscure the subtitles or the credits as they're rolling. Criminy.

Some stations make them partially translucent, but that still doesn't help.

Yet one more reason I'm glad I don't have a TV anymore. :P

That and garbled/non-existent captions. :grr:

Besides the hearing-impaired, I know people who use the caption feature a lot for their kids -- they see it as a way to boost reading skills. Also, I had a sister-in-law who was from Columbia, and she used the captions as another way to help her learn English.

...and then tell you what's on next.. "STAY TUNED FOR AN EXCITING THREE"S COMPANY..NEXT!!!!!)

:mad:

Just wait till everybody goes HD! They will probably have four or five different commercials going at the same time the credits are rolling.

When they squeeze the credits into the left half of the screen so they can run a promo for the next crappy show on the right. :grr:

You are so right. I have been known to scream at the television when they do that. If it weren't for Tivo, I wouldn't be able to handle that at all.

the film isn't complete without them, and I agree they are getting smaller.

I usually only watch subtitling on foreign films, on DVD or in the theaters, and in my experience subtitling is much better now than it was even 30 years ago. Older movies, particularly anything from before 1960 generally have subtitling that is impossible to read.

But I almost never watch anything with subtitles that's being aired on tv. So I can't comment on that.

In terms of who to complain to...write letters to the production companies of whatever film you are complaining about. You could also write letters to the various unions, pointing out that you would have loved to know which of their union members worked on a specific film, but the credits were too small to see them.

show on split screen. My brother is a location scout and, dork that I am, I love seeing his name up there...only they don't let me anymore.

that's what we do, and then we slow the speed so we can check who was who, what music was used, etc.


hmm, so it's good that I didn't rent The Other Boleyn Girl last night? :rofl:

Lost advertising revenue

I do that from time to time, but I can never be arsed to watch credits after a film.

... digital monitors, and up close. If you're seeing them in analog, that may be part of the problem.