Closing credits facts for kids

Example of closing credits

Have you ever watched a movie, TV show, or video game and seen a long list of names scroll by at the very end? These are called closing credits or end credits. They are a special list that tells you who helped make the show or game. Think of them as a "thank you" and a way to give credit to everyone involved.

What Are Closing Credits?

Closing credits are like a detailed thank-you note. They appear at the very end of a film, TV show, or video game. They are different from opening credits, which you see at the beginning. The closing credits make sure everyone who worked on the project gets recognized.

What Do Credits Show?

A full list of closing credits can be very long! It includes many different people and groups. You will usually see:

• Cast members: These are the actors and actresses who played the characters.
• Crew members: This includes everyone behind the scenes. Think of directors, writers, camera operators, costume designers, and many more.
• Production companies: These are the companies that made the movie or show.
• Distribution companies: These companies help share the movie or show with audiences.
• Music information: You'll find out who wrote the music or which songs were used.
• Legal messages: These include important notes like copyright information. Copyright means who owns the rights to the work.

How Do Credits Look?

Most of the time, closing credits look quite simple. They usually have white letters on a plain black background. You won't hear any talking or sound effects during the credits. Instead, there's often music playing, sometimes the main theme music from the show or movie.

There are two main ways credits appear:

• Static credits: These are like pages that flip one after another. Each page shows a different list of names or roles.
• Scrolling credits: These are more common. The names and roles slowly move up the screen from the bottom to the top, like a long scroll.

Sometimes, closing credits can be a bit more creative. They might:

• Scroll in a different direction.
• Include cool drawings or animations.
• Show extra scenes that weren't in the main story.
• Feature bloopers, which are funny mistakes made during filming.
• Have joke credits, which are just for fun.
• Include post-credits scenes, which are short clips that appear after all the names have scrolled by. These often hint at future stories or provide a final laugh.

When Did Credits Start?

The idea of showing full closing credits for films didn't become common in American movies until the 1970s. Before that time, most movies didn't have any closing credits at all! Sometimes, only the main actors and the director were mentioned at the beginning of the film. It took a while for filmmakers to start giving full credit to everyone who worked hard to create the magic on screen.