Billing Block Font

I don't know if you guys already know (or care) but I have found out that the most standard font to use for "billing blocks" is

Univers 39 Thin Ultra Condensed

A billing block is just the text at the bottom of a movie poster with credit info. Here is an example I did to show what I'm talking about...

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/PixelMagic/LMLR_BILLING_BLOCK.jpg]

Just FYI to anyone who might need this info. It's hard to find.

EDIT:This font costs $24. However, as Dorkman pointed out, there is also a free version of the font called SF Movie Poster which is a very close match.

If you widen the letters ever so slightly, and also reduce the distance between letters(tracking), it's an even closer match.

 

Cheers, noted. I ended up just using a stretched Arial-style font last time.

 

also, SteelTongs is very awesome for the same type of thing, with pre-typed "written by" and "directed by" stuff.

 

I hope you didn't put that on the poster, since usually the "Director" gets the last credit.

As a free alternative, the font SF Movie Poster (non-italic) is a pretty close match.

 

Ha Ha, no. This is not finished. I have to add about 3 more lines of credit. You can see the full credit at Like Moles, Like Rats at the end of the trailer, and also at the bottom of the site. I just posted this now because I won't be finishing up the last three lines until later tonight.

They had made it in the free alternative that Dorkman posted, however, they got the real font after tracking it down, so I'm half-way finished making a new billing block for the one sheet poster.

 

Here's a comparison of the two fonts:

[image=http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/1026/billingblockcompkl3.jpg]

"Official" font ($24) on top.

"Close enough" font (free) on bottom.

If you have the money, might as well buy Univers 39 (or use it if you already have it). But if you don't, and you're not making big projects, it's hard to tell the difference unless it's side-by-side like this.

 

[yoink]
Thanks, fellas.

-Vaportrail

 

Your wrong Scott. most of the time the directors name goes before everybody but the studio and production house.
But I suppose it matters who you are in the long run rather as to how important it is to have your name posted above actors or below everyone else.

Cool fonts though.

 

Thanks for that comparison, Mike.

Actually, I was just looking at your comparison thinking, if you make the width of the letters on the free font a bit wider, and reduced the spaces between the letters ever so slightly(tracking), it would be really close.

I believe I will edit my original post to include the free font version.

 

I think you'll find that's incorrect.

If there is a billing block at all, the director's name always, always, always (always) is the last name on the poster, in the bottom right corner. Always. Sometimes it's even in its own little box.

What you're thinking of is the "A Film By" credit, which is separate, and is not always on the poster. The director or the director's agent must negotiate separately for that credit. (That credit has also come under fire in recent years by the WGA, who asserts that it is as much the writer's film as the directors. I don't happen to agree with the WGA, but that's why the credit is harder to come by lately.)

Although you're right that it IS the director's name in that spot before everyone but the studio and production company, the actual "Directed by" credit comes last.

 

PERZHANG!!!! Indeed, you are correct Scott, I was refering to the directors name. I miss understood your statement.

Indeed it is, lets say: blah blah, a dorkmanscott film, blah blah blah, directed by Dorkmanscott

Good point out. Very interesting though how the writers or wga feels it's as much of the writters as the directors movie, I highly disagree with that as well. Darn politics!

 

Alrighty, I finished this thing up. Here is the full billing block. Look at the last credit, Dorkman.

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/PixelMagic/LMLR_BILLING_BLOCK-1.jpg]