End credits are ‘fundamental right’ of artists

Published Friday 21 May 2004 at 10:55 by Jeremy Austin

Broadcasters’ attitude to end credits mirrors the way artists “are devalued and underrated”, conference was told during a debate on two motions calling for contractual clauses in union agreements with programme makers to safeguard the use of credits.

The first motion, from West and South West London Branch, highlighted the use of illegible type sizes, split screens that reduce further the size of the credits and credits rolling too fast to be read. The choreographers committee also drew attention to the truncating of credits, which particularly affected its constituents as choreographers were often quite low down on the list of names.

Supporting the motions, Equity councillor Jean Rogers, part of the union’s TV task force, added: “It mirrors the way we, as artists, have been devalued and underrated. Not only do we need producers to be more creative in the way that they present them but we need a clause saying they are our fundamental right.”

The two motions were agreed by conference.