A recent phenomenon has been slowly taking over in big budget films the past few years. Many blockbusters have been affected, from
Pirates of the Caribbean to
Iron Man, and it seems to be becoming ever prevalent in the world of cinema. I speak, of course, of the after credits scene or “stinger” if you will (more detail
here).
These scenes are normally short, displaying nothing more than something cool or funny or eluding to a sequel. They are harmless, and the loss one may suffer from missing it can be cured by a quick trip to IMDB. But the question remains, what’s up with these things?
I have a theory behind that. It came to me after seeing Billy Walsh’s tirade on the Cannes viewers after the Medellin screening (“Entourage”). The credits were rolling, and people begin to leave because the movie sucked. Billy runs to the front to answer questions if memory serves, but instead yells at the people making their quick exit from the garbage that was Medellin. The words he uses are, “Give some credit to the below the lines people” or something to that effect. Either way, Billy was visibly upset to not have people stay through the credits of his film.
And why not? Theater patrons stay through the curtain call. Baseball fans wait to acknowledge a walk off hero. Musicians have encores. How is film different? Billy was an artist. His craft was film. He wanted proper acknowledgement given for his film. He alone did not make a film, and he wanted his colleagues to get their due respect. I would assume he would want the same fair shake if he were a PA or something.
Now, in film, it’s courteous for patrons to sit through the credits of a film, or so I’m told. Not everyone does is, obviously, because who wants to spend seven more minutes watching something they just gave two hours for? And those seven minutes are considerably less exciting. But the credits serve a greater purpose: credit given to those where credit is due. Hence the name.
I personally don’t care what people do, they can leave the theater whenever they want. They paid money, they should have the right to come and go as they please. Just don’t disrupt my viewing experience.
As time has worn on, and summer blockbusters have gotten bigger than ever, teenagers began packing the theaters with little cinematic respect. It became commonplace for them to leave as soon as the credits roll. But someone like Andrew Stanton (director of WALL-E), just like Billy Walsh, is an artist (and a pretty good one at that). He wants respect given where it’s due. He wants the company that catered to his cast and crew to be known by the entire world. So he puts some scenes during and at the end of the credits to entice his viewers to sit through them. Most of them won’t read anything that comes on the screen, but rather just chat about how good or bad the film they just saw was. Obviously he’d prefer they sit quietly reading, but he’s not picky.
And then, after the screen goes dark, it brightens up again, rewarding the credit watching faithful with a small, insignificant scene. They may squirm with delight to see a preview of a sequel or roll their eyes and wonder why they just wasted those seven minutes, even though technically they paid their $10 for a film, and should get their money’s worth.
Still, the damage is done. You have effectively been bribed into sitting through to credits to get a special scene of monumental inconsequence. You have done what ever artist wants you to do: Acknowledge their work, good or bad. You can always leave if you want to. Most people do (me included most of the time). But there has to be a reason behind these scenes after credits. All they want is for you to do what every good movie-goer should, right?
Learn more about stingers here:
Moviestinger.com and WhatsAfterTheCredits.com