Producer Handbook: Credits and Packaging

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CREDITS AND PACKAGING

Both credits and packaging are necessary and crucial elements of your program. You should think of them as an extension of your program; these elements must flow smoothly from one to another, and mirror the aesthetics and production value of your program content. Credits and packaging refers to the following elements:

• Program tease
• Underwriter credits
• Program title
• Production credits
• Website announcement
• Presenter credits
• On-air offer

We don’t expect you to become experts on this subject, but a vast amount of attention to detail must go into constructing your credits and packaging so please read the following guidelines carefully. At a certain point in your post-production process you will be required to submit a draft of these elements (please refer to Exhibit D: Payment and Production Deliverables Schedule within your Production Agreement for more details), which must be reviewed and approved by your Production Liaison, who will be able to provide guidance and answer any questions you have. Finalizing your credits and packaging is an ongoing process of submitting drafts, reviewing and refining, which is necessary to prepare your credits and packaging elements for final approval by PBS or other PTV entities.

The following are descriptions of each element based on the standard crediting and packaging scenario (when you reach your on-line session before knowing where your program will be broadcast). As you read through this chapter please refer to the Credits & Packaging Worksheet at the end of this chapter to see where each element will appear in your final broadcast program. Throughout the worksheet you’ll see numbers in brackets that correspond to a numbered section below.

Note: Credits and packaging scenarios for PBS strands such as Independent Lens or P.O.V. are addressed at the end of this chapter.

Total Running Time

The total running time of your program starts with the first frame of video and ends with the last frame of video. The use of SMPTE Drop Frame time code is required. Standard total running times for 90, 60 and 30 minute programs are as follows and must time out exactly (these include credits and packaging):

 90 minutes – 86:46

60 minutes – 56:46

30 minutes – 26:46

Credits and Packaging Elements

1. High Definition Identifier Running Time: 10 seconds. If your program is mastered in High Definition, you must include a High Definition Identifier at the top of your program. This element is a 10 second video and graphics clip with audio. You can obtain a copy of this from your Production Liaison on tape (HDCAM) or you may download an electronic version from our FTP site (please ask your Production Liaison for instructions on downloading).

2. Digital Widescreen Identifier Running Time: 10 seconds  If your program is not mastered in High Definition, but is 16:9 anamorphic, you must include a Digital Widescreen Identifier at the top of your program. This element is a 10 second video and graphics clip with audio. You can obtain a copy of this from your Production Liaison on tape (DVCAM, Digital Betacam or Betacam SP) or you may download an electronic version from our FTP site (please ask your Production Liaison for instructions on downloading).

3. Program Tease Time limit: approximately 30 seconds. A tease is a short, strong opening to your program that is intended to give a television viewing audience a hook – a reason to stay tuned.

a) A tease is not required, but is strongly encouraged. The length of your tease, if you choose to include one, should be approximately 30 seconds, but no more than 45 seconds.

b) This can be the first video element of your program if it’s not HD or 16:9 anamorphic.

c) Your front credits and your title can be included in your tease, but if you choose to display these during your tease they cannot be displayed in the beginning of your program content and cannot be duplicated in your End Credits.

4. Opening Underwriting Credits Time limit: maximum of 60 seconds and no more than 15 seconds per underwriter. When we refer to underwriters in this chapter, we are speaking particularly of any third party that has voluntarily contributed cash to finance, in whole or in part, the production of your public television (PTV) program. All underwriters must have full disclosure for PTV broadcast, must be mentioned wherever any underwriter is mentioned, and must receive a credit (anonymous funding sources are not acceptable). NAPT is not an underwriter. Investment partners, licensing partners and other distribution entities providing cash for the purchase of rights other than broadcast rights on PTV are not underwriters and can’t be acknowledged on air.

Constructing Your Underwriter Credits

Two underwriting credits sequences are required, one at the open and one at the close of your program. The Closing Underwriter Credits are simply a repeat of the opening. The following are PTV requirements on appearance, audio and length:
• The two sequences must be exactly the same in order of appearance and in length. (Please read the PTV underwriter standards at the end of this chapter carefully before you proceed in this work.)
• Underwriters must appear in descending order according to the amount of funds provided.
• If two or more underwriters have given identical amounts, you may decide the order in which they are placed.
• You will always include a CPB logo. The CPB logo will be provided to you on an Packaging Reel or you may download it on our FTP site, ask you Production Liaison for the instructions on downloading. In the sample credits at the end of this chapter the CPB logo is displayed first. This would only apply to the order of your underwriters only if CPB gave the most amount of money. The underwriters following the CPB logo would have given lesser funds.

Here is the funding situation that applies to the sample credits:
CPB – $200,000
National Endowment for the Arts - $50,000
The Sundance Institute - $25,000
Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation - $20,000
The XYZ Foundation - $18,000

Maximum Length: Each underwriter pod can be a maximum of 60 seconds in length. Although the maximum length of each underwriter credit sequence is 60 seconds, an individual underwriter cannot be on screen for more than 15 seconds.

Minimum Length: The entire list of underwriters must be identified at a reasonable pace. The audience must be able to read the text on screen. If you decide to display one underwriter on a card at a time, a good way to judge how long each card should be displayed is by the length of the voice over or how long it takes to read the text on screen. For example: The CPB credit must have the standard voice over, and it takes between 5-10 seconds to coherently say “(Major) funding was provided for this program (or use the program title) by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.” In cases where more than one subsequent underwriter is shown at a time and a general voice over is used (ex. “Additional funding was provided by…”), the duration should be long enough for the audience to hear the voice over and read all the text on screen.

Video: Underwriter pods over a static and/or black background are not acceptable. The underwriter credits must mirror the production values of the program and flow smoothly with program content and other packaging elements. Many producers have opted to use program content as background. You should consult your production liaison if you think the background you plan to use may not be acceptable or construed as promotional in nature.

Audio: Silent underwriter credit sequences are not acceptable. Underlying music and a voice over should accompany your underwriter credits. For the CPB credit you are required to use a voice over: “(Major) funding was provided for this program (or use the program title) by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.” For any subsequent underwriter credits you should use the following voice over: “Additional funding was provided by . . .” It is your decision whether to continue using a voice over to read out the remaining underwriters or not. If you find that you have too many underwriters to display during the allotted 60 seconds, use the following text in conjunction with your underwriter credits to note that there is a complete list available. Consult your Production Liaison if this is the case. “. . . and additional funders.”

5. Program Content
Time limit: please read on.
a) Your program content starts with the first frame of video directly following the end of your Opening Underwriter Credits and ends with the last frame of video directly before your Website Announcement (Webtag) or Production End Credits with a split screen webtag, whichever you decide to use.

b) The length of your program content will depend on the length of your credits and packaging, and whether you use all or some of the optional elements. If you use the maximum time allowed for each credit and packaging elements (both optional and required), your program content will be approximately:

90 minutes: 82:45 (program content) + 4:01 (packaging & credits) = 86:46

60 minutes: 52:45 (program content) + 4:01 (packaging & credits) = 56:46

30 minutes: 23:00 (program content) + 3:46 (packaging & credits) = 26:46

6. Title
Time limit: your title must appear within the first 3 minutes of you Total Running Time.

a) It is recommended that the Title of your program be incorporated within the first 3 minutes of your program content.

b) It’s recommended to incorporate your Title within the first 3 minutes of your program content, but you have the option to display it within your tease (the first 30 seconds of your TRT). If you choose this option, you cannot display it again in the beginning of your program content.

c) If you display your Title within your tease or the beginning of your program content, your Title can also be text over a black or white background, it must not appear for more time than it takes to reasonably read them on screen and should be inter cut with video. This treatment is not highly recommended so consult your Production Liaison if you choose to do so.

7. Front Credits
Time limit: these credits must appear within the first 3 minutes of your Total Running Time.

a) You have the option to display your front credits during your tease or over program content as long as they appear within the first 3 minutes of your TRT.

b) Whether you display your Front Credits within your tease or the beginning of your program content, these credits can also be text over a black or white background, and they must not appear for more time than it takes to reasonably read them on screen and should be inter cut with video. This treatment must be approved by your Production Liaison if you choose to do so.

c) Front Credits are limited to 4 key personnel or main character actors. Each person is counted as one credit, for example in the sample credits at the end of this chapter George Washington, John Adams and John Hancock total 3 artistic credits.

d) Front Credits cannot contain production company names or logos.

e) Front Credits cannot be displayed during your end credit sequence.
Examples of Front Credits that are allowed:
A FILM BY JANE DOE
PRODUCER (DIRECTOR, NARRATOR, WRITER) JANE DOE
PRODUCED, DIRECTED, WRITTEN BY JANE DOE

Example of Front credits that are NOT allowed:
JANE DOE PRESENTS
A PRODUCTION OF JANE DOE
A JANE DOE FILM
A JANE DOE PRODUCTION
A PRODUCTION OF JANE & COMPANY FILMS or
A PRODUCTION OF ABC FILMS IN ASSOCIATION WITH
COLUMBUS PICTURES, BBD/CHANNEL 22, AND WXYZ/4

8. Website Announcement Time limit: 10-15 seconds
A website announcement, or webtag, is a visual and auditory element that guides viewers to a website.  The deciding factor on which webtag you’ll be using will depend on where your program will be broadcast.

a) A Webtag is required for all funded programs. If your broadcast venue is not secured by the time you online your program, you will need to use the default Webtag.
Standard Placement: the placement of the Webtag in the sample credits at the end of this chapter is the standard placement, where it appears after program content and before your End Credits.
Split Screen Placement: There is another option for displaying a Webtag other than the standard placement, which is to use a horizontal or vertical split screen with your End Credits. Using the Split Screen placement your End Credits will appear on one side of the screen while the text of the Webtag appears on the other. The text and voiceover (please read on for the voice over requirement) for the Webtag should come in 17 into your End Credits. This is necessary because local stations often make their “next on” announcements during the first 17 seconds of a program’s End Credits.

In both standard and split screen placement the following requirements apply:

b) The text on screen should simply read: itvs.org. The text should be clearly and prominently placed on screen.

c) The background should be dynamic moving images

9. Production End Credits Time limit: up to 45 seconds (including the 3 second animated logo and other logos for Minority Consortia and Station Partners) for 60 or 90 minutes programs. Up to 30 seconds (including the 3 second animated logo and other logos for Minority Consortia and Station Partners) for 30 minute programs. For 30 minute programs you have up to 30 seconds (including the 3 second animated logo and other logos for minority consortia and Station Partners)

A few notes on formatting:

• End credits can be displayed as text on cards or in a roll. Whatever you choose to do, it must be over dymanic moving images.
• You must have audio, either ambient audio from your dynamic background or music.
• Try not to use unnecessary punctuation marks, and keep formatting consistent.
• PBS does not allow for city or state information to be used unless it is part of the legal name of a company or organization.
• If you would like to credit an individual and the company he/she works for you will need to do it separately as in the example taken from the sample template:

Sound Mixer and Engineer
Ulysses S. Grant

Sound Mix Facility
The House of Representatives

a) Thanks Section: PBS only allows for one “thanks” section, which must be in alphabetical order.
• If you would like to thank your parents they must be listed using their proper names.
• You must keep this section in a list format with no more than two columns.
• You cannot display more than one person per line unless these people are married couples.
• You cannot list a person and the organization/company that he/she works for. PBS considers this as double crediting so you’ll have to choose to display either the person or the organization/company, but not both.
• No one in the “thanks” section can be credited anywhere else in the End Credits. This is also considered double crediting.
• This section is used for the specific reason of acknowledging individuals or companies/organizations who have given in-kind contributions.

b) Fiscal Sponsors: should be acknowledged after the special thanks section as follows: “Fiscal Sponsor…XXX” If you have a prior contract with a fiscal sponsor/agent that includes crediting requirements different from the above example, you should alert your production liaison as soon as possible to clear it with PBS.

c) Executive Producer credit should also be included in your End Credits:

Executive Producer for NAPT

Shirley K. Sneve

d) Co-production credit should be displayed after the Executive Producer credit. Please refer to your Production Agreement for the exact wording. The following is an example from the sample credits at the end of this chapter.

The First President is a co-production of George Washington and Native American Public Telecommunications with major funding provided by
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

• You should also display a documentary disclaimer if appropriate, and a copyright notice. Both must be on screen for at least 3 seconds.

The First President is produced by George Washington who is solely responsible for its content

© 2007 George Washington, all rights reserved.

e) 3 second animated logo should be displayed after your copyright notice. Please read the next section for more specifics on timing.

f) NAPT's 3 second animated logo can be downloaded at http://www.nativetelecom.org/presskits/logos/.

g) More on Timing: NAPT and Station Partner logos are allotted up to 6 seconds out of the 45 seconds of End Credits for 30, 60 or 90 minute programs. The examples listed below are based on a 60 or 90 minute program. You should determine which example to use based on your funding situation. If your program has a PTV Station Partner, you will need to display their logo as well. The following are examples of these various situations.

Example for logo:
End Credits 42 seconds
+ animated logo 3 seconds
= 45 seconds

Example for NAPT logo:
End Credits 39 seconds
+ animated logo 3 seconds
+ Minority Consortia logo 3 seconds
= 45 seconds

Example for NAPT and Station Partner logos:
End Credits 39 seconds
+ animated logo 2 seconds
+ NAPT logo 2 seconds
+ Station Partner logo 2 seconds
= 45 seconds

*If you are producing a 30 minute program, the timing will be less. The following are examples for a 30 minute program.

Example for logo:
End Credits 27 seconds
+ animated logo 3 seconds
= 30 seconds

Example for NAPT logos:
End Credits 24 seconds
+ animated logo 3 seconds
+ NAPT logo 3 seconds
= 30 seconds

Example for NAPT and Station Partner logos:
End Credits 24 seconds
+ animated logo 2 seconds
+ NAPT logo 2 seconds
+ Station Partner logo 2 seconds
= 30 seconds

10. Closing Underwriter Credits
Time limit: maximum of 60 seconds and no more than 15 seconds per underwriter.
• Your Closing Underwriter Credits are simply the same sequence as your Opening Underwriter Credits.
• It should be the same length, and order of appearance.
• The only differences between the two can be the dynamic background and audio, but they don’t have to be different.

11. On-air offers for program related goods and services
Time limit: 10-15 seconds

a) An On-air Offer is a video and audio element offering goods related to your program for purchase, such as CDs of your soundtrack or DVD copies of your program.

b) If you choose to include an On-air Offer you will need to have a fulfillment house in place to fulfill potential orders.

c) You will also need to fill out a PBS On-air Offer Clearance form and submit it to your Production Liaison who will review it before submitting to PBS for final approval.

d) Submission of the PBS On-air Offer Clearance form should be at least 10 weeks before your broadcast date.

e) Visual requirements:
• Your On-air Offer should be a picture of the merchandise you are offering for purchase, contact information as to how to order this merchandise (a toll free phone number). NO website or email address can be dislayed. It should also be placed over a dynamic background.

f) Audio requirements:
• You will be required to use a voice over and you can choose to have underlying music as well.

*Details of both the visual and audio requirements are specified in your Production Handbook. Please consult your Production Liaison if you are planning to create an On-air Offer.

Standard Placement: the standard placement of the On-air Offer is where it appears after your Closing Underwriter Pod. It is the last element of packaging.
Split screen placement: There is another option for displaying an On-air Offer, which is to display it after your webtag during a split screen with your end credits. In this placement your end credits will appear on one side of the screen while the text of the webtag appears on the other followed by your On-air Offer. Only in this instance (using a split screen with your End Credits including your Webtag AND On-air Offer) are you given an additional 15 seconds for your End Credits. This does NOT apply to 30 minute programs, only 60 and 90 minute programs.

Underwriting Standards

PBS has established specific standards and practices for underwriting credits that all programs appearing on PTV are required to follow. They are designed to reveal to the public all program funding, and to show that no relationship exists between any funder and the editorial control of program content.

When we refer to underwriting in this chapter, we are speaking particularly of production underwriting, which must have full disclosure for PTV broadcast. Only individuals or organizations that contributed cash to your production can be called underwriters and receive an underwriting credit. Donated goods and services may be recognized under "Special Thanks" or "Acknowledgments To" within the production credits. Specifically excluded is funding provided by you (the producer, your immediate family or your production company), another production company, as is funding provided through the pre-sale of foreign, audio visual and distribution in other markets. Funding for activities such as outreach or distribution efforts is not production underwriting and should not be acknowledged in this section. Funding provided solely for advertising and promotion does not qualify for an underwriting credit, but may be acknowledged in a "Special Thanks" credit.

Underwriter Identification: All underwriters must be identified in video by their name or logo. If the logo does not itself adequately disclose the funders identity, then the funder name must be stated in either audio or video. Logos created solely for the purpose of underwriter identification on PTV may not be used. Animated versions of corporate logos or existing logos that contain product images are permissible, so long as the logo is not gratuitously or blatantly promotional. If you expect to use any underwriter logos that contain product images, slogans or other content beyond the name of the company (or the brand), get permission from your production liaison. Additional Identifying Information: All use of additional identifying information for funding credits should be cleared in advance by your production liaison. Additional audio and video may be provided as appropriate to help identify each underwriter, as long as it is not gratuitously or blatantly promotional. Such identifying information may include the mention of one specific product or brand name item in audio and depiction in video (e.g., “Purina: the makers of Puppy Chow”). In addition, up to three generic product lines or target markets for a company’s products may be mentioned in audio and identified by means of text or generic symbols in video (i.e. “Garage d’Or: Sellers of CDs, Cassettes and T-Shirts”). In the case of multiple underwriters, producers should weigh carefully the cumulative effect of this information on the non-commercial character of the acknowledgment.

Summary of PBS Underwriting Standards: No underwriter may participate in the process of determining program content. A program cannot be underwritten by any organization perceived as having a direct and immediate interest in the content of the program. This issue of perceived editorial control extends to copyright arrangements, ancillary program rights and the provision of any in-kind goods and services to your production prior to and during the period of PBS or PTV distribution. In some cases, a mix of funding sources may serve to neutralize problematic funder. Underwriting issues are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by PBS Program Business Affairs.

Programs for PBS may not be underwritten in part or in full by any entity or entities that are solely engaged in the manufacture or marketing of distilled spirits or cigarettes and/or little cigars. In addition, children’s programming in certain time slots may not be underwritten by such companies that are substantially and solely engaged in the manufacture or marketing of the same. Credits for any diversified company engaged in the manufacture and marketing of cigarettes, little cigars or any other tobacco products are limited to the use of the phrase “tobacco products” in the underwriting credits. No visual representation of any tobacco product may be made in the underwriting credit. In the event your underwriter is a diversified company engaged in the manufacture and marketing of distilled spirits, no mention or depiction may be made of the distilled spirits whatsoever.

Full Disclosure of Funding: The FCC rules require broadcasters to "fully and fairly disclose the true identity" of all program funders. The purpose served by underwriting credits is to identify the funder in the interests of full disclosure, not to promote the funder or its products and services. Therefore, the on-air appearance and overall effect of each credit and credit sequence must be in keeping with the noncommercial nature of public television.

Music (including identifying music such as a jingle that is used in a company’s advertising) may be used in an underwriting credit so long as the overall effect preserves the non-commercial character of the announcement. Lyrics sung to the music are not acceptable. Sounds of a company’s products and sound effects intended to evoke the impression of a product in use are not acceptable.

Credit Review Process

• With your second rough cut, you will be required to submit a rough outline of packaging – underwriter credits, titling, production credits, and any ideas of your visual treatment for them.
• With your fine cut, you will be required to submit a finalized draft of your packaging based on any changes discussed with your production liaison and a draft of your timing worksheet
• Prior to picture lock (this does not mean just before or during your on-line) you will be required to submit a further finalized draft of your packaging and timing worksheet that incorporates any and all changes previously discussed with your production liaison. Final approval of your packaging will be based on this version. If you have built your graphics prior to your online you must also send a VHS tape or DVD of your packaged program.

Unless otherwise approved by PBS in advance, programs not meeting the specified credit standards will be returned to the producer for re-editing.

Strand Packaging

In the event that your program is scheduled to air on a strand such as Independent Lens, P.O.V., Frontline or American Experience, the packaging for your program will be different. Each strand has its own packaging style and format. Although you will not be responsible for the packaging, you will have to format your program so it can fit within their packaging. This means you will need to shorten your program length and reorganize your production credits according to the strand requirements.

Credits for Non-Broadcast Versions

Credits for non-broadcast versions of the program will essentially contain the same credit elements that you used for the public television version of the program. You are still required to place an Executive Producer credit and co-production credit at the end credits of the program, as detailed earlier in the chapter. The main difference with non-broadcast versions of the program is that the logo will need to be placed at the head of the program. This is required for all versions: theatrical, festival, DVD, home video, educational and foreign. For the non-broadcast version of the program you are not required to place the CPB logo in the credits. However, you must acknowledge CPB funding as text in the end credits as follows: “This program was produced with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.”

In terms of your own production credits, with the non-broadcast version of the program you are free from PBS guidelines and restrictions and so you’re free to generate alternative production credits. There is no need to include underwriter logos. Check with other presenters on how they wish to be credited on non-PTV versions.

Credits And Packaging Worksheet-Sample (PDF)