How to Make End Credits for Film and Video Projects

If you are part of a production team, post-production team, editing team, agency, studio, or filmmaker workflow finishing a film, short, documentary, branded production, or commercial project, the final credit sequence matters. Good credits recognize everyone involved, make the project feel complete, and help meet professional delivery expectations.

This guide explains how to make end credits, how to make closing credits, what sections to include, and how ScrollX can help create professional credits faster.

How to make end credits: the short answer

To make end credits, collect the approved names and roles, organize them in the right credit order, choose a readable template or style, preview the scrolling sequence, then check every spelling, agreement, music credit, and legal line before export. The correct order can vary by project, contract, guild requirement, distributor, and delivery specification.

What you need before you start

• The approved cast list and billing order.
• Crew names and role titles, grouped by department.
• Music credits written the way each licence requires.
• Logos, acknowledgements, thanks and funder lines.
• The copyright line and legal text from the production’s legal contact.
• The delivery specification: frame size, frame rate and any safe-margin rules.

Keep it all in one master sheet. The free end credits template and the film credit sheet generator are built for this.

Step 1: Collect the full credit list

Start by collecting every name, role, department, company, music cue, legal notice, and special acknowledgement that needs to appear in the credits.

Common sections include:

• Cast and characters
• Director, producers, writers, and department heads
• Camera, sound, art, editorial, color, visual effects, and post-production
• Music credits and licensing information
• Special thanks, vendors, locations, sponsors, and legal notices

Ask each department owner to confirm their own names, spelling and role titles, and standardise labels so the same role is never written two ways.

Step 2: Choose the right end credit format

Before styling the credits, decide the structure. A strong end credit format usually groups people by role and department so the sequence is easy to review and read.

For films and professional video projects, keep hierarchy clear and confirm any required billing order before final delivery.

Cards and the roll: what goes where

Decide which credits stand alone on cards (often top billing or contractual single cards) and which roll in the main sequence. Group the roll by department so viewers can scan it. Settle the order first with the film credits order guide. If two sources disagree, signed agreements come first, then guild rules, then the distributor specification, then house style. The end credits format guide shows the structure and a worked example, and the ending credits sample and short film end credits example let you compare layouts.

Step 3: Pick a template or credit style

An end credits template helps you avoid starting from a blank timeline. Templates are useful for short films, documentaries, branded videos, commercials, and production company projects.

Choose a template that matches the tone of the project and supports the number of names you need to include.

Step 4: Format for readability

Credits should be readable across mobile, desktop, television, and projection screens.

• Use strong contrast between text and background
• Keep spacing consistent
• Use a clean font
• Keep text inside safe margins
• Preview scroll speed before export

Set the speed and check the timing

There is no single standard duration. Length follows the number of names, the number of cards and the reading speed you can sustain. Watch the roll at full speed on the screen type you expect, then slow it down or tighten it until the names can be read. Check that the roll ends cleanly with the last card or logo before any following content. Test the longest names and role titles in the layout before you commit.

PUT THE GUIDE INTO PRACTICE

1. PrepareApproved cast and crew list
2. DesignChoose hierarchy, spacing and presentation
3. ReviewCheck the full credit sequence before export

The list is ready. Build the sequence.

Bring the names you have collected into a structured layout, then preview readability before delivery.

Create your end-credit sequence →Get the free credit sheet

Opens ScrollX signup. Start with your own approved credit list.

Step 5: Use an end credits maker or generator

An end credits maker or end credits generator can reduce manual formatting work. Instead of animating every line by hand, you can structure the credit list, choose a style, preview the result, and export credits for the final edit.

ScrollX is built for production teams, post-production teams, editors, producers, agencies, filmmakers, studios, and production companies who need professional credits without rebuilding timeline text layers manually.

Ways to make end credits compared

Method	Good when	Trade-offs
Your video editor’s built-in text tools	You already edit in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve and the list is short	Manual layout; long lists and late changes take time. See our Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve guides.
An online end credits maker or generator	You want structured input, consistent layout and fast revisions	Check the output and export suit your delivery specification. Try the end credits generator or the rolling credits generator.
A motion template	You want a ready-made look and will edit the text yourself	Templates fit a limited number of names; long lists may need rebuilding.
A specialist credits service	You need a managed result for a large or complex release	Cost and turnaround; you still supply and approve the data.

Choose on list length, how often the list will change and what your delivery specification requires.

Step 6: Review names, roles, and legal details

Before exporting, check spelling, role titles, company names, copyright details, music credits, and acknowledgements. Credit mistakes can be hard to fix after final delivery.

Have the approval owner sign off the final version. A producer, post supervisor or post coordinator should consolidate approvals from the departments, music, legal and talent. The one-page approval checklist (PDF) is a record you can keep.

End credits checklist before export

• Every contributor name and role has been approved
• Required billing, company, copyright, and music wording has been checked
• Credit order matches the production’s contractual or delivery requirements
• Text is readable at the intended viewing size and scroll speed
• A producer, editor, or authorized reviewer has approved the final version
• The list has been proofed against the source sheet, including spelling and diacritics.
• Music lines match each licence.
• The roll has been watched at delivery settings from start to finish.

Step 7: Export and add credits to the edit

Once the credits are approved, export the finished sequence and place it into your editing workflow. Keep a source version available in case last-minute changes arrive.

Start creating credits

Common mistakes when making end credits

• Starting layout before the order and wording are approved.
• Reusing a previous project’s list without checking this project’s agreements.
• Writing the same role two different ways.
• Copying music lines instead of using each licence’s wording.
• Setting the speed too fast to read.
• Not testing the longest names and roles.

Making credits for a short film, a documentary or online video

• Short film: shorter list, fewer cards, often some departments combined. Keep the same approval discipline.
• Documentary: give contributors, researchers, archives, translators and source acknowledgements proper space.
• Online or branded video: keep the roll short, readable on a phone and consistent with the brand.

Plan the order before styling the credits

Before you choose a visual format, organize the approved list using a practical film credits order guide. Contracts, guild obligations, legal wording, and delivery requirements should always take precedence over a generic sequence.

Related ScrollX resources

End credits generator | End credits maker | End credits template | Movie credits generator | Film credits generator

FAQs

How do you make end credits?

Collect the credit list, organize it by section, choose a format or template, preview readability, check spelling and legal details, then export the final sequence.

How do you make closing credits?

Closing credits are usually made the same way as end credits. Organize cast, crew, production, post-production, music, legal, and special thanks sections into a readable final sequence.

Can ScrollX make end credits online?

Yes. ScrollX helps teams create end credits online using structured credit lists, templates, previewing, and export-ready workflows.

What should end credits include?

End credits commonly include cast, crew, production roles, post-production, music credits, legal notices, sponsors, locations, and special thanks.

How long should end credits be?

There is no standard length. It depends on the number of names, the cards and the reading speed you can sustain. Watch the roll at normal speed and adjust until every name is readable.

What is the easiest way to make scrolling end credits?

Prepare the approved list first, then use either your editor’s roll tool or an online credits generator that previews the roll. Check the speed and the delivery settings before you export.

What software do I need to make end credits?

Any video editor with a text or title tool can do it, and an online credits maker can structure the list and layout for you. The right choice depends on list length, how often it changes and your delivery specification.

Do I make the order of end credits myself?

Not alone. Billing agreements, guild rules and distributor requirements can fix the order. Confirm it with your producer or post supervisor before you lock the list.

Can I make end credits for a short film?

Yes. The steps are the same with a shorter list and fewer cards. The short film end credits example shows how.