Research :
Name of production company -When the first credit appears it is normally the production or company that has funded and created the film for example - Compass International Picture presents (this is from Halloween, 1978) Therefore I know that I will need to make my own production up when creating my opening.
Name of Studio - This is very similar to the production company name apart from it is where it was and is created during filming.
Actors/Actress' names - This is during the opening credits and I would use throughout the opening. When the person staring in the opening appears on screen, seeing from past film opening, I will have there name appear on the screen so the audience can see it is them. I can use openings such as 'Starring Laura Bishop' or just simply have there name 'Laura Bishop.'
Editor - The editor is the person who edits the film throughout.
Director of Photography - This is the person who is responsible for all the photographs in the shots in the movie
Producer/Produced by/ Executive producer - They are the people who get the movie out there and pay money to get it produced within the media industry and then the executive producer is the person who over sees the producer on behalf of the studio and the financiers or the distributors so they will ensure the film is out on time etc
Based on the Book/ Characters by- Meaning if the story/plot is based on a true story the characters are sometimes mentioned within the credits because they are the true character that has been created for entertainment reasons.
Writer(s) Written by/Screenplay/ Screenplay by - This is the screenplay writers so the people who actually create the whole thing and have wrote the script etc
Director/ Directed by - They are very important they are the person who has put it all together meaning directed each scene to create the story (they normally appear last in the credits)