Introduction
Your poster is done. The title treatment looks great, the key art is locked, and the distributor just emailed asking for the final one-sheet. But the billing block, that condensed credit stack at the bottom, is still a mess of manually kerned text in Photoshop. You have 14 names to place in contractual order, a rating box to format, guild marks to position, and a copyright line that your entertainment lawyer insists on reviewing. Every time a producer calls to swap an executive producer credit from "Co-Producer" to "Executive Producer," you rebuild the whole stack from scratch.
The Billing Block Maker runs entirely in your browser. Fill in the form on the left, watch the preview update in real time on the right, and export a PNG, SVG, or PDF when it is ready. No Photoshop, no PSD templates, no commercial font licenses. Eight free Google Fonts, industry-standard credit ordering, a generic rating box generator, and upload slots for guild logos you have permission to use.
What This Tool Calculates
The tool takes the following inputs and assembles them into a single stacked billing block:
**Credit fields:** Distributor name, presentation credit ("presents"), production company, cast list (with qualifiers: With, And, Introducing, "as Character"), casting director, composer, costume designer, editor, production designer, director of photography (with optional A.S.C. suffix), visual effects supervisor, sound designer, producers (Associate, Executive, Co-, Produced By), writing credits (Screenplay by, Story by, Written by), and director.
**Bottom line fields:** Rating (G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17, Unrated, Not Yet Rated), release date text, website URL, copyright line, and guild marks (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Teamsters).
**Styling inputs:** Font choice (8 condensed Google Fonts), font size (9 to 24px), block width (260 to 900px), text alignment (left, center, right, justify), credit separator (pipe, dot, slash, thin space), small caps toggle for studio rows, text color, and background color or transparent.
**Outputs:** A live HTML/CSS preview that updates as you type, exportable as PNG at 1x, 2x, or 4x resolution, SVG vector, or PDF.
The Formula and How It Works
The billing block follows a standard industry order codified by decades of guild contracts and studio practice. The DGA Basic Agreement mandates that the director credit appear as "Directed by" and that it be the final credit in the block. The WGA MBA requires that writing credits appear immediately before the director credit and that they use one of three approved forms: "Screenplay by" (for the writer of the final shooting script), "Story by" (for contribution to the story other than the final script), or "Written by" (only when the same writer wrote both story and screenplay). The WGA, not the production company, determines which writers receive credit and in what form.
**Size conventions** come from industry practice documented by sources including the DGA, WGA, and poster design references like Chargefield and Posterwire. The billing block point size is conventionally 15 to 35% of the average height of each letter in the title logo. DGA and WGA rules require that names be at least 15% of the title artwork size. Credit titles ("Directed by", "Screenplay by") must be at least 50% of the size of the names they refer to. This tool implements that hierarchy by rendering crew role titles at 70% of the name font size.
**Credit order** (top to bottom): Distributor/presentation, production company, cast, casting director, music, costumes, editing, production design, director of photography, VFX supervisor, sound designer, producers (Associate, then Executive, then Co-, then Produced By), writing credits, directed by, rating box, release date, URL, copyright, guild marks.
**Cast billing qualifiers** follow standard practice: "With" and "And" highlight actors whose roles are smaller but whose name recognition is higher. "And [Name] as [Character]" signals a featured cameo. "Introducing" is reserved for a genuine screen debut. Cast billing order is contractual, not alphabetical, unless no contractual obligations exist.
Worked example: A 24px font size with the title logo at 160px average letter height. The billing block at 24px is exactly 15% of 160px, meeting the DGA minimum. Crew titles render at 16.8px (70% of 24px), which is 10.5% of the title height, exceeding the 50%-of-name requirement (50% of 15% = 7.5% of title). The block width of 640px accommodates a typical one-sheet at 27x40 inches at 150 DPI.
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Indie Feature One-Sheet for Festival Submission
A first-time filmmaker is preparing the poster for her SXSW submission. The film has no distributor yet, so the billing block starts with her production company name in small caps, followed by "A PRODUCTION." She enters 6 cast members with one "And" qualifier for a recognizable supporting actor and one "Introducing" for the lead, who is making her debut. She lists her DP with the A.S.C. suffix, her editor, her composer, and herself as both writer and director using the "Written and Directed by" label.
The rating is set to "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" since the film has not gone through CARA. She uses the generic placeholder guild marks for WGA and IATSE since her production was signatory to both. Font: Barlow Condensed at 14px, centered, 480px block width. She exports a 4x PNG (1920px wide) for the festival's digital submission portal and an SVG for the print vendor who needs vector artwork for the 27x40 one-sheet. Total time from opening the tool to final export: 12 minutes. No Photoshop, no font licensing fees.
Example 2: Distributed Feature with Full Guild Credits
A mid-budget feature distributed by Neon needs a billing block for its theatrical one-sheet. The producer enters "NEON" as the distributor with "PRESENTS," followed by the production company "A24" in small caps. The cast list has 11 names in contractual order: 3 leads with no qualifier, 2 with "With," 1 with "And [Name] as [Character]" for a cameo, and 5 in straight billing order. The DP has A.S.C. status, so the suffix is toggled on.
The producers section includes 2 executive producers, 1 co-producer, and 2 "Produced By" credits. Writing credits show "Screenplay by" for one writer and "Story by" for another, reflecting the WGA-determined credit. The director gets "Directed by" as the final credit. The rating is R with the reason "Rated R for language throughout, violence, and drug use." The producer uploads authorized WGA and DGA guild logos he received permission to use, and uses generic placeholders for IATSE and Teamsters. Font: Oswald at 16px, justified, 720px block width. Export: 4x PNG for the digital key art and PDF for the print house.
Example 3: Short Film Poster with Minimal Credits
A 12-minute short film screening at a regional festival needs a simple billing block. The filmmaker enters no distributor (the short is self-distributed), just her production company name with "A PRODUCTION." She lists 3 cast members in straight order, her DP (no A.S.C.), her editor, and herself as "Written and Directed by." No producers, no guild marks, no rating box. The copyright line reads "(c) 2026 [Filmmaker Name]. All Rights Reserved."
Font: Bebas Neue at 18px, centered, 360px block width to fit the narrow vertical poster format. She exports a 2x PNG for the festival website and an SVG to send to the printer who is producing 50 11x17 posters for the festival lobby. The entire billing block took 4 minutes to build, compared to the 45 minutes she spent on her previous short film's poster manually kerning text in Photoshop Elements.
Billing Block Tools and Methods Compared (2026)
| Tool / Method | Price | Live Preview | Export Formats | Rating Box | Guild Logos | Free Fonts | Browser-Based |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tools for Film (this tool) | Free | Yes (real-time HTML/CSS) | PNG, SVG, PDF | Generic generator + upload | Upload slots + generic placeholders | 8 Google Fonts (OFL 1.1) | Yes (100% client-side) |
| Rare Candy Billing Block Generator | Free | Yes | SVG, transparent PNG | No | No | Limited | Yes |
| BillingBlox | Free (with account) | Yes (after upload) | PNG, SVG | No | No | Limited | Yes |
| Icons8 Poster Credits Generator | Free (platform account) | Yes | PNG | No | No | Limited | Yes |
| VIDEO COPILOT PSD Template | Free (requires Photoshop) | No (manual in PSD) | PSD export | Manual | Manual | Requires commercial font | No (Photoshop required) |
| Creative Market PSD Templates | $25+ per template | No (manual in PSD) | PSD export | Manual | Manual | Requires commercial font | No (Photoshop required) |
| Manual Photoshop / Illustrator | $20+/mo (Adobe CC) | No | Any | Manual | Manual | Requires commercial font (Univers, Bee) | No |
Pro Tips and Common Mistakes
Pro Tips
- The billing block point size should be 15 to 35% of your title logo's average letter height. If your title logo has letters averaging 160px tall, your billing block should be between 24px and 56px. Start at the low end (15%) for a subtle, professional look and increase only if the block feels illegible at viewing distance. A block that is too large relative to the title looks amateurish.
- Credit titles like 'Directed by' and 'Screenplay by' must be at least 50% of the name size they precede. This tool renders them at 70% by default, which gives a clear visual hierarchy while staying well above the guild minimum. If you need to meet a specific contractual percentage, adjust the font size slider until the ratio matches your deal memo.
- Cast billing order is contractual, not alphabetical. Never rearrange cast names to look better visually. If your cast deal memos specify a particular order, follow it exactly. The 'With', 'And', and 'Introducing' qualifiers are also contractual and cannot be added or removed without the actor's consent. When in doubt, ask your entertainment lawyer.
- Use the 'Written and Directed by' label only when the same person wrote both the story and the screenplay and the WGA has determined single credit. If the WGA determined separate story and screenplay credits for different writers, use 'Story by' and 'Screenplay by' as separate lines. The WGA, not the production company, determines which form is used.
- Export at 4x resolution for any print application. A 640px block at 4x produces a 2560px PNG, which is sufficient for a 27x40 one-sheet at 150 DPI (the standard for digital printing). For offset printing at 300 DPI, use the SVG export instead and let your print vendor scale the vector artwork to any resolution without quality loss.
Common Mistakes
- Using the official MPA rating box design without authorization. The MPA rating box is a trademarked certification mark. The MPA Advertising Handbook states that rating symbols 'may not be self-applied' and may only be used with MPA authorization for films rated by CARA. For unrated films, festival cuts, and indie projects, use the 'This Film Is Not Yet Rated' option or the generic rating box generator in this tool. If your film has been rated by CARA, upload the official rating artwork your distributor provides.
- Bundling real guild logos in your poster without permission. WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, and Teamsters logos are all trademarked. The DGA explicitly states that 'the Guild does not permit its usage in any manner in credits.' SAG-AFTRA 'does not allow unauthorized use of registered marks.' Only upload guild logos if your production has received express written permission from the guild. Otherwise, use the generic placeholder badges or omit the guild marks entirely.
- Placing the director credit anywhere other than last. The DGA Basic Agreement requires that 'Directed by' be the final credit in the billing block. Even when the director also wrote the screenplay, the credit reads 'Written and Directed by' and still appears as the last item. Placing producer or cast credits after the director is a DGA violation that can trigger a grievance and contractual penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a billing block on a movie poster?
The billing block is the small, condensed, stacked credit text at the bottom of a movie poster. It lists the distributor, production company, cast, key crew, producers, writers, and director in a specific order dictated by guild contracts and industry practice. It also typically includes the film's rating, release date, website, copyright line, and guild marks. The billing block is legally mandated, the product of detailed contracts between talent, guilds, and production companies. Getting the wording, order, and sizing wrong can violate guild agreements and trigger contractual penalties.
What font should I use for a billing block?
The traditional industry standard is Univers 39 Thin Ultra Condensed, a commercial font that requires licensing. This tool uses 8 free Google Fonts as alternatives, all released under the SIL Open Font License 1.1 which permits commercial use and embedding with no attribution required. Barlow Condensed and Oswald are the closest matches to the traditional Univers look. Bebas Neue is a popular choice for modern posters. Anton works well for high-impact horror or action posters. Never bundle or use commercial fonts like Univers or Bee without a valid license.
Can I use the official MPA rating box on my poster?
Only if your film has been rated by CARA (the Classification and Rating Administration of the MPA) and you have authorization to use the rating box artwork. The MPA rating box is a trademarked certification mark. The MPA Advertising Handbook states that rating symbols 'may not be self-applied.' For unrated films, festival submissions, and indie projects, use the 'This Film Is Not Yet Rated' text option or the generic rating box generator in this tool, which is styled to look similar but is not identical to the official MPA design. If your distributor has provided official rating artwork, upload it using the custom rating box upload feature.
How do I handle guild logos in the billing block?
All guild logos (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Teamsters) are trademarked and require express written permission from the respective guild for use in advertising. The DGA states that 'the Guild does not permit its usage in any manner in credits.' SAG-AFTRA 'does not allow unauthorized use of SAG-AFTRA registered marks.' This tool provides upload slots so you can add logos you have permission to use, plus generic placeholder badges for productions without logo authorization. Never download guild logos from the internet and place them on your poster without written permission from the guild.
What order do credits go in a billing block?
The standard order from top to bottom is: distributor/presentation credit, production company, cast (in contractual billing order), casting director, music/composer, costume designer, editor, production designer, director of photography, visual effects supervisor, sound designer, producers (Associate, then Executive, then Co-, then Produced By), writing credits (Story by, Screenplay by, or Written by), and finally Directed by. The DGA requires that the director credit always be last. Below the credit stack comes the rating box, release date, URL, copyright line, and guild marks. This tool enforces this order automatically based on the form fields you fill in.
How big should the billing block be relative to the title?
Industry convention sets the billing block point size at 15 to 35% of the average height of each letter in the title logo. DGA and WGA rules require that names in the billing block be at least 15% of the title artwork size. Credit titles like 'Directed by' must be at least 50% of the size of the names they refer to. This tool renders crew role titles at 70% of the name font size by default, which satisfies the 50% minimum while maintaining clear visual hierarchy. Use the font size slider to adjust until the block looks proportional to your title treatment.
Start Calculating
A well-formatted billing block signals professionalism to distributors, festival programmers, and audiences. Getting the credit order, sizing ratios, and guild requirements right protects you from contractual disputes and DGA/WGA grievances. The Billing Block Maker handles the structure so you can focus on the creative decisions: font choice, sizing, and how the block sits in your overall poster composition.
What font do you typically use for your poster billing blocks, and have you ever had a guild or distributor request changes to your credit formatting? Build your block above, preview it in real time, and export at print-ready resolution without opening Photoshop.
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