Adding films to IMDB

Ebbywebby · #1

I'm just curious how comfortable others are with adding films to the IMDB database. There is a pile of experimental films that I'd love to add, but it seems like you practically have to be involved with a film's production to know all the data the site requires for submission.

I've added over 300 running times to IMDB (for purposes of getting them transferred over here), but never an entire film.

Carmel1379 · #2

It's very easy and not too time consuming if you just do the bare minimum. I don't think anyone human checks new submissions. You just need two outside-imdb "official" sites, which can just be about anything from an entry on another database network, to social media pages, to youtube clips.

New Title Form (keeping the link here for myself)

joachimt · #3

Just hit the box "provide explanation" if you don't have enough info.

xianjiro · #4

There are only two things that bother me a lot: 1) collecting the information from the credits and 2) deciding which Bob Smith is the right Bob Smith (though usually I select whatever equates to "let IMDb decide" since I've no fricken idea if it's a new Bob Smith who worked as second assistant to the best boy or if happens to be the same Bob Smith who worked in costuming department as fourth assistant to the thread puller on the director's prior film).

I'm not exactly sure what is absolutely required to get a film in the database other than title and year. I sort of think they make a big thing out of release date, but I also haven't added a new title in quite some time - some will beat me to it if I wait long enough. ;)

Anyway, the key is to not let the five hundred drop-downs overwhelm you - most can be left blank and after you run the first check of data entered, you'll know exactly what it required.

And yes, if you can provide a link to video online - which will document everything you've input - IMDb is much happier.

Good luck!

Fergenaprido · #5

I add titles fairly regularly, time permitting. I always add features, and even if I don't have that much information, it's always been accepted. This is true even for old obscure Indonesian and Egyptian films I've added. Shorts are harder, as there's usually less information available, but usually as long as the film itself exists online it's fairly straightforward to prove it's legit even if some key info is lacking.

Simba63 · #6

Agreed with many posts above. A miscellaneous link to your sources gets the best results. I've been a top 250 contributor the last two years and my changes seem to be processed faster than others. Within 30 minutes in some cases.

insomnius · #7

joachimt on Mar 7 2018, 12:38:04 AM wrote:Just hit the box "provide explanation" if you don't have enough info.

^This. My standard comment is "no more info found". Works every time as long as you provide a link with proof of its existence.

joachimt · #8

Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 08:21:15 AM wrote:Agreed with many posts above. A miscellaneous link to your sources gets the best results. I've been a top 250 contributor the last two years and my changes seem to be processed faster than others. Within 30 minutes in some cases.

Wow! Top 250 contributor. Impressive. Even in my top adding year, I didn't get that far. How many do you add on a yearly basis roughly?

Simba63 · #9

joachimt on Mar 7 2018, 11:49:42 AM wrote:
Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 08:21:15 AM wrote:Agreed with many posts above. A miscellaneous link to your sources gets the best results. I've been a top 250 contributor the last two years and my changes seem to be processed faster than others. Within 30 minutes in some cases.
Wow! Top 250 contributor. Impressive. Even in my top adding year, I didn't get that far. How many do you add on a yearly basis roughly?

Two years ago it was 31,071 (80th place). Last year it was 14,107 (220th place). This year, I'm dragging. With all the recent changes (in my opinion for the worse) I'm not sure home much longer I'm willing to work for free to keep their data up-to-date.

joachimt · #10

Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 03:10:37 PM wrote:
joachimt on Mar 7 2018, 11:49:42 AM wrote:
Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 08:21:15 AM wrote:Agreed with many posts above. A miscellaneous link to your sources gets the best results. I've been a top 250 contributor the last two years and my changes seem to be processed faster than others. Within 30 minutes in some cases.
Wow! Top 250 contributor. Impressive. Even in my top adding year, I didn't get that far. How many do you add on a yearly basis roughly?
Two years ago it was 31,071 (80th place). Last year it was 14,107 (220th place). This year, I'm dragging. With all the recent changes (in my opinion for the worse) I'm not sure home much longer I'm willing to work for free to keep their data up-to-date.

31k?! Does that include editing as well, for example add or edit a runtime? I can't imagine that's only adding new movies. Still an awful lot though.

Simba63 · #11

joachimt on Mar 7 2018, 03:25:41 PM wrote:
Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 03:10:37 PM wrote:
joachimt on Mar 7 2018, 11:49:42 AM wrote:Wow! Top 250 contributor. Impressive. Even in my top adding year, I didn't get that far. How many do you add on a yearly basis roughly?
Two years ago it was 31,071 (80th place). Last year it was 14,107 (220th place). This year, I'm dragging. With all the recent changes (in my opinion for the worse) I'm not sure home much longer I'm willing to work for free to keep their data up-to-date.
31k?! Does that include editing as well, for example add or edit a runtime? I can't imagine that's only adding new movies. Still an awful lot though.

Yes, that includes editing as well. A majority of my contributions are adding the credit rolls to each episode of my favorite shows. However, during that process I often add new people, images, plots, titles, etc.

xianjiro · #12

Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 03:10:37 PM wrote:
joachimt on Mar 7 2018, 11:49:42 AM wrote:
Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 08:21:15 AM wrote:Agreed with many posts above. A miscellaneous link to your sources gets the best results. I've been a top 250 contributor the last two years and my changes seem to be processed faster than others. Within 30 minutes in some cases.
Wow! Top 250 contributor. Impressive. Even in my top adding year, I didn't get that far. How many do you add on a yearly basis roughly?
Two years ago it was 31,071 (80th place). Last year it was 14,107 (220th place). This year, I'm dragging. With all the recent changes (in my opinion for the worse) I'm not sure home much longer I'm willing to work for free to keep their data up-to-date.

serious

Simba63 · #13

xianjiro on Mar 8 2018, 01:15:57 PM wrote:
Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 03:10:37 PM wrote:
joachimt on Mar 7 2018, 11:49:42 AM wrote:Wow! Top 250 contributor. Impressive. Even in my top adding year, I didn't get that far. How many do you add on a yearly basis roughly?
Two years ago it was 31,071 (80th place). Last year it was 14,107 (220th place). This year, I'm dragging. With all the recent changes (in my opinion for the worse) I'm not sure home much longer I'm willing to work for free to keep their data up-to-date.
serious

If you're asking if I'm serious, then yes. If you're stating that it is serious contributing, then yes it is. ;)

My IMDb Profile with contributor badges:

http://www.imdb.com/user/ur0343564/

The IMDb Top Contributors page where you will find me (Simba63) in last two years lists:

https://contribute.imdb.com/czone/hall_of_fame

Yes, it's a labor of love, and I'm not sure how much I love IMDb anymore.

Ebbywebby · #14

Well, I used everyone's advice and added my first film to IMDB. Woo woo! And now you can check it off on ICM, if you happen to have seen it.... (It's on YouTube.)

https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/sum ... tice-1974/

I doubt I'll get there but, ideally, I'd love to add every missing film cited in the introductory text of this list:
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/chao ... ebbywebby/

There are also some Stan Vanderbeek and William Wegman films I'd like to add.

Simba63 · #15

Ebbywebby on Mar 8 2018, 04:16:00 PM wrote:Well, I used everyone's advice and added my first film to IMDB. Woo woo! And now you can check it off on ICM, if you happen to have seen it.... (It's on YouTube.)

https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/sum ... tice-1974/

I doubt I'll get there but, ideally, I'd love to add every missing film cited in the introductory text of this list:
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/chao ... ebbywebby/

There are also some Stan Vanderbeek and William Wegman films I'd like to add.

I might be able to help you out occasionally, if you'd like. All I really require is a link/copy of the title (with credits) or the site that has the credits.

xianjiro · #16

Simba63 on Mar 8 2018, 01:56:10 PM wrote:
xianjiro on Mar 8 2018, 01:15:57 PM wrote:
Simba63 on Mar 7 2018, 03:10:37 PM wrote:Two years ago it was 31,071 (80th place). Last year it was 14,107 (220th place). This year, I'm dragging. With all the recent changes (in my opinion for the worse) I'm not sure home much longer I'm willing to work for free to keep their data up-to-date.
serious
If you're asking if I'm serious, then yes. If you're stating that it is serious contributing, then yes it is. ;)

My IMDb Profile with contributor badges:

http://www.imdb.com/user/ur0343564/

The IMDb Top Contributors page where you will find me (Simba63) in last two years lists:

https://contribute.imdb.com/czone/hall_of_fame

Yes, it's a labor of love, and I'm not sure how much I love IMDb anymore.

actually, was thinking more along the lines of what I've highlighted above.

It's a lot of hard work though and you should be properly thanked and congratulated!

Simba63 · #17

xianjiro on Mar 8 2018, 07:29:37 PM wrote:
Simba63 on Mar 8 2018, 01:56:10 PM wrote:
xianjiro on Mar 8 2018, 01:15:57 PM wrote:serious
If you're asking if I'm serious, then yes. If you're stating that it is serious contributing, then yes it is. ;)

My IMDb Profile with contributor badges:

http://www.imdb.com/user/ur0343564/

The IMDb Top Contributors page where you will find me (Simba63) in last two years lists:

https://contribute.imdb.com/czone/hall_of_fame

Yes, it's a labor of love, and I'm not sure how much I love IMDb anymore.
actually, was thinking more along the lines of what I've highlighted above.

It's a lot of hard work though and you should be properly thanked and congratulated!

Oh, I see. Yes, I guess I should be more thankful. If they had not terminated the message boards I would have never found and ended up here. This is a great site!

Ebbywebby · #18

Simba63 on Mar 8 2018, 04:53:15 PM wrote:
Ebbywebby on Mar 8 2018, 04:16:00 PM wrote:Well, I used everyone's advice and added my first film to IMDB. Woo woo! And now you can check it off on ICM, if you happen to have seen it.... (It's on YouTube.)

https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/sum ... tice-1974/

I doubt I'll get there but, ideally, I'd love to add every missing film cited in the introductory text of this list:
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/chao ... ebbywebby/

There are also some Stan Vanderbeek and William Wegman films I'd like to add.
I might be able to help you out occasionally, if you'd like. All I really require is a link/copy of the title (with credits) or the site that has the credits.

Well, that would be great! It's not a fun process for me.

So far, I've successfully added these seven films: Summer Solstice (1974), Airborn (1968), A MAL GAM A (1976), Doppler Effect: Version II (1968), SSS (1988), Broken Fall (Organic) (1971) and Broken Fall (Geometric) (1971). So if anyone has seen these, here's your chance for a belated check. I submitted a bare minimum of data about them, because that's really all I know.

There are still 123 more missing films listed in the text at https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/chao ... ebbywebby/.

I've discovered a couple of things, so far.....

1) The adding process doesn't seem to be all at once on IMDB. I goofed with a couple of titles, because I added them to ICM at a point when not all of the fields had been filled in on IMDB. So, "SSS" and "A MAL GAM A" have empty Director fields on ICM as yet. Even though I supplied the directors to IMDB.

2) It's really frustrating that there's a delay on the ICM end too. The films get added to ICM immediately, but then it takes some time before they show up in a search within the process of adding titles to a personal list. And THEN there's a further period where the film shows up in a search, but if you try to add it, you just get a red error box basically saying the film doesn't exist on ICM*.

So...it seems to take a couple of days to entirely finish the process of adding a film to IMDB *and* adding it to a personal ICM list. Tedious.

Currently, I'm still waiting to be able to add the two "Broken Fall" films to my list.

As for your question about supplying the credits, I've mostly been going by the films' pages on Letterboxd. Then I Google to find another link or two on a case-by-case basis. And I had either seen or found links to stream all the films I added, so I had some basic idea of whether they were color/B&W or silent/sound and the casts (fortunately, these experimental films often have no actors).

If anyone decides to add any of the missing films himself/herself, keep me posted....

==
*Whoops! You have specified movies that have not yet been added to iCheckMovies. The missing movies have automatically been added to the movie import queue. You will automatically receive a notificaton when the movies have been imported, if you have specified so in your notification settings. [Except the movies were already imported...]

Ebbywebby · #19

Ebbywebby on Mar 10 2018, 04:34:08 PM wrote:Currently, I'm still waiting to be able to add the two "Broken Fall" films to my list.

STILL waiting.

Ebbywebby · #20

Still.

Ebbywebby · #21

Ebbywebby on Mar 8 2018, 04:16:00 PM wrote:Well, I used everyone's advice and added my first film to IMDB. Woo woo! And now you can check it off on ICM, if you happen to have seen it.... (It's on YouTube.)

https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/sum ... tice-1974/

I doubt I'll get there but, ideally, I'd love to add every missing film cited in the introductory text of this list:
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/chao ... ebbywebby/

There are also some Stan Vanderbeek and William Wegman films I'd like to add.

These were already on IMDB so this is somewhat off-topic, but I added 47 (!) Vanderbeek films to ICM last night. So what are you waiting for, get checking!

(There's a stack of Vanderbeek stuff streamed on the Ubu film site.)

xianjiro · #22

wow - just started a short and before it was half over, my addition of the runtime was already published on IMDb - not sure I've ever seen an update applied so quickly, so something is different over there

Ebbywebby · #23

insomnius · #24

Must have missed X-tracts in the activity feed. Thanks for posting.

Gershwin · #25

I've started adding LaCinetek directors' lists again, and I stumbled upon a film that is not on IMDb: Life/Expectancy (1999, Shellie Fleming). But worse, I almost can't find anything about the director.

Does somebody know how to add this to IMDb, when there are almost no sources? Help, or even adding it to IMDb, would be much appreciated.

Edit: the same goes for Riyo (1999) by Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster (IMDb director entry)

themagician · #26

Gershwin on May 16 2018, 07:34:47 AM wrote:I've started adding LaCinetek directors' lists again, and I stumbled upon a film that is not on IMDb: Life/Expectancy (1999, Shellie Fleming). But worse, I almost can't find anything about the director.

Does somebody know how to add this to IMDb, when there are almost no sources? Help, or even adding it to IMDb, would be much appreciated.

Edit: the same goes for Riyo (1999) by Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster (IMDb director entry)

You can add all the evidence of a film's existence in the Miscellaneous Links section, screenings are most important, but entries in other databases and articles work too, the more evidence the better. When I add Japanese films to IMDb I include two database entries on other sites and that's enough evidence. With only one link it gets rejected. Remember to specify next to the URL what it is. Here's a few I found for Life/Expectancy:

Screenings: http://www.cccb.org/en/activities/file/ ... ing/228037
Screenings: http://www.cjcinema.org/divers/newslett ... aClef.html
Screenings (?): https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/f ... d=13360120
Database entry: http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b84ddd8e8
Article: http://blogs.saic.edu/fvnma/2013/12/30/ ... e-fleming/

Those screenings are most important since they definitively prove the title exists.

Gershwin · #27

Thanks! I now have submitted the title. Let's hope it gets accepted.

iCheckMovies · #28

I'll add Riyo

Done, says it'll be up tomorrow. The film shares a producer with a Weerasethakul film, makes you go "hmmm."

Gershwin · #29

PeacefulAnarchy on May 16 2018, 11:38:49 AM wrote:I'll add Riyo

Done, says it'll be up tomorrow. The film shares a producer with a Weerasethakul film, makes you go "hmmm."

Thanks!

maxwelldeux · #30

Would someone be willing to add "His Majesty's Sergeant" (1983, Ghana)" to IMDB? (After about 4 attempts, I still have no idea what I'm doing there, and have run out of IMDB patience.)

Here are links/details:

Added to TheMovieDB: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/527443 ... s-sergeant

Video is available: https://www.kanopy.com/product/his-majestys-sergeant

BFI acknowledges it: http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7270a2d4

News article: https://www.modernghana.com/music/15970 ... nally.html

And please let me know if you need more info - all the info I was able to dig up I have included in the TheMovieDB link. I also suspect that we'll have quite a few more of these with the African challenge...

Simba63 · #31

maxwelldeux on Jun 1 2018, 07:50:42 PM wrote:Would someone be willing to add "His Majesty's Sergeant" (1983, Ghana)" to IMDB? (After about 4 attempts, I still have no idea what I'm doing there, and have run out of IMDB patience.)

Here are links/details:

Added to TheMovieDB: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/527443 ... s-sergeant

Video is available: https://www.kanopy.com/product/his-majestys-sergeant

BFI acknowledges it: http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7270a2d4

News article: https://www.modernghana.com/music/15970 ... nally.html

And please let me know if you need more info - all the info I was able to dig up I have included in the TheMovieDB link. I also suspect that we'll have quite a few more of these with the African challenge...

I would be happy to do that. I'm a 2 year top contributor and my screens, upload times, and contribution sites are driven from IMDb Pro which I've found gives me a special edge. So, in other words, I'm on it!

Simba63 · #32

Simba63 on Jun 2 2018, 09:51:47 AM wrote:
maxwelldeux on Jun 1 2018, 07:50:42 PM wrote:Would someone be willing to add "His Majesty's Sergeant" (1983, Ghana)" to IMDB? (After about 4 attempts, I still have no idea what I'm doing there, and have run out of IMDB patience.)

Here are links/details:

Added to TheMovieDB: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/527443 ... s-sergeant

Video is available: https://www.kanopy.com/product/his-majestys-sergeant

BFI acknowledges it: http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7270a2d4

News article: https://www.modernghana.com/music/15970 ... nally.html

And please let me know if you need more info - all the info I was able to dig up I have included in the TheMovieDB link. I also suspect that we'll have quite a few more of these with the African challenge...
I would be happy to do that. I'm a 2 year top contributor and my screens, upload times, and contribution sites are driven from IMDb Pro which I've found gives me a special edge. So, in other words, I'm on it!

Submitted through my IMDbPro account. I will provide updates here as I receive them. Estimated processing date 3 June 2018.

maxwelldeux · #33

Simba63 on Jun 2 2018, 10:30:01 AM wrote:
Simba63 on Jun 2 2018, 09:51:47 AM wrote:]I would be happy to do that. I'm a 2 year top contributor and my screens, upload times, and contribution sites are driven from IMDb Pro which I've found gives me a special edge. So, in other words, I'm on it!
Submitted through my IMDbPro account. I will provide updates here as I receive them. Estimated processing date 3 June 2018.

Awesome - thank you!

Simba63 · #34

maxwelldeux on Jun 2 2018, 01:00:51 PM wrote:
Simba63 on Jun 2 2018, 10:30:01 AM wrote:
Simba63 on Jun 2 2018, 09:51:47 AM wrote:]I would be happy to do that. I'm a 2 year top contributor and my screens, upload times, and contribution sites are driven from IMDb Pro which I've found gives me a special edge. So, in other words, I'm on it!
Submitted through my IMDbPro account. I will provide updates here as I receive them. Estimated processing date 3 June 2018.
Awesome - thank you!

Here you go my friend. Enjoy!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8500670/

psychotronicbeatnik · #35

Simba63 on Jun 2 2018, 01:15:09 PM wrote:
maxwelldeux on Jun 2 2018, 01:00:51 PM wrote:
Simba63 on Jun 2 2018, 10:30:01 AM wrote:Submitted through my IMDbPro account. I will provide updates here as I receive them. Estimated processing date 3 June 2018.
Awesome - thank you!
Here you go my friend. Enjoy!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8500670/

Oh mighty Simba,

Maxwelldeux and I would like to get a film that I watched for the African challenge added to IMDb so it can get added to ICM as well but the only proof for the film's existence is the listing on YT where you can view it. I've searched for filmographies of both the director and star and all the ones I find seem woefully incomplete including their pages on IMDb.

Here's the film and info I do have:

Anger of a Wonder Girl (2017, Nigeria) Ilochi Olisaemeka
Film stars Regina Daniels who apparently is a 17 year-old screen sensation in Nigeria.

screening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZrP5e23sBU

There is also a sequel: Anger of a Wonder Girl 2 - although really they play like two parts of a whole - similar to the last Harry Potter films. The sequel also has a link on YT.

I realize this is scanty info for adding a film. Any ideas? I'll be away from the internet until next Tuesday so I will not be able to offer a quick response if you have any questions. Thanks!

Simba63 · #36

psychotronicbeatnik on Jun 2 2018, 08:29:11 PM wrote:
Simba63 on Jun 2 2018, 01:15:09 PM wrote:
maxwelldeux on Jun 2 2018, 01:00:51 PM wrote:Awesome - thank you!
Here you go my friend. Enjoy!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8500670/
Oh mighty Simba,

Maxwelldeux and I would like to get a film that I watched for the African challenge added to IMDb so it can get added to ICM as well but the only proof for the film's existence is the listing on YT where you can view it. I've searched for filmographies of both the director and star and all the ones I find seem woefully incomplete including their pages on IMDb.

Here's the film and info I do have:

Anger of a Wonder Girl (2017, Nigeria) Ilochi Olisaemeka
Film stars Regina Daniels who apparently is a 17 year-old screen sensation in Nigeria.

screening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZrP5e23sBU

There is also a sequel: Anger of a Wonder Girl 2 - although really they play like two parts of a whole - similar to the last Harry Potter films. The sequel also has a link on YT.

I realize this is scanty info for adding a film. Any ideas? I'll be away from the internet until next Tuesday so I will not be able to offer a quick response if you have any questions. Thanks!

psychotronicbeatnik, you are funny.

I don't know if I can get it added, but I will certainly try. Probably be tomorrow.

Update: I have submitted the film (partial credits as I could not add them all...kinda tiring) We'll see if this goes through and then I could always watch and add the complete credit roll. Estimated date for addition is 4 June 2018.

Update 2: Wow, only took 10 minutes to add title. As day's go by more credits (as approved like actors, producers, and such) will appear. But for now:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8505994/

Enjoy!

Gershwin · #37

It looks like Amos Vogel entry Make Love, Not War (iCM) has the wrong title on IMDb: according to the Zagreb Film website it's called Ljubite se, ne ratujte, and NOT Volite se a ne ratujte.
I guess the IMDb entry is based upon the Film as a subversive art entry, and was then 'translated back' to the presumed Croatian title.

Any thoughts? What might be a good way to fix this on IMDb?

Simba63 · #38

Gershwin on Jun 4 2018, 06:13:22 AM wrote:It looks like Amos Vogel entry Make Love, Not War (iCM) has the wrong title on IMDb: according to the Zagreb Film website it's called Ljubite se, ne ratujte, and NOT Volite se a ne ratujte.
I guess the IMDb entry is based upon the Film as a subversive art entry, and was then 'translated back' to the presumed Croatian title.

Any thoughts? What might be a good way to fix this on IMDb?

Gershwin, I have put in a title request change with the documentation you provided. I will let you know if/when the contribution is accepted.

Update: The title has been corrected:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2052011/

Gershwin · #39

That's great, thanks so much! I hope this will make the film resurface a bit quicker, because searching for the wrong title certainly doesn't help.

Simba63 · #40

Gershwin on Jun 4 2018, 03:23:26 PM wrote:That's great, thanks so much! I hope this will make the film resurface a bit quicker, because searching for the wrong title certainly doesn't help.

No problem, it's nice to finally help you out after all you've done for me.