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IMDb Frequently Asked Questions

Following is a list of questions we get asked so much, we created this page to answer them for you. To save time and effort, please check this page before contacting our helpdesk.

Last update: 27 January 2009

General Info

• What is the Internet Movie Database?
• How long has the Internet Movie Database been around?
• How much does using the IMDb cost?
• How/where you get your information? How accurate/reliable is it?
• How much information do you actually have and how current is it?
• What software/hardware are you using to run the site?
• How do I join the IMDb team?

Registration

• What are the advantages of registering with IMDb.com?
• I gave you my e-mail address but I never received my registration e-mail.
• Why do I get an 'invalid activation code' error message when I click on the link in the activation e-mail?
• When I try to login/register I'm told that I need to enable cookies. What are cookies?
• Every time I try to login I am told my username/password are incorrect. How do I login?
• How do I update my e-mail address?
• Why do I get an error message when I try to update my e-mail address?
• How do I cancel my registration on IMDb.com?

How to find information

• You have so much information! Where should I start?
• I'm looking for a film but I can't remember the title... can you help me?
• You don't seem to list the information I need. Can you find it for me?
• Can you put me in touch with this celebrity?
• When I type a name or title, in some cases I go directly to the page I want, but often I need to choose again from an intermediate page. Why?

Submitting information to the IMDb

• I'm adding data for the first time; what are the top 5 things I should know?
• How do I submit information for a film/actor?
• Can I submit data for an unreleased/unfinished film?
• How long does it take for new data to be added? What happened to my update?
• I submitted several credits for a film/person. Why did you add only some of them?
• How can I add a new episode to a TV series?
• Why do updates to data or votes for smaller films take weeks while information and user comments for big films are added almost overnight?
• I sent several additions to the database weeks ago and they haven't shown up yet. Why?
• I added a new title that has just gone live; where is the rest of the data submitted along with it?
• I need to submit a TV show. How do I know if I should send it as episode or a new title?
• I made a mistake with a submission. How can I correct it before it goes live?
• I know for a fact that the John Smith who worked on film X is not the same John Smith who worked on film Y. Can I delete the incorrect credits?
• How do I split credits that belong to two different persons but are combined into a single listing?
• It's clear that John Smith and John I. Smith are likely to be the same person. Why do you have two listings for him?
• I am positive that John Smith and John I. Smith are the same person. How do I combine their listings?
• How do I add my film reviews to the site?

Updating your own credits

• Can I add my credits to the IMDb?
• How do I add myself to the database?
• How do I add more credits to my page?
• What kind of credits are eligible for inclusion in the database?
• Can I add a new film or TV show to the IMDb?
• How do I add my new film?
• How do I add a project that's still in production/development?
• What kind of titles are eligible to be listed in the database?
• Why haven't you added my film to the database?
• How can I provide additional web-based evidence of the eligibility of a new title?
• You asked for proof my new title is eligible. What types of URL are acceptable?
• How long does it take for new credits/data to appear on the site?
• Why is it so hard/time-consuming to add a credit or film to the database?
• Why can't I just fax you my resume?
• I tried everything but I really, really can't get my corrections through your web-based forms. What else can I do?
• Some of the credits you list in my filmography are wrong. How do I delete them?
• You spelled a title wrong! How do I get it fixed?
• You spelled my name wrong. How do I fix this?
• Some of the credits you list in my filmography belong to somebody else. How do I fix this?
• My credits are scattered over different names, but it's always me. How do I fix this?
• You are listing my credits under 'miscellaneous crew'. Why don't you have a separate category for my job?
• How do I change the order in which my credits are listed?
• Why does one of my credits now say that I worked on a film only during post-production? I worked on that film the whole time!
• I was on "The Sopranos" in 2004, but you show the credit as "The Sopranos" (1999). Why is the date off by 5 years?
• You show me as appearing in "Days of our Lives" in 1965 but I wasn't even born in 1965! How do I correct this?
• How can I delete my bio from your site?
• I'm a woman, but you are listing me as a man. How do I change my gender?
• I worked on the supplemental materials for the DVD of film XYZ. Can I add my credit to the film?
  

Questions about our data

• How are titles formatted? How do you choose the year shown in the title?
• How do you decide if a title is a film, a TV movie or a Miniseries?
• Why does the film "The Seven Samurai" show up under the title "Shichinin no samurai" when I look it up?
• What's the deal with those Roman numerals, like (I) and (II), after people's names?
• Some films have '(V)' or '(VG)' after the title. What does that mean?
• When I search for a person, each matching name on the results page has a title next to it. How is that title chosen?
• In the Movie Connections section, what does 'references' mean?
• What is the difference between "Screenplay" and "Written by" credits?
• I know for a fact that there is only one John Smith registered with the Screen Actors Guild, so all the other ones listed in the database must be wrong. How do I delete them?
• I spotted a mistake: you have the film Bottle Rocket listed twice. Why won't you correct it?
• You list George Reeves as the star of Superman (1973). Everyone knows Christopher Reeve was the star of Superman! George died in 1959, so he couldn't possibly appear in Superman (1973), could he?
• You claim that Julianne Moore appeared in "As the World Turns" in (1956) but she was born in 1961 so how can this be correct?
• On Jennifer Aniston's page you say she played Jeanie Bueller in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off but everyone knows the role of Ferris' sister was played by Jennifer Grey. Why won't you fix this mistake?
• Why is the USA running time listed for a film sometimes different from the running time listed for another country and/or for the video?
• Why don't you always list the stars of a film at the top of its cast listing?
• Why do some acting credits show up in a separate list under a category called "Himself" or "Herself" even if those people didn't actually appear as themselves?
• What's the meaning of those codes (like [se] or [hr]) that sometimes follow the name of a production company or distributor?

Linking and Using IMDb data

• I want to use your photos/trailers on my site/show/magazine. Can you give me permission?
• Can I use your filmography data in a book/website/magazine then?
• Can I use your filmography data in my free software ?
• How can I obtain IMDb content for my commercial application/website?
• Do I need your permission to put a link to your site on my webpage or link to your filmographies?
• How should I link to IMDb pages?
• Can I put one of your search forms on my site?

Photos, posters, galleries

• I own a photo or poster that you don't have, can I send it to you?
• I'm having trouble scanning my photo to send you. Can you help?
• Why do you charge people to submit photos?
• How do I pay for my photo submission?
• Can I pay by check or money order, or have you bill me after my photo is posted?
• Are bulk discounts available?
• Can I have photos added to your site without paying?
• How do I change/replace my headshot or poster?
• Can I change my headshot to a photo that is already visible in my gallery?
• Can I get a photo removed?
• Where do I report photo-related errors on your site?
• Why does the picture I submitted only appear in the gallery and not as the main headshot as I requested?
• What?s the difference between a gallery photo and a headshot?
• I'm a huge fan of a certain star. May I submit a photo of them?
• My name/film's title isn?t visible on your site. Will placing a photo order help get it added?
• Some of my screen credits are wrong. Will you change/update them for me?
• I?d like to submit a photo for a relative that is no longer living. Is there a charge for this?
• Can you add a photo of me from WireImage's site?
• May I use a photo from your site for my web site or publication?
• May I buy photos from your site for my own personal use?
• Is it okay to have text in my photo?
• May I send you a photo of my pet/child/business logo to represent me, instead of a personal photo?
• Instead of a single photo for my headshot, may I send you a composite instead?
• May I send you several different headshots and have you choose which one to use on the site?

Uploading videos

• How can I upload my video to your site?
• What formats are best for video uploads?
• How long will it take to get my video published on your site?
• How will I know when it's live?
• How many films or trailers can I upload to my IMDb pages?
• How do I replace the current uploaded film or trailer with a new one?
• What if I need to change my movie title info?
• Why does my video appear on other people's pages? Can I control on which pages it displays?
• How do I delete a video?
• Can I take my video down any time? Can IMDb take my video down any time?
• Can I appeal if IMDb takes down my video?
• Do I earn money when people watch my video on IMDb?
• What rights am I licensing to IMDb when I upload my video?
• When will you be able to accommodate longer videos?
• Is my content considered "safe"?
• How do I distinguish my film from my trailer when trying to manage my account?

Watching videos on IMDb

• What can I watch on IMDb?
• How do I watch video on IMDb?
• I am unable to watch videos on IMDb.com. What can I do?
• How do I report content that needs to be taken down?

Buying a video/DVD

• I want to buy a film. How do I find out if it's it available on video?
• I noticed that some films are available on video/DVD but you don't have a 'shop' link for them. Why?
• How do I find out if a video has subtitles in another language?
• I live in the USA. Can I order a video from Amazon UK?
• What's the deal with DVD regions?

Problems browsing the site

• The 'celebrity photo' or other graphic/ad cover part of the page and I can't read all the text. Can you get rid of it?
• Why does my browser crash when I try to access your site with Internet Explorer?
• Why are some of the options on the left-hand side column grayed out?

User comments and ratings

• The vote average for film "X" should be Y! Why are you displaying another rating?
• The user votes average on film X is 9.4, so it should appear in your top 250 films listing, yet it doesn't. Why?
• Who are the Top 1000 voters? How do I know if I'm one of them?
• Your recommendation for film "X" is really off the mark! What were you thinking?
• The comment displayed on the page for film X is so negative! Can't you remove it?
• Why didn't you post my user comment for movie X?
• How do I edit or remove a comment?
• What are 'spoilers'?
• How do I delete/change a vote I cast on a film?
• Is there a way to see all my past votes?
• What is the "IMDb Staff" category displayed in some vote breakdowns?

Message Boards

• What should I do if I see objectionable content in your message boards?
  
• How do I get to the Message Boards??
• Do I need to be a registered user to use the boards?
• What types of message boards are there and how do I get to them?
• How do I start a new topic?
• How do I reply to a message?
• How do I post a message?
• How can I change the way messages in a thread are displayed?
• Can I add icons and other fun stuff to my posts?
• What are private messages?
• How do I display and read a private message?
• How do I send a private message to another user?
• What is "My Profile"?
• How do I customize my personal information?
• How do I customize the look and feel of the boards?
• What do the acronyms used on the message boards mean?
• What's the meaning of all those "Post deleted" messages?
• How do I report an offensive post?
• Why was my post deleted/moved?
• Can threads be sorted so the most recently active appear first?
• How can I search for a post?
• How do I get a list of my own posts?
• Can I attach a file to my posts?
• What is an ignore list?
• How do I remove someone from my ignore list?
• What is the "Friends" page for?
• Can I edit a message after I've posted it?
• How do I delete a post?
• Why have messages disappeared from my private messages outbox?

Box Office

• How do I find out how much a movie made at the box office?
• Do you have a list of all-time top grossing movies?
• Where does your box-office information come from?
• Where do you get your budget numbers and what do they mean?
• Why are your budget/gross figures for some movies different than those listed by another source? Why do you have budget/gross data on some movies and not others?
• Do your box-office figures also include video sales/rentals?
• What's the meaning of the date next to the box-office figures?
• Some of your box-office pages include figures for theatrical rentals. What are those?

MyMovies

• What is MyMovies?
• How do I get started with MyMovies?
• How do I create a personalized movie list?
• How do I manage my personalized movie lists?
• How do I display my personalized movie lists?

Miscellaneous questions

• Why do you list Chow Yun-Fat's name as Yun-Fat Chow?
• Every time I search for a quote, I get hundreds of matches but not the exact phrase I was looking for. Why?
• Why do I keep getting titles of adult movies when I perform a search?
• Why it is that, occasionally, well-known actors have significant roles in movies but are not listed in the credits?
• The ads on your site are really annoying. Can't you get rid of them?
• When I was visiting your site, my antivirus detected a virus/trojan/worm. What is going on?
• How do I break into show business?

Our Name and Title Page Redesign

• Why did you redesign the name and title pages?
• Why is the left-hand side of a name or title page not colored to separate it from the main content?
• Why can't we have larger posters?
• Why is there an ad on the right side of the page?
• Can I change my user preferences to keep the old design?
• What are those yellow buttons doing at the top of the page?
• The upper area of the page contains a lot of information -- can't you space it out a bit?
• What is the purpose of the Top Links area on the left-hand side of the page?
• Why can't the poster/headshot be placed in the center of the page?
• What are those recommendations doing on the title pages?
• Why is the Cast Overview section centered and not aligned to the left?
• What happened to the Amazon shop box?
• What do you do with feedback that users submit regarding the redesign changes?

Navigation Bar Redesign FAQ

• Why did you redesign the navigation bar?
• Can I still access everything I could using the previous navigation bar?
• Why did you choose black for the navigation bar color?
• How will the feedback link to the right of the category headers be used in the future?
• What do you do with feedback that users submit regarding the navigation bar redesign?

Contacting us

• I have a problem/question for you. How do I get in touch? What's your phone number?
• I sent you a message but haven't heard back from you. Don't you reply to your users?

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