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Submission Guides: Biographical Information

This page contains all the guidelines needed to successfully add bio information to the page of any person listed on IMDb.

GUIDES (by Section)

Biographical Books | Biographical Titles | Biographical Trivia
Birth Name | Date of Birth | Date of Death
Height | Other Works | Portrayed In
Mini-Biographies | Nicknames | Quotes
Printed Publicity - Articles | Cover Photos | Interviews | Pictorials
Spouse Details | Trademarks | Where Are They Now?

Important: Creating Links

Birth Name

  • This should be the full name the person had at birth, in print format; for example, John Doe, not Doe, John.
  • Include any suffixes that are part of the name (Jr., III) but do not include any Roman numerals used by IMDb to distinguish people with the same name ( "(I)" ).
  • We do not consider Wikipedia (or other collaboratively edited wiki-style sites) to be an acceptable source for birth names. However, many Wikipedia articles include online citations and external links which provide supporting evidence of the subject's birth name, and these are often appropriate URLs to include in your submission.

Nicknames     top ^

  • This should be nickname commonly used, either when addressing the person or writing about him/her in the media.
  • It's not necessary to include the surname unless that is an integral part of the nickname; in other words, if John Doe is known as Jack, you should enter Jack, not Jack Doe.

Bio-Trivia     top ^

The biographical trivia list is used to add random facts without writing or updating a full mini-biography. Each piece of trivia should be sent as a separate item. If you have more than one piece of trivia to add, then add them as multiple items.

Acceptable Bio-Trivia

  • Relationships (parents, children, etc.), particularly when the relatives are also listed in the database. We also list meaningful relationships such as partnerships, cohabitations, or unions that are not legally recognized and which therefore are not eligible for listing under spouse information. (NB: Do not add spouses - they have their own section.)
  • Awards (Nobel Prize, Tony, Grammy, etc) - (NB: not film or TV - these awards have their own section.)

Unacceptable Bio-Trivia

  • Measurements such as hip, bust and waist as these are changeable over time.
  • Personal details about sexual orientation or religion.
  • Information about dating that does not constitute a significant relationship. Even if it is accurate, we will not accept this type of trivia.
  • Rumors or gossip are completely and specifically excluded.
  • No very trivial trivia: clothing sizes, eye colors, handedness, favorite foods, favorite colors, and similar teen-magazine fodder (unless significantly outside the norm and thus intrinsically interesting.) 'Favorites' are only accepted where they relate to a person's job (e.g. an author's favorite book, a director's favorite film.)
  • No items that are already readily available through the database functions. In particular, "same birthday as" someone else, unless it's particularly interesting because of some kind of very significant connection between the two people (other than being a twin, which should be explicitly noted), is no longer accepted.
  • Appearances in stage plays, commercials, radio, and other works not accepted in the main listings should be sent as Other Works not trivia.
  • Books and articles written by the person should also be sent as Other Works.
  • Television guest appearances should be sent as Cast entries for the appropriate episode(s).

Date of Birth/Date of Death     top ^

  • We do not remove valid dates of birth/dates of death, so please do not submit deletions.
  • The place of birth should be in the same form as a location in the locations list, with the city (if applicable) and country, plus whatever other subdivisions are appropriate for the country (e.g., state - examples: Los Angeles, California, USA; London, England, UK, etc.)
  • The place of birth/death should reflect the political divisions at the time. In cases where divisions or place names have changed over time, it is acceptable to show the current place names within [square brackets]. If the name of the birth place has changed, list the new name as [now ...] e.g. here. If the territory of the birth place has changed, list the name of the current territory as [now in...] e.g. here.
  • A list of the locations currently being used can be displayed by clicking on the gray list icon ( ) next to the place field.
  • We do not consider Wikipedia (or other collaboratively edited wiki-style sites) to be an acceptable source for birth dates. However, many Wikipedia articles include online citations and external links which provide supporting evidence of the subject's birth date, and these are often appropriate URLs to include in your submission.
  • If submitting a date of birth for a minor under 18 years of age, you must include a URL confirming the year of birth. We will no longer accept DOBs for minors without supporting evidence.
  • We do hold some BC/BCE birth and death dates, but at the moment it’s not possible to add this type of data through our submissions system. If you have data like this that you wish to add, please contact us via the Helpdesk and we’ll be happy to assist.

Height     top ^

  • Please enter the height in either metric or imperial units, whichever you have available. If you happen to have both, please use imperial.
  • If using metric units, don't use a period to separate meters from centimeters. 1.65 cm is a lot smaller than 165 cm!
  • Please note: Our policy is to not remove factual data. If you wish to change an existing height, please select the option CORRECT. Otherwise, all requests for completely removing a height should be sent to the Helpdesk.

    • Correcting Our Height Data

    If you think we have the wrong height for someone and want to correct it, then it's often a case of providing a better 'source' than our existing 'source'. You can provide your source in the explanation field when submitting a correction:

  • If your source is a link to a forum with various people simply debating someone's height, then it's unlikely to disprove our existing height.
  • Explanations such as "they look X tall in this photo" or "in this photo they look about 1/2 inch shorter than Y who is standing next to them" are also unlikely to disprove our existing height.
  • If your source contains an interview with someone disclosing their precise height in person, then it's more likely to convince us.

Mini-Biographiestop ^

The biography should provide a broad objective overview of the person; not just their latest credits or subjective opinion. We already have the person's filmography so the biography should detail additional personal information in chronological order. Biographies usually answer questions such as:

  • Where did the person grow up?
  • Who were their parents?
  • Which school did they attend?
  • How were they discovered?
  • What was their debut?
  • What was their breakthrough?

Key Points

  • All bios should be in the third person: "he attended", not first person: "I attended"
  • Write in a sentence structure and not in a resume format
  • Don't use block capitals
  • You can submit personal quotes to personal quotes
  • You can submit website URLs to external sites (names)
  • You can submit dates of birth to date of birth
  • It is our policy not to remove biographies in their entirety, unless we receive an updated or amended version of a similar length
  • Replacing a biography that contains a good deal of background information with one containing almost no bio information (i.e. only includes their credits) will be considered the same as attempting to delete a biography

As with all data, we reserve the right to edit or reject biographies.

Spouse Details     top ^

  • This field records legally recognized marriages and partnerships only
  • Domestic partnerships, cohabitations, or unions that are not legally recognized should be submitted as biographical trivia
  • The spouse name should be submitted in the format First name Last name (i.e. Paul Newman)
  • Females should be listed by their maiden last name – unless she has an IMDb page in her married name in which case she should be listed by her married surname with a link to her IMDb page: (i.e. David Beckham's spouse would be listed as 'Victoria Beckham' (qv)) . If the maiden surname is not known, the first name can added on its own without a surname (i.e. ‘Victoria’)
  • If a person is separated or filing for divorce, they are still married so it should be listed:

    ‘Joe Bloggs’ (qv) (2 April 2010 – present) (separated)

    ‘Joe Bloggs’ (qv) (2 April 2010 – present) (filed for divorce)

  • At the time of death, if a person is separated or filing for divorce, they are still married so it should listed with the date of death:

    'Joe Bloggs' (2 April 2012 - 4 May 2013) (her death)



Salary Details     top ^

  • The base salary, not including residuals or profit participation, for work on a given title.
  • Please use the appropriate currency symbol (e.g. $5,000, £5,000 or €5,000) or the standard 3-letter abbreviation (e.g. EUR5,000, USD5,000 or GBP5,000).

Real-Life Quotes     top ^

  • Real life quotes are unscripted statements the person has made themselves, generally in an interview or lecture setting
  • Quotes they have been said in character should be submitted as a Title Quote to the relevant Film/TV show
  • Don’t submit a person’s favorite quote that has been said by another person (i.e. a quote by Mark Twain)
  • Don’t submit quotes that were said by a reviewer about the person (i.e. in a film review, magazine article)
  • Quotes should not be malicious and damage the reputation of another person.
  • Don’t include quote marks, unless the quote itself contains a quotation
  • Include context - if the quote is referring to a title or a person, include this at the start of the quote in square brackets. For example:

    • 	[on _Jaws: The Revenge (1987)_ (qv)] I have never seen it, but by all accounts it
	is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific.
          
	[on 'Tony Scott (I)' (qv)] He was a creative visionary whose mark on film is
        immeasurable.


Where Are They Now?     top ^

The Where Are They Now? (WATN) section has now been removed from the site. We merged the existing WATN entries into the Bio Trivia section. The submission form for WATN has also been removed. There is still the option to include dates and locations with Bio Trivia items, so effectively information that would have been submitted to the WATN section can still be submitted to Bio Trivia.

Printed Publicity: Articles     top ^

The printed publicity sections are for print media only. Online publications should instead be sent to the external links section. (Please note that this section is independent of the "news articles" link; those articles come only from our various news suppliers, and cannot be added to by contributors.)

  • An article is something that appears in a magazine or journal and does not fit the definition of an interview or pictorial, while still focusing primarily on a person and not, say, a specific film. (Articles focusing on particular films/programs should instead go to the literature list.)
  • You must identify the specific issue using the Date of release or Volume/Issue (preferably both).
  • Where possible please include the page number(s). Please use the following page format:
    1-11
    1-2, 11-12
    1-2, 5, 7-11.
  • A list of the publications currently being used can be displayed by clicking on the gray list icon ( ) next to the publication field.

Printed Publicity: Cover Photos     top ^

  • Cover photos are those that occupy a substantial portion of the cover and where the person is identifiable (i.e., not a tiny face in a crowd shot).
  • Such photos are often, but not always, shot specifically for the cover in question.
  • You must identify the specific issue using the Date of release or Volume/Issue (preferably both).
  • A list of the publications currently being used can be displayed by clicking on the gray list icon ( ) next to the publication field.

Printed Publicity: Interviews     top ^

  • An interview is something that appears in a magazine or journal and consists primarily of a conversation with the person in question (or with a panel including the person).
  • It may or may not be presented in a Q&A format, but if not in that form, it should still consist primarily of material directly quoted from the subject(s).
  • If it does not fit this definition, it should be treated as an article instead.
  • You must identify the specific issue using the Date of release or Volume/Issue (preferably both).
  • Where possible please include the page number(s). Please use the following page format:
    1-11
    1-2, 11-12
    1-2, 5, 7-11.
  • A list of the publications currently being used can be displayed by clicking on the gray list icon ( ) next to the publication field.

Printed Publicity: Pictorials     top ^

  • A pictorial is something that appears in a magazine or journal and consists primarily of photographs of the person in question (or a small group of people including the person).
  • The field author should be used for the name of the photographer. (Note: "Staff" or "Staff photographer" should be entered in the Author field only when explicitly listed in the publication. If no photographer is credited, leave the field blank.)
  • It may include brief captions, and possibly an introductory paragraph or two, but if there is substantial text beyond that, it should be treated as an article instead.
  • You must identify the specific issue using the Date of release or Volume/Issue (preferably both).
  • Where possible please include the page number(s). Please use the following page format:
    1-11
    1-2, 11-12
    1-2, 5, 7-11.
  • A list of the publications currently being used can be displayed by clicking on the gray list icon ( ) next to the publication field.

Biographical Books     top ^

  • This section is for books primarily about a single person (or closely related group, e.g., The Marx Brothers, Laurel & Hardy), including autobiographies and memoirs. Encyclopedias or collections of interviews should be sent to other sections (article, interview, or trivia).
  • Books written by the person, but not about them, should be treated as other works.
  • Titles should be in mixed (book) capitalization, not all capitals.
  • The author name should be entered in Firstname Lastname format.

Biographical Titles     top ^

  • A biographical title is any production of a biographical nature regarding a person.
  • The title should be focused on the person; if the person is not the focus of the title, then you should instead mark them as portrayed in the title.

Titles: Portrayed-In     top ^

  • A title in which the person is portrayed by another person.
  • The person's life should not be the central focus of the film; if it is, then use biographical title instead.

Other Works     top ^

  • The "other works" section is for works in media not currently listed elsewhere in the database. Examples include commercials, radio, theater, books, music videos and audio recordings. Please do not send anything to this section that can be included in the regular database listings.
  • Note: Autobiographies and memoirs should be submitted to "Books About This Person", not this section.
  • Important: Submissions with no date will be rejected.
  • An entry must begin with a date in parentheses, what type of work it is, the title of the work, in what way was the name involved, and the location (if known). Examples:
      (2011) Music video for the band Heavy Rabbit - Director
      
(June 2009) TV commercial for Whizzo Chocolates - Director
      
(3 July 2008-5 August 2008) Stage play: Hamlet - playing Guildenstern, at Random Theatre, Anytown, USA
  • Please submit books in the following format:
      (Year) Book: "Book Title". City of publication (if known): Publisher. ISBN 0246813579
    Example:
      (2011) Book: "The Art of Cinema". New York: Random House. ISBN 0000111000
  • Titles should not be sent in all capital letters.
  • Each item should be a single work. If you have more than one "other work" to add, then send them as multiple items.
  • Remember that you are writing for an international audience. Please include enough context; for example, commercials should include the type of product, not just the brand name (e.g., Whizzo chocolates; Big Kahuna hamburgers). Also, avoid abbreviations, particularly for place names.
  • Guest appearances should be sent to the cast section for the relevant episode, not "other works".
  • Awards are not considered "other works". If the award is for film or TV work, it should be sent to the awards section; other awards (e.g., Tony, Grammy) can be sent as biographical trivia.

Trademark     top ^

Descriptions of a person's recognizable trait, usually something repeated over a significant proportion of their films, or distinguishing information such as hair color, other physical assets or clothing they typically wear.

  • When submitting a trademark that repeats over a significant proportion of their films, please also mention the films the trademark applies to.
  • A director trademark can be followed by a shorthand form of the trademark in square brackets. This is cross-referenced to the corresponding trivia list DIRTRADE entries.

Creating Links     top ^

If you mention a person or a title (movie, TV series / episode) that is also listed on IMDb, you must use the (qv) notation to automatically create a hyperlink to the relevant page. (Please do not use any HTML coding - it won't work.)

  • People: Wrap in apostrophes, followed by (qv). (Important: if there is more than one person with the same name on the database, be sure to include their IMDb 'number' (in Roman numerals), as found at the top of each person's IMDb page). For example: 
    'Christian Bale' (qv)
'John Ford  (I)' (qv)
'Emma Roberts (II)' (qv)
'David Harris (XXIX)' (qv)

  • Titles: Wrap the title, including the year, in underscores, followed by (qv). The only place to find the full, correct title format is at the top of each title's update page. For example: 
    _Star Wars (1977)_ (qv)
_The Dark Knight (2008)_ (qv)
_Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo. (1966)_ (qv)
_High School Musical 2 (2007) (TV)_ (qv)
_"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (2001) {Once More, with Feeling (#6.7)}_ (qv)

Please click on this link for a more detailed explanation of the (qv) notation.

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