Contributor Top-Tips
A list of tips, tricks and short-cuts that will be useful when adding, updating and correcting data on the site (Most of these have been submitted by the site's most experienced and knowledgeable Contributors)
Tips and Tricks (By Section)
Firefox Add-Ons
Finding Information Quickly
Submission Tips
Contributors Help Board Tips
Firefox Add-Ons
A list of add-ons for the Firefox browser that can speed up the submission process for Contributors.
- Fox-Replace
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This Firefox add-on allows the bulk replacement of text in web pages (editable text boxes/cells etc). It works brilliantly within the submission system, especially if you want to change or correct dozens of pieces of data/character names. Get it Here
Finding Information Quickly
Reduce the time it takes to find information with this list of time-saving tips.
- Precise Text Searches
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If the IMDb Text Search doesn't satisfy your needs, you can always use Google to get more precise results. For example, if you want to find "Sussex, England, UK" Filming Locations but without "East Sussex, England, UK" and "West Sussex, England, UK", you can use the corresponding include/exclude parameters limiting the results to IMDb Title Filming Locations pages (use the "site" and "inurl" search operators for it): site:www.imdb.com/title inurl:locations "Sussex, England, UK" -"East Sussex" -"West Sussex".
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If you come across punctuation errors like "
New York , USA
" in field browsers (or on the front pages of the site), Google's and IMDb's search engines won't help finding them as they ignore punctuation. The workaround is to download the corresponding database list (in this case, Biography) from IMDb's FTP servers to locate the bad entries.
Submitted by: Chicago_gangster
- Index of Field Browsers
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Index of attributes, jobs, locations of filming/birth/death and similar lists that pop up in the update forms can be found here if you need it.
Submitted by: MayorDefacto
- Quick Access to Update Forms
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If you want to update data presented on subpages (like Goofs), I find it easier to open the corresponding subpage and click the Update button there (which will show only the corresponding update form) than click the Update/Edit button on the main page to find the form there.
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If you have to use the general Update page (for data that don't have dedicated subpages), start typing the name of the needed section to automatically jump to it (such a function is available in most browsers).
Submitted by: Chicago_gangster
- Quickly Find Data in Popup Lists
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The Quick Find function mentioned in the previous tip is also useful for finding data in various lists that pop up in the update forms (like attributes, jobs, locations of filming/birth/death, names that pop up when you click "Click here to copy existing credits from the series or other episodes", etc.)
Submitted by: Chicago_gangster
Submission Tips
Tips about everything related to submitting data.
- Tips for adding new in-development/in-production titles
Submitted by: Eric Greene
If you are interested in adding a new, in-development title to IMDb, and are not directly involved with the production, please only include the information you know is true. Please avoid speculating any rumored actors in the cast or guessing its release date—this information can be added later after they're known. There are some reliable online resources and trade publications (for example: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline.com) that are helpful references to verify the information you're submitting. Our editors will require you to include a source in order to confirm each submission, and a direct link to a reliable online source about your title will help ensure your submission is processed smoothly. Be sure to cite any links or news articles as your source in the required "Miscellaneous Link" section of the submission form and indicate if you are involved with the production or not. If the project is not yet in the pre-production stage and you are an IMDbPro subscriber, you can select a more accurate in-development status (pitch, script, treatment, etc.) for your submission.- Titles: How to add more than the default number of data for all lists
Submitted by: MayorDefacto and gromit 82
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=ttNNNNNNN:stunts.add.40/thanks.add.50
This example (replace the text in red with the tt numbers found in the title's URL) increases the number of Stunts slots to 40, and the number of Thanks slots to 50. You can adjust these numbers, add more departments or data types, or swap in a different department or data type, as you like.
Then check the To update data for categories that aren't listed above box at the bottom to get the normal form defaults for the remaining departments/data types.
Alternatively, use this URL - https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=ttNNNNNNN:crew.add.40 - which expands every crew department to 40 slots (again the number is adjustable).
Additional URL examples:
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=tt0534701
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=tt0534701:cast
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=tt0534701:cast.add.6
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=tt0534701:cast.correct
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=tt0534701:cast.correct.1
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=tt0534701:cast.migrate
Full list of title-related IMDb section names:
Cast and Crew
cast
crew
animation_department
art_department
art_directors
assistant_directors
camera_department
casting_department
casting_directors
cinematographers
composers
costume_department
costume_designers
directors
editorial_department
editors
location_management
make_up_department
music_department
producers
production_designers
production_managers
set_decorators
sound_department
special_effects_department
stunts
transportation_department
thanks
visual_effects_department
writers
miscellaneous
Company Credits
production_companies
distributors
special_effects_companies
miscellaneous_companies
Basic Data
certificates
color_info
countries
language
release_dates
running_times
sound_mix
Plot & Quotes
outlines
plot
genres
keywords
quotes
Fun Stuff
trivia
goofs
soundtracks
crazy_credits
alternate_versions
movie_links
Links to Other Sites
title_urls_msc Miscellaneous Link
title_urls_off Official Sites
title_urls_img Image / Photos
title_urls_snd Sound clips
title_urls_mov Video clips
title_urls_com External Reviews
title_urls_tra Trailers
title_urls_pos Posters
Box Office and Business
business_bt Budget
business_ow Opening Weekend
business_gr Gross
business_wg Weekend Gross
business_ad Admissions
business_rt Theatrical Rentals
business_pd Production Dates
business_sd Filming Dates
business_cp Copyright Holder
Technical Info
technical_met Film Length
technical_ofm Film Negative Format
technical_pfm Printed Film Format
technical_rat Aspect Ratio
technical_pcs Cinematographic Process
technical_cam Camera
technical_lab Laboratory
Literature
literature_scrp Screenplay / Teleplays
literature_novl Original Literary Sources
literature_adpt Adaptation of Literary Sources
literature_book Related Books
literature_prot Production Process Protocols
literature_iviw Interviews
literature_crit Printed Media Reviews
literature_essy Essays
literature_othr Other Literary Information
Other Data
akas Alternate Titles
title_attr Title Attributes
locations Filming Locations
inproduction Production Status
taglines Taglines
Other Corrections
title_correct Title Correction
episode_correct Episode Title / Number
tv_series_year TV Series Year Range
complete Cast / Crew Verification
comment Miscellaneous Comments
correct Miscellaneous Corrections
- Names: How to add more than the default number of data for all lists
Submitted by: MayorDefacto and gromit 82
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=nmNNNNNNN:stunts.add.40/thanks.add.50
This example (replace the text in red with the nm numbers found in the person's URL) increases the number of Stunts slots to 40, and the number of Thanks slots to 50. You can adjust these numbers, add more departments or data types, or swap in a different department or data type, as you like.
Then check the To update data for categories that aren't listed above box at the bottom to get the normal form defaults for the remaining departments/data types.
Additional URL examples:
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=nm0001675
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=nm0001675:actors
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=nm0001675:actors.add.6
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=nm0001675:actors.correct
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=nm0001675:actors.correct.1
https://contribute.imdb.com/updates?update=nm0001675:actors.migrate
Full list of name-related IMDb section names:
Name Updates
name_correct Name Correction
name_split Name Split
naka Alternative Names
Filmography
actors
actresses
crew
animation_department
art_department
art_directors
assistant_directors
camera_department
casting_department
casting_directors
cinematographers
composers
costume_department
costume_designers
directors
editorial_department
editors
make_up_department
music_department
producers
production_designers
production_managers
set_decorators
sound_department
special_effects_department
stunts
transportation_department
thanks
visual_effects_department
writers
miscellaneous
Biographical Information
bio_rn Birth Name
bio_nk Nickname
bio_db Date of Birth
bio_dd Date of Death
bio_ht Height
bio_bg Biography
bio_bo Books About This Person
bio_bt Biographical Movies
bio_pi Portrayed in Other Movies
bio_ow Other work
bio_tr Trivia
bio_qu Real Life Quotes
bio_sa Salary
bio_wn Where Are They Now?
bio_sp Marriage Details
bio_tm Trademark
bio_it Press Interviews
bio_at Articles in the Media
bio_pt Magazine Pictorials
bio_cv Magazine Cover Photo
Links to Other Sites
name_urls_msc Miscellaneous
name_urls_off Official Sites
name_urls_img Image / Photos
name_urls_snd Sound Clips
name_urls_mov Video Clips
Other Data
gender Gender
Contact Details
direct Direct Contact
Other Corrections
comment Miscellaneous Comments
correct Miscellaneous Corrections
- Don't Delete Email Acknowledgments
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Don't delete the email acknowledgement that you are sent after submitting data until you are sure that your submission has been accepted or rejected. That receipt is the only record of what you submitted (Your Update History does not provide complete information about what you have submitted).
Submitted by: Steve Crook
- Quick Check/Recheck
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An alternate way to submit a page (which in the case of updating data is equivalent to clicking the "Check/Re-check" button) is to press Enter either after clicking on a check-box/radio-button (while there's a dotted border around it), or after setting focus on a one-line text field (such as Credits or Movie Connections). Thus you don't have to scroll to the bottom every time.
Submitted by: Chicago_gangster
- Using Title/Name/Company IDs
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If you're linking to a title/name/company from one-line text fields (such as Credits or Movie Connections), you can copy & paste the tt / nm / co alphanumerical identifier from the URL instead. (They'll be automatically transformed into the right format on the next step.) This is useful if you view titles in a different language (than the original) and for TV episodes, which don't display their titles in the database format on the front pages. (Also, I think it's much easier to select the identifier by double-clicking on it in the browser's address bar than select the clickable title/name by dragging the mouse while holding its button.)
Submitted by: Chicago_gangster
- Auditing Credit Lists: Using the 'Correct All' Link
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When auditing a title, I start with this really useful 'Correct all data' link. I then use the 'forgotten anything' checkbox to open Cast for update, along with any other sections I think I will need, and then select Correct All for them. Once this is done, it is possible to 'check off' each item as I scroll through the on-screen credits by changing the item to Keep, correcting it, or adding a new credit. Once the credit roll has ended (and the title credits have been checked) anything left in Correct mode with no changes made was not on screen and thus needs to be deleted, or have uncredited attribute added (as stated in the Correcting Existing Credits submission guide).
Submitted by: David-537
Contributors Help Board Tips
How to get the best response from posters on the Contributors Help Board.
- Be Patient
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Many queries to the Contributors Help board are about why recent submissions have not been processed yet. Give the IMDb time to process your submission as described in the email acknowledgement.
Submitted by: Steve Crook
- Be Nice
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You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Civility costs nothing - being rude to other users will only put them off helping you.
Submitted by: Steve Crook
- Submission Reference: Use it on the CH Board
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If you are enquire on the Contributors Help Board about data you submitted, please provide your submission reference number, along with details of what data was submitted. Most of the people who answer questions on the board can't access the details from the submission reference. It's usually best to copy the details of your submission from the email acknowledgement.
Submitted by: Steve Crook