How is Col Needham's suggestion better in any way, shape, or form? I use IMDb extensively to look up company histories and now that feature is completely gone (except for the six or seven big companies already offered). Looking for the output of a small studio? Sorry, you're out of luck unless yo pay IMDb. Ridiculous.
Col, have you all thought about maybe dropping the pro price about 85%. If you were charging 25.00 a year, the number of subscribers would obviously increase immensely and I would wager the revenue actually increase. Is the 150 rate to try to limit the audience on the pro site?
The thing is, IMDbPro is intended for individuals and organizations that have a high-resource (or high-financial) stake in matters and persons related to published works of the videographic vein. IMDbPro is designed to rescue a smaller population than the overall general public of the world from that segment's "industrial" woes. Naturally a company would want a slice of the rewards involved in the stakes, or to at least not be bothered by "amateurs" or non-serious people like slackers. On that note, there should be bulk access deals between IMDbPro and film schools, kind of like how Microsoft provides MSDN materials to universities, for whatever fee, or likewise with IEEE and SAE, perhaps a student discount.
This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled Company credits.
Who came up with the brilliant idea to make basic company information (like what films a company produced, not contact information/financial data etc.) available only to IMDb Pro members? And in the same way removing the simple lists which gave a quick overview of the company credits? For God's sake, please stop these useless changes...
No, it does not sound okay. The advanced search example you gave is not going to replace company filmographies, because it's not restricted by function, so the search result brings up hundreds (or thousands) of thanks and miscellaneous credits as well as production ones. This makes it completely useless. And is there really going to be search support for every obscure film company from the 1910s or 1920s? When? 5 years from now?
This is a terrible change and it's just one more terrible change. When you closed the message boards you said that it wasn't one of the core functions of the site, the core function was to be a film database. But what sort of database takes away the ability to cross-reference the data?
This change not only reduces functionality and greatly reduces the usefulness of IMDb, but it makes it very difficult (if not impossible) to add, check, correct and delete company credits. The only solution I can see is just not to bother submitting them anymore.
Please count me as another person who would prefer that when one does a search for "pixar" under Companies, and gets a list such as the one at http://www.imdb.com/find?ref_=nv_sr_fn&q=pixar&s=co, one should be able to click on Pixar Animation Studios [us] and see a list of films for which that company is credited. The company filmographies should not be restricted to IMDbPro users, and while they should be accessible via Advanced Title Search, that should not be the only way to access them.
I understand if the software which serves the company filmographies needs to be reprogrammed. However, if it is technically possible to serve the company filmographies on IMDbPro, then it ought to be technically possible to serve them on the free site too, at least after the reprogramming has been completed.
"The complexities of trying to tie company credits across different branches and subsidiaries" may be difficult, but if they are a software problem, then that problem either is being resolved for the Pro users, or it isn't. If it's being resolved for the Pro users, then it can be resolved for the free site users. From that point, it's just a matter of what IMDb chooses to allow to the free site users.
Thanks for the feedback. The problem is the complexity of re-introducing another top-level page type vs. the amount of traffic the company pages were receiving on the consumer IMDb site. We are trying to thoughtfully simplify the IMDb software and customer experience so we can continue to move quickly and reduce bugs and inefficiencies. You have seen how bad things can get when we do not do this and so we are finished with the old approach!
Of course, it is possible to rebuild dedicated company pages, however, this would mean fewer resources to dedicate to enhancing the more core parts of IMDb. Search is already a core part of the site and something we are stepping up in 2018, so creating a virtual company filmography page via search is our preferred approach. Remember also with company data fully integrated into search, it means other sections which likewise use search can benefit from filtering by company name. It's win-win as they say :-)
@Col, I just wanted to chime in: the company search will only be truly useful if we can distinguish between Production vs. Distribution companies. And that is the only way you would truly replace the (now former) filmography pages with the search function, and truly score that double win.
Col, the only way this works is if clicking on a company link brings you to the appropriate search page. That is an acceptable solution. The less work a user has to do once they are redirected to the search engine, the better, but I can understand that if very few users actually click on the company links, it's probably not worth your time to write code to make it easier. So if I click on A24 and am brought to a search page (opening in another tab if I control-click) where I can either type in A24 in a text box or (better) click to put a check mark next to "A24," that works fine.
What you absolutely cannot do (as I explained earlier in the post with all the upvotes that is, coincidentally I'm sure, the post you didn't respond to) is ask people to join IMDBPro every time they click on a company link. That reads like begging for money to access data that you have advertised as free (and which in some cases was provided to you for free).
While we're improving search, the search by genre absolutely has to have a "[ ] Films in any of these genres (OR)" versus "[ ] Films in all of these genres (AND)" option. I might want a list of all sci-fi, fantasy, and horror films, but I might also want a list of romantic comedies -- which is decidedly not the same as a list of all romances OR comedies.
Like a lot of ordinary users I came on this change by chance. First time i thought it was a bug. Then I wanted to look up all the films produced in the 1970s under the American Film Theatre banner. I hadn't found this thread at that time so I looked at Wikipedia and their data looked pretty accurate. I certainly wouldn't join IMDBPro to look at this and am baffled that the click takes you to what is an ad instead of taking you to the search page. Another half thought through change.
How long do we have to still wait for this new IMDb system and the new company filmography link pages to be made and complete? Me and the movie guys can't take this madness and wait anymore! We want our new company filmography link pages now! Waiting too long is freaking killing us!! We regular IMDb users can't afford IMDb Pro!!!
You can get upcoming release by distributor easily there, also you can see some recent historical information but not all encompassing. I used the future releases info more than historical.
What is taking so long to fix those film companies' filmography links pages?!? I am so sick of seeing IMDb Pro ever time I click on a company name. I know you guys are adding a new system to IMDb, but I cant take this any more! I want to see a film company's filmography to help me. I want to know if there is way I can see a company's filmography without being asked to apply to IMDb Pro now please. If this whole problem is not fixed, I am going to spend less time IMDb.
It's been a while when I talked with Col Needham about the company filmography stuff, but I agree with you about the topic. I will still use the IMDb as good as everyday as the faithful user I've been for years, but it's just the fact I'm becoming sick of just searching for titles and people. I'm so looking forward to the day when the rest of the companies become available on the advanced search, along with the eight major companies already offered, and if that happens, that will be better than nothing. Just my opinion.
Well, for the time being, the submission interface (with the United States Navy's credits as an example here) can be used, meaning that the credits can be not only viewed but edited too.
I've bookmarked the page so I can look at some of the smaller studios that arouse my curiosity. (I looked at MGM, and that's hysterically long just for production credits.)
This is useful when I want to see how prolific an Indie studio is/was.
But of course, that still doesn't help me find the Musicals produced by RKO. I wonder when we'll see the more flexible Company search criteria discussed elsewhere in this thread.
Still be good to know how you got from the US Navy as a company to getting a list as per your example. I've been in circles a few times and keep getting the IMDb Pro prompt.
I do miss the ability to look at a smaller film company's output. The BFI announced a Woodfall Films Blu-ray collecton recently. I went to look to see what the other Woodfall titles were but, of course, the IMDb would not let me. I could find them on the BFI databse but it seems daft that such a list is also available on the IMDb but non IMDb-pro users are excluded from looking at it.
Hey Col, how long do we have to wait for those company filmography pages to come up and not for IMDb pro? I have being waiting and waiting patiently to finally see the IMDb pages for companies' filmography for days and I am so sick and tired of getting IMDb Pro on them. We need answers now on why this taking so freakin long man!
Why do we immediately need answers, Alex Hartsell? What are the stakes at hand? At any rate, I'd reckon (or rather wild-guess) that this one might be a Q2 or Q3 objective for year 2018, as in simply being at a lower priority than other features such as the ones lots of users are complaining about being absent or malfunctioning.
We users don't access tickets. Tickets are requests for IMDb developers to investigate or change software. We don't know when or if anything will result.
I remember Col Needham talked to me about linking the companies to the advanced search, and I'm basically happy for that as it would be better than nothing. I'm still waiting for this, and lately I've been wanting to ask when this will happen.
This is still not resolved and this needs to be fixed now! I have been waiting and waiting patiently for this and still god damn nothing! When is it going to be resolved and what date?!? We need answers damn it! If this is still not resolved by the end of the year, there is going to be some problems and a up-rise!
I would really like it if the company pages were accessible again. I believe that the simplest way is to format each and every company page like an actor/director page, with the company's logo, description, country of origin and complete filmography laid out the same way an actor/director would. Is there any idea on if this can ever be done?
Over the years I contributed THOUSANDS of discrete additions and corrections to IMDb and now I find I am asked to pay $150 a year to access information on historical (meaning long defunct) film distributors through IMDb Pro. I would like to request a complimentary IMDb Pro membership so I can access this data moving forward. Everyone would agree, I am sure, that it's not right for IMDb to profit from my contributions AND to also ask me to pay for access to this same material. Thanks for helping me contact whomever can assist me in acquiring a complimentary Pro login.
Hey what's taking so long to fix the companies' pages?!?! Where are still waiting for so freaking long and still hasn't being fixed. It better be fixed by the end of the year or else!! Also why isn't my submission to that Craig of Creak episode with Del the Funky Homosipan isn't coming up? The episode has Del and he isn't credited for it. Here is the link for it: https://contribute.imdb.com/updates/update?load=181029-020742-044000 and also the proof is in front of your faces! Also we still need answers on why the companies' pages are not fix now!
The company names on title/companycredits and company search results via /find will be redirected to the advanced title search results for the corresponding companies, effectively restoring the company filmography data (with more sorts and filters). For example https://www.imdb.com/search/title?companies=co0319272
After all these months it would be nice if this was actually set out in a step by step way, i.e. something that doesn't redirect to IMDb Pro. So instead of an example result as in the link above how about the example including what was entered to get it?
The company names on title/companycredits and company search results via
/find will be redirected to the advanced title search results for the
corresponding companies, effectively restoring the company filmography
data (with more sorts and filters). For example https://www.imdb.com/search/title?companies=co0319272
Thanks for the update. It's good to know that this information will once again be available on the regular IMDb site. (I do wonder when admission numbers will be back though...)
william_wilson_2r4uf78wamcuj
5 Messages
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432 Points
7 years ago
1
dale_dilts
4 Messages
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206 Points
7 years ago
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Marco
2.7K Messages
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82.7K Points
7 years ago
Example: When I click on the Disney company here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790810/companycredits, I get taken to this Pro page: https://pro-labs.imdb.com/company/co0008970?ref_=ttco_co_2. Can you please make it so that it leads to http://www.imdb.com/search/title?companies=disney&sort=release_date,desc?
0
Elwood_Blues
82 Messages
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3K Points
7 years ago
Who came up with the brilliant idea to make basic company information (like what films a company produced, not contact information/financial data etc.) available only to IMDb Pro members? And in the same way removing the simple lists which gave a quick overview of the company credits? For God's sake, please stop these useless changes...
Note: This conversation was created from a reply on: Upcoming changes to several IMDb features.
0
nac_8025408
24 Messages
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656 Points
7 years ago
This is a terrible change and it's just one more terrible change. When you closed the message boards you said that it wasn't one of the core functions of the site, the core function was to be a film database. But what sort of database takes away the ability to cross-reference the data?
This change not only reduces functionality and greatly reduces the usefulness of IMDb, but it makes it very difficult (if not impossible) to add, check, correct and delete company credits. The only solution I can see is just not to bother submitting them anymore.
0
gromit82
Champion
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7.4K Messages
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275.4K Points
7 years ago
I understand if the software which serves the company filmographies needs to be reprogrammed. However, if it is technically possible to serve the company filmographies on IMDbPro, then it ought to be technically possible to serve them on the free site too, at least after the reprogramming has been completed.
"The complexities of trying to tie company credits across different branches and subsidiaries" may be difficult, but if they are a software problem, then that problem either is being resolved for the Pro users, or it isn't. If it's being resolved for the Pro users, then it can be resolved for the free site users. From that point, it's just a matter of what IMDb chooses to allow to the free site users.
5
dale_dilts
4 Messages
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206 Points
7 years ago
https://www.the-numbers.com/market/distributors
You can get upcoming release by distributor easily there, also you can see some recent historical information but not all encompassing. I used the future releases info more than historical.
0
alex_hartsell
257 Messages
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4.8K Points
7 years ago
What is taking so long to fix those film companies' filmography links pages?!? I am so sick of seeing IMDb Pro ever time I click on a company name. I know you guys are adding a new system to IMDb, but I cant take this any more! I want to see a film company's filmography to help me. I want to know if there is way I can see a company's filmography without being asked to apply to IMDb Pro now please. If this whole problem is not fixed, I am going to spend less time IMDb.
10
jim_parker_3bmx2c8e7ka42
2 Messages
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102 Points
7 years ago
1
jamesmmm
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7.3K Points
7 years ago
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ricky_hm
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634 Points
6 years ago
2
antacidtrip97
27 Messages
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582 Points
6 years ago
I would really like it if the company pages were accessible again. I believe that the simplest way is to format each and every company page like an actor/director page, with the company's logo, description, country of origin and complete filmography laid out the same way an actor/director would. Is there any idea on if this can ever be done?
0
michael_bowen_jikdd76e9v6r7
2 Messages
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142 Points
6 years ago
Over the years I contributed THOUSANDS of discrete additions and corrections to IMDb and now I find I am asked to pay $150 a year to access information on historical (meaning long defunct) film distributors through IMDb Pro. I would like to request a complimentary IMDb Pro membership so I can access this data moving forward. Everyone would agree, I am sure, that it's not right for IMDb to profit from my contributions AND to also ask me to pay for access to this same material. Thanks for helping me contact whomever can assist me in acquiring a complimentary Pro login.
Note: This conversation was created from a reply on: IMDb Pro Free!!.
1
alex_hartsell
257 Messages
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4.8K Points
6 years ago
0
Col_Needham
Employee
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7.2K Messages
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178.3K Points
6 years ago
The company names on title/companycredits and company search results via /find will be redirected to the advanced title search results for the corresponding companies, effectively restoring the company filmography data (with more sorts and filters). For example https://www.imdb.com/search/title?companies=co0319272
5