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Saturday, October 8th, 2022

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Does IMDb allow two people to be listed together on a single name entry (e.g. "The Snygg Brothers")?

Since this is a slightly different topic that has emerged from another "solved" thread, I have decided to start a new post.

Does IMDb allow two people to be listed together on a single name listing?

Here is the example I have in mind:

The Snygg Brothers

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12876504/

The Snygg brothers are Zachary Snygg and Spencer Snygg.

They wrote and directed this title together, and apparently they are credited together on the title as The Snygg Brothers:

Monsters in the Closet (2022)

What is the protocol here? Can a single name entry be used for two people together? If so, does that name listing need to identify both brothers?

Or should the name entry for The Snygg Brothers be completely eliminated from IMDb, and then on the film where they are credited as The Snygg Brothers, should each brother be credited separately, with each credit stating "credited as The Snygg Brothers?"

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@Peter_pbn

Thank you! As per usual, you have the latest and greatest info on this subject.

I find it amazing that IMDb hasn't worked out this policy question yet. One would expect it to come up a lot. 

My opinion is IMDb shouldn't allow this type of credit, but instead should require the two brothers' names to be separately listed on the title as co-directors, each appearing with "(as The Snygg Brothers)" beside their names. That would be the most accurate, least confusing, and most transparent approach.

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Employee

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4 years ago

Hi @keyword_expert -

I have brought this to our policy team again and hopefully we will have an answer soon.

Regarding the other post we are still investigating no worries.

Cheers!

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4 years ago

We do have a policy for group names (e.g. bands, like The Beatles or The Rolling Stones). See:

https://help.imdb.com/article/contribution/names-biographical-data/names/GSA3M6SFHRAERXZ3?ref_=helpsrall#group

However, there are some edge cases/exceptions. The general rule of thumb for collective names is that we will give credit to the group/team when the individual names of the group members are not know or when it's impractical to list them. For example, if a film included a cast credit for an appearance by "The Chidren's Choir of the Church of Saint Mary", it would be impossible to list individual members of the group so a credit for the group as a single name would be appropriate.

When it comes to small teams such as directors/writers (e.g. The Wachowski Siblings, or "Daniels"), we tend to list individual members with the collective name listed as an attribute if that's how they were credited onscreen. For example:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2397535/fullcredits/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/fullcredits/

There are cases where both individuals and team names are listed -- this is sometimes done for expediency, and to facilitate searches; generally speaking we prefer to list individuals when their identity is known.

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@Giancarlo_Cairella​ 

In this case, it sounds like the page for "The Snygg Brothers" should be eliminated and the credits for these two titles should be replaced with the brothers' individual names with (credited as The Snygg Brothers) as attributes:

Monsters in the Closet (2022)

Beaster Day: Here Comes Peter Cottonhell (2014)

Edit: I will submit corrections to IMDb requesting those changes and will cite this thread as support for the changes.

(edited)

Champion

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@Giancarlo_Cairella​ 

The guideline is written specifically about people who "appear on screen". The same guideline appears in the cast guidelines.

Regarding musical groups on screen, I don't recognize your rule of thumb that group names are only used "when the individual names of the group members are not known or when it's impractical to list them". Your guidelines say: 

If The Beatles are credited that way, we would not enter "Lennon, John (as The Beatles); McCartney, Paul (as The Beatles); Harrison, George (as The Beatles); Starr, Ringo (as The Beatles)" Instead, they would simply be credited as "Beatles, The".

It sounds like you should make a distinction in the name guidelines between groups on screen and what you call "collective names" as crew.

(edited)

Champion

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4 years ago

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@bderoes​ Those are both musical acts, though. There are lots of band listings on IMDb.

What about two brothers who are only directors (not a musical act)?

I mean, if this is allowed, then will IMDb allow any combination of people to team up and create a new name listing on IMDb? 

BTW, here is another title credited to the Snygg Brothers as writers, directors, producers, and cinematographers:


Beaster Day: Here Comes Peter Cottonhell

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4065066/reference/

(edited)

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4 years ago

Looks like my contributions/corrections to the Snygg brothers' credits have all been accepted. 

Zachary Snygg

Spencer Snygg

I consider this thread to now be solved. Thank you, everyone, for the help.