Request for Reassessment and Removal of Ineligible Student Film Title

Dear IMDb Staff,

I am respectfully requesting that IMDb reassess the eligibility of and remove a title currently listed in the database that was created solely as an introductory student assignment during the earliest stage of my film education. The title is "Have It Your Way". It is linked here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30296396/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_5_tt_6_nm_2_in_0_q_have%20it%20your%20way

This project was produced as a classroom exercise with limited resources and rudimentary equipment. It was not created as a professional production, commercial release, or project intended to represent a professional body of work. The film was uploaded to YouTube solely because online publication was part of the assignment requirements for the course, rather than as part of a genuine effort to distribute or promote the work to the general public.

At the time, I personally added the title and listed myself in several capacities, including acting and various production roles. As an inexperienced student, I did not understand the long-term implications of adding an introductory classroom project to IMDb or associating it permanently with my professional filmography.

I understand that IMDb's Title Eligibility guidelines state that, “For a work to be eligible for inclusion in the database it must be of general public interest and should be available to the public or have been available in the past.” IMDb further explains that eligibility is not simply a matter of whether a work exists, but whether it fulfills the requirements for inclusion in the database.

While this project technically existed online as a result of an academic requirement, I respectfully question whether an entry-level classroom assignment uploaded solely for coursework genuinely meets IMDb's standard of “general public interest.” The project was never commercially distributed, released theatrically, broadcast on television, accepted into a film festival, covered by media, or otherwise independently recognized as a work of public or industry interest. Its existence online was incidental to its educational purpose.

IMDb's own eligibility guidance makes an important distinction between the mere existence of a title and its eligibility for inclusion. IMDb states that “Eligibility is not the same thing as existence. We are not just trying to verify that a title exists: we need to verify that it fulfills our requirements to be listed.”

This distinction is particularly relevant in this case. The existence of a YouTube upload should not, by itself, transform a private academic exercise into a legitimate professional or publicly significant production. The upload was made to fulfill course requirements, not as an intentional professional release or effort to establish the project as part of the entertainment industry.

Additionally, IMDb's Title Submission FAQ acknowledges that titles already present in the database may not necessarily remain eligible under current standards. IMDb states:

“There may also be titles in the database that were added many years ago when our criteria were somewhat different. They might no longer be eligible according to current rules. Finally some titles might have got in by mistake. Such titles are removed as they are identified.”

IMDb further states:

“We remove ineligible titles all the time. If you are aware of titles that you believe are not eligible to be listed, feel free to bring them to our attention and our processing team will be glad to reassess their status.”

I am respectfully doing exactly that: bringing this title to IMDb's attention and requesting that its eligibility be reassessed.

Since completing my education and gaining legitimate professional experience in the film and television industry, I have become increasingly concerned that the continued presence of this introductory classroom assignment on IMDb creates a misleading representation of my professional career. Someone viewing my filmography could reasonably interpret this project as a professional credit or as work that I intentionally chose to represent my abilities as a filmmaker and industry professional. That is not the case.

This was fundamentally an educational exercise created for academic purposes. It was never intended to function as a professional release, industry credit, or permanent representation of my professional work. Its inclusion alongside legitimate professional film and television productions creates the misleading appearance that it is part of my professional body of work.

I fully acknowledge that I was personally responsible for adding the title as a student. However, I did so without understanding the permanence and professional implications of creating an IMDb listing. I am not requesting that IMDb remove legitimate professional history merely because I have since outgrown the work. I am specifically requesting that IMDb reassess whether this project should have qualified as an eligible title in the first place.

Given its origin as an entry-level academic assignment, its lack of independent public or industry recognition, and the fact that its online availability existed solely as a requirement of the course, I respectfully believe that this title does not meaningfully satisfy IMDb's requirement of being of “general public interest.”

I respectfully request that IMDb staff review the title under its current eligibility standards and remove it from the database if it is determined that the project does not meet those requirements.

Again, the title is "Have It Your Way", and it is linked here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30296396/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_5_tt_6_nm_2_in_0_q_have%20it%20your%20way

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Grayson Garrick