emma_walz's profile

4 Messages

 • 

748 Points

Wednesday, December 20th, 2017 3:46 PM

110

Script Supervisors Feel Cheated

We are NOT "miscellaneous crew", but because IMDB calls us that anyway, our "known for" sections are a complete disaster.

As a script supervisor in film/tv, I have one of the most important jobs on set. Any entertainment industry professional can vouch for that. During production, it's me, the director, the DP, and the 1st AD who are right in the fire. Yet, on IMDB, script supervisors have always been listed under "miscellaneous crew" as if we're not all that important. It's bothered us for years, but with your recent changes to the "known for" section it's now a complete disaster. Now all of our IMDB pages look terrible because the "known for" list is chosen by highest department. I've worked on major motion pictures but now instead of showing those, my page shows no-name films from college because I happened to be a set dresser, casting assistant, or even a PA (why that would ever come before script supervisor blows my mind). Producers and directors constantly use IMDB for hiring and now we all look like we've done squat. IMDB has essentially destroyed our resumes.

I know users can change the "known for" section if they have imdbPro but that's literally the only reason a script supervisor would need pro and it's just not worth the money. I signed up for the 30 day trial to take care of it for now because it's that terrifying to have it look so bad as a freelancer, but please, I'm begging IMDB to either change the "known for" rules or finally fix our category. Make a "continuity" department and put it in the area of priority it deserves. Or even list us in an already existent category that's more appropriate. Otherwise, your website will be viewed as less valuable and less reliable in this industry, and will become obsolete to a big chunk of professionals who rely on it to quickly assess a contractor's experience.

1 Message

 • 

162 Points

7 years ago

Yes this is rediculous . We need to have our department category

1 Message

 • 

202 Points

Seriously!! Script supervisors are not miscellaneous crew, we are essential!!! We are the director's right-hand man and the editor's only voice on set!!! Our role on set saves production months of work and millions in reshoots because we solve so many problems before they happen. We ensure that all of the footage and performances are actually useable! PLEASE IMDB MAKE THIS CHANGE! MAKE A DAMN CONTINUITY DEPARTMENT. This error is damaging to our careers, to all the films shot without us as a result, and is frankly insulting.

1 Message

 • 

124 Points

So so agree

1 Message

 • 

140 Points

We are a vital part of production and we should get rightful representation. Please IMDb, give us our own category!

~Sarah 

5 Messages

 • 

162 Points

I posted this same thing a while ago. I just looked? Woa... THAT WAS 3 YEARS AGO!!!  Locations was able to get their own category and here is the email I got when I reached out to Locations to see how they did it:

I guess the "not too distant future" is more than 3 years.... So really? What happened imdb?
Email: 

It took us a long time and a lot of work, but it finally worked out for us recently.  The good news for YOU is that I learned that there IS a plan to split you guys in the not too distant future.  I heard that the NEXT splits are most likely going to be:  Script Supervising, Electrical Department (which is mixed with Camera), and Production Office.  It used to be that these splits were many years in between, but it seems like they're going to be happening more often.

I hope it happens for you very soon!

Scott

 

5 Messages

 • 

326 Points

Gah! Annoying. Thanks for sharing that! 

5 Messages

 • 

326 Points

7 years ago

Please, yes, IMDB make script supervising/continuity a dept. 

2 Messages

 • 

192 Points

7 years ago

Agreed.

1 Message

 • 

162 Points

7 years ago

Agreed!

3 Messages

 • 

280 Points

7 years ago

It’s ridiculous that our earliest credits are now showing up as what we are ‘known for’ when in fact our best work is usually the position we’ve worked hard to attain.

IMDb friends, this has been ignored for too long.

1 Message

 • 

224 Points

7 years ago

I honestly can't believe we've been categorized as "Miscellaneous" for as long as we have. Please change this!

1 Message

 • 

180 Points

7 years ago

Couldn't agree more.  It's degrading.

1 Message

 • 

164 Points

7 years ago

Agreed!

1 Message

 • 

184 Points

7 years ago

Agree with all the above. This ABSOLUTELY needs to change!

1 Message

 • 

146 Points

7 years ago

AGREED!!!

1 Message

 • 

162 Points

7 years ago

Absolutely positively agreed! We are not miscellaneous crew and this needs to change!!

1 Message

 • 

202 Points

7 years ago

We are a department of one not some miscellaneous crew member. Script Supervisor needs to be an IMDB category, finally!

1 Message

 • 

164 Points

7 years ago

I think it is very important that we are considered a department not as a miscellaneous crew. Script supervisors are a crucial part to any production and a very key role in completing a film. We should have our own category since we are our own department.

2 Messages

 • 

332 Points

7 years ago

I think every one of my fellow script supervisors agree that it's fairly humiliating to see our position degraded in such a fashion. This problem would be so easy for IMDB to address. What would it take? One coder less than an hour to add a category? Perhaps less? I cannot understand why they've ignored our complaints for a decade or more.

4 Messages

 • 

748 Points

Absolutely. I'm sure it's probably more complicated than we think, especially to reorganize all the past credits, but it's definitely not too hard to be worth it. 

1 Message

 • 

150 Points

If the option was available, maybe we could go back and change our own past credits? Regardless, it would be nice. We're not miscellaneous on set or on call sheets...  :)

2 Messages

 • 

332 Points

I'm sure most of us would be happy to go back and change our own past credits if it was an option. I don't think anyone's asking IMDB to go back through a hundred years of cinema and correct every script supervisor's past listings. Just make us our own category.

1 Message

 • 

162 Points

7 years ago

Yes!! This!!