Hi, I would like to know what peoples thoughts are on IMDB membership?
I understand you accept the 2 week trial, you give them your credit card details..After the initial 2 wk trial..you are given the option of paying the monthly membership....
is it worth it? what are the benefits? The only credit on IMDB i have is 'Scummy Man'.
ps. I have been pondering the idea of IMDB membership for a while..any feedback would be great?
There was another thread on this before, it may be worth finding that as it had a lot of advice offered regarding imbd. Some say its worth it as you can I believe add more info to your profile and there are casting breakdowns on the boards. I dont think it has that many uk based jobs compared to say pcr or cast web so if you are looking for that it may be better to invest in other sites, but from what I gather its good to join and if you want to work abroad its the main site casting directors check. try it and see I guess! x
Editorial Comment You're quite right, Caroline - here it is.
IMDB is a hugely important international film resource. With the new addition of "IMDB Resume", which allows actors to post entire CV's, it will gain even more strength in the industry.
IMDB - it's one of those things, isn't it. My advice would be to input a few names (try Murray Melvin - a great British actor with a long list of credits as an example), then see if they have created a profile - usually a photo will indicate if they have.
Compare that to your own existing entry and what you could put on. Then decide whether or not the cost of the thing equates to that subsequent profile.
Personally, I wouldn't do it until I had at least 10 decent high-Q drama/ movie credits. My page has about 3, they're missing about 5 and until you create a subscribed profile they ignore any attempt to inform them of the credible credits you have, but sometimes this can be due to the fact that some TV/ Film production companies only supply a list of above title actors.
The other thing about it is that it is quite difficult to find out who exactly uses it and whether or not it is a potentially valid casting resource. I suppose that contacting them with any queries would be the best bet.
We use IMDB as a way of verifying lesser known actors or to get the contact details for hte management of more established actors. I normally run a search on the productions listed on your resume if i get your profile from CCP or other similar sites to determine the extent of your experience. If it is not IMDB listed, i know it is a project that never had a screening at a credible festival or release because they are very strict about the productions that they list and you cannot get your film listed by simply paying.
That way we generally decide who is a professional actress and who has credentials from only student/friend 'type' productions. Hope this helps but it makes no difference if your pic is on or not. You will find that it is mostly the new talent who go to the trouble of putting thier pics because IMDB will normally link stills from films or thumbnails for wireimage for the more popular actors. In a nutshell, to the casting director it does not really matter.
Yes it stands for Lights, Camera, Action but no it has nothing to do with the site that you mentioned. I do not have a website. I am a freelance casting agent and that is my trading name. New to it all but have a few clients. I have been working as an editor and producer but in corporate videos and adverts. Not FTSE 100 clients yet but slowly getting there:)
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Not all filmmakers will submit their work to IMDB but that is a minority. It is the first place the trade tends to look for a screen project but that is also because they have such a stringent eligibility criteria.i.e If your production makes it, then not only was it legit but done to a certain standard because they are known for rejecting films who screen at some festivals because they do not consider them to be credible enough. It is a bit like saying your film is screening at Cannes or Sundance in competition. There is a certain expectation or assumption of standards. I do not think an IMDB listing will make or break your career but actors will always be categorised when casted because the production team will always look at things like press even in pre-production and things as simple as what you have done before or the way you look could get you a job if they think they can use it to sell the film. Fickle? I know but that is the truth.
I know what you mean Niky. I've got credits for speaking roles in drama productions that were broadcast on terrestrial tv that aren't listed on IMDB. It's a good resource, but by no means definitive.
I know you can actually add credits yourself if the production is on there but for some reason they have missed you off. I added myself to Coronation Street by linking to the Corrie.net website that had details of my appearence. The good thing is they really check everything so you know anyone on there has really done the work they claim.
And you can add productions but you need all the info about release dates and first screenings and stuff.
I would do that myself if I had all the details but because some of them are a few years ago, I can't get hold of all the info I need.
I am glad the photo thing doesn't put people off as I was considering it myself.
It's a good resource, absolutely! Definative, not in the slightest.
IMDb relies on production companies to submit their stuff for inclusion. A lot of UK companies don't bother or only submit the top names for inclusion.
A classic example was "The Flying Scotsman". Only Brian Cox was listed by IMDb originally. All other actors involved, including myself, were listed as Cast in alphabetical order. At one point, due to my surname, I was listed before Jonny Lee Millar who played the lead role. They have since sorted this out but only, I suspect, due to the recent release of the film at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
IMDb is also not fallable...For some reason in 2005 I was listed against The Hoff and Jasmin Bleeth as playing "The Killer" on Baywatch the movie due to go into production this year. I, obviously, had no idea what they were talking about and it took months to get them to remove it.
Anyone can submit information to IMDb once you work out how their system works and it's as easy to get a false credit entered on IMDb as it is on any other on line system.
I should also mention I have never falsified a credit on IMDb or any other site, nor do I condone anyone who has. I am merely pointing out it is easily done.
To use IMDb to "verify" new actors credentials is a very dangerous and preduditial game to be playing particularly as the information presented by IMDb isn't always correct.
Actors should be judged solely on their acting ability, but in the real world, this isn't the case and never will be.
My point exactly. It is not simply about what you do. Even if you are not on IMDB and someone wants to cast you in the lead, they will. People even write roles in if they think you have something that can benefit the production. A listing wont hurt but it does not help a decision. Using IMDB is helpful because it gives us screening information and we can check where it was screened. And even at festivals we can weigh the credibility based on their reputation and know what to expect. It is not definitive but a guide and one that is widely used.
I have three credits, two tv and one big budget film, which have not appeared on IMdb but should have by rights. This is down to the company (and these companies I refer to are long-established and well-known) not putting the details up rather than having had a 'friend' cast me in their little home movie - I resent the implication that our CV credits are worthless if not on IMdb.
Personally I would not worry too much about being on the IMdb.
Good casting directors see as many productions as they possibly can. Like squirrels storing nuts for the winter, they keep extensive notes and are continually adding to there collection of actor-profiles.
I have had several auditions for good roles were the CD has commented on see in me in some thing that was screened several years before the audition. I even had one CD mention they had see my work in a village hall in the middle of no were 10 years previously.
Of course not all casting directors are as hard working as the ones I have met. However all the casting directors listed in contacts or working at the BBC use spotlight to find the contact details of actors they have met before and would like to see again.
Good casting directors also have a list of their favourite agents and if you are with one of those agent it will be taken as red you are an experienced professional and that your credits are genuine.
Also the casting directors who have been guest speakers at my Equity branch or who have done talks for the NAC have never in my hearing mentioned IMdb as a must be in for actors. Though they have sometimes mentioned it as a good resource for knowing the work of a director you are about to meet.
Please read my posting carefully before you jump to unnecessary conclusions. I have not said that credits are worthless if not on IMDB. I have said that it is widely used but it is not definitive and will not alter someone's perception of you as an actor because IMDB listings are not necessarily for actors but for filmmakers. Yes, it is widely used to verify that a film did exist and also tells us the extent of screening/releases which is more to assess the skill of the crew behind it.It does not mean exclusive use. And if someone says that they had a role in a film one of the most accessible reference tools is IMDB because getting information from production companies can be a pain. With more established productions it is easier to find out because you are more likely to have heard of them but with independent/art house films tracking them down or proving their existence can be a bit tricky. I was responding to someone who wanted to know if it was worthwhile joining and i explained in my experience what IMDB was used for. i.e. What i used it for. And it is - to check that a film exists, to check that someone was a part of the cast or crew, to check release information and to find out agents/managers for more established acts (IMDB pro). Some companies will advertently leave some details out but unless the resume is full of inconsistencies your achievements cannot or will not be doubted because of one omission. But as i stated then and reiterate, whether you are on IMDB, Spotlight/Equity or not if someone wants to cast you they will.
We use IMDB as a way of verifying lesser known actors or to get the contact details for hte management of more established actors. I normally run a search on the productions listed on your resume if i get your profile from CCP or other similar sites to determine the extent of your experience. If it is not IMDB listed, i know it is a project that never had a screening at a credible festival or release because they are very strict about the productions that they list and you cannot get your film listed by simply paying.
can think of several projects that have never had a credible screening anywhere that are on there..including a TV series I worked on!
At least one of the actresses in the series has lots of " suspect" credits listed on the imdb.Also there are loads of good productions that aren't on there.
Alexeberlin, thank you for quoting, I shall do it again..."We use IMDB as a way of verifying lesser known actors or to get the contact details for hte management of more established actors. I normally run a search on the productions listed on your resume if i get your profile from CCP or other similar sites to determine the extent of your experience. If it is not IMDB listed, i know it is a project that never had a screening at a credible festival or release because they are very strict about the productions that they list and you cannot get your film listed by simply paying. That way we generally decide who is a professional actress and who has credentials from only student/friend 'type' productions" I don't think I was jumping to any farfetched conclusions from that. My credits, as I said before, which are not listed on IMDb are not listed because the production companies did not put them up. Not because they "never had a screening at a credible festival or release" or because they were "student/friend 'type' productions".
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