So you are thinking of creating a person database with some movie information attached to the person profiles?

I don't think your idea will work, sorry.

I don't know what you what you are talking about with regards to creating a person's database..

The actor's page already is listing their movies..

So why not have a "Add movie button" on the actors page that we can directly search for movies already in the database and add it to their info?

e.g. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6885-charlize-theron

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Currently method requires searching for each movie one at a time.

1. Click edit
2. Click cast
3. Click Add new cast
4. Search for person

Repeat for each movie that we want to add that actor to each movie..

This is an extremely cumbersome and ineffecient method.

But how do you propose to get the character name into that equation? Or do you just propose a direct link to the add new cast credit from the person profile? What you want would lead to bad data, which is why it is not a good idea.

(Edit: And how do you propose to sort the cast credits from the person profile? This makes no sense.)

I am not sure how it would work on your end to make it work but if we do what you suggested in second point could work..

If when we click add movie in Actors profile, then we search the movie in the database.. If it finds a movie, then It will appear a prompt box for Character name which we can add and then click submit etc..

However I think character name should not be mandatory option, since I know of many foreign movies e.g. Korean movies that don't always lists their characters names but they do list the actors name. So we can still leave character's name blank and still be able to click submit.

Also currently in the regular way of adding cast person's name to a movie, it is not mandatory to have their character's name..but we can still add the cast person's name. since it might not be available or known at the time of editing, but someone else later on who finds that info can add it if they know it.

So it should be kept the same way in this method. -ie. Characters name should be prompt but not mandatory.

BTW Most of the information we can add to TMDB is optional rather than mandatory..

E.g. Cast, Characters name, release date info, posters/backdrops etc..

Not everyone who adds data to TMDB knows or have all the information or data for that movie but we try our best from whatever source we get that info from.. and someone else who has that info can fill in the missing info later on..

This is how TMDB has always worked.. Which is why it is so much easier to contribute than IMDB .

Sorry, but I just don't see any benefit with what you are proposing. You don't want to add credits on the movie page, but prefer to add it from the person profile page. But in the end you would just be doing the same thing. So the only possible solution would be to have a feature doing what you describe (at the actor's profile you click add credit, find the movie, click and then you are taken to the cast page for that movie and add the credit there). So you would save a couple of clicks.

While looking for missing credits is a good way to contribute data here, you should instead see that all data contributions for a movie are made at the movie entry. I don't like contributions where someone adds one credit for a movie and don't have time to add at least a few other major credits as well.

So let's assume you want to add 25 credits for a new movie. You would then prefer to find 25 actors and then add the credits that way? Or is this something you want to do once or twice, but the rest of the time it would not be needed? In that case, that is another reason for not wanting this feature.

No I am not sure what you are talking about..

All I am saying is that I know an actor has made all these movies, and I want to fill in the missing movies quickly for that actor.. To do this with the current method is inefficient and cumbersome.

It is a waste of time trying to do this with current method since it involves a lot more work..so I just don't bother..

So what happens is there are movies that we know of that is missing those actors.. that can be linked with the movies and the actors.

Your exaggeration of 25 credits is overblown and not usual for most movies.. Who really is going to waste their time adding 25 credits realistically? Most people would just add main characters / casts members and be done with it.. When did I ever say I would want to add that much characters..

Also as I said when people add movies data, they try as best as they can to add whatever they know of. Some people add just movies and the main data while not adding any cast members or release info, yet we can still do this.. Then someone else who finds that movie and can add more data like cast, release info then can do that..

Why can we do this? Because not everyone who contributes knows or has all the info at the time of editing but they add whatever they can or want to add.

BTW your responses appears very antagonistic and comes across as almost sarcastic tone.. I am just a regular contributor to this site that I like to help add movies to the database and I just notice something which I think would improve the site.

Without us contributors there would not be much of a database on this site.

Example of incomplete movie cast characters name

Cast was added but missing many characters name..

https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/340022-american-express/edit?active_nav_item=cast

Your solution only works for a person database. Otherwise it's a luxury solution for a few cases now and then.

It is a waste of time trying to do this with current method since it involves a lot more work..so I just don't bother..

That is fine. There are lots of other people who can add data. Is there any information you think is worth adding to a movie entry then? Since even adding a poster involves a lot of clicks...

Your exaggeration of 25 credits is overblown and not usual for most movies.. Who really is going to waste their time adding 25 credits realistically?

Let's assume you want to add the top 10 actors for a movie. You would then search for all the person profiles, then add each credit that way? Excuse me, but I find that highly unlikely.

BTW your responses appears very antagonistic and comes across as almost sarcastic tone..

Sorry about that, but your idea is not quite working.

I also think you got stuck on me mentioning character names. The point with mentioning that is that if you want to add correct information, the ability to add the character name has to be there and then you are just back with the current system. I can see what you want. You just want to click, add the credit and then others can add character names and decide where the credit should be positioned. But would it be worth the effort to create that system just for the benefit of a few users - who most likely won't even be using that method most of the time? You know my answer already.

"Let's assume you want to add the top 10 actors for a movie. You would then search for all the person profiles, then add each credit that way? Excuse me, but I find that highly unlikely."

No don't assume anything..

Who says I want to add 10 actors to a movie.. Not everyone will waste their time sitting down adding 10 actors to a movie..

At best most of time they might add a few main characters.. then be done with that movie..after filling in the main required parts..

How you are thinking/seeing this suggestion is wrong...

Look at it this way.. If someone was a fan of a particular actor they can go to that actors profile page and quickly add missing movies to that actors profile. This in turn would result in all those movies also having that actor's missing information added to the cast information.

Also let's look at your own argument. If I know an actor is missing 5 to 10 movies, do you think I will search for each movie one at a time.. Go through all those cumbersome and inefficient steps just to add that actor to each of those movies? How likely is that?

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No you not are getting it...

The whole point of this suggestion is so we can add movies to an actors profile more easier than current method. Basically fill in any missing info that would quickly link an actor to more of their movies that are missing that actor's credit on that movie.

Which in turn would result in the movie information being more complete..since there are many movies missing cast members..

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If we look up an actors profile on IMDB, we can quickly see this actors movie credits and then compare to the TMDB we can see this is missing these movies and quickly add those movies and their characters to their profile. This in turn would quickly fill in the missing cast members of those movies..

Thus the movie cast credit would be more complete and therefore the movie info would be more up to date and more complete.

And as I said, we fill in what data we know or can fill in. If we can add the characters name with the actor in that movie then we would..else we would leave it blank...

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You are not getting the purpose of this suggestion which is to make more movies information more complete and accurate.

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No I am not stuck on the characters name.. The only reason I am referring to characters name is to point out that people fill in what information they can... and referring to your comment "But how do you propose to get the character name into that equation"

Look at this example, some people/person has added alot of the cast members but did not know the characters name

https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/340022-american-express/edit?active_nav_item=cast

Here is an imdb page that you can add new movies to an actor's movie filmography profile

http://i.imgur.com/yRqz89e.png

After you do this, the movie in turn would also have the actors credit added to the movie cast.. Therefore the movie information will now be more complete, accurate and up to date.

I think it'll just lead to more straight copying from IMDb without actually skimming through movie end-credits.

For independent/non US movies IMDb is often flat-out wrong/incomplete.

@alltimemarr said:

I think it'll just lead to more straight copying from IMDb without actually skimming through movie end-credits.

For independent/non US movies IMDb is often flat-out wrong/incomplete.

No I am just using IMDB as an example of one of the source.. and your assumption that most people who get their cast data are looking at or should be looking at movie end credits is wrong..

The truth is we don't know where people are getting their cast information from it could come any number of sources including -imdb, rotten tomatoes, film news sites etc..

Also people who contribute to this website might not even be native speakers of those movies (foreign language movies) they added.. so I don't think they would even be able to read those end credits..

There's no way to know or prove where people get their data from or if the data is even correct.

So to use imdb as an example to reject this suggestion is wrong.

You should look at the actual suggestion itself which is a way to get more complete information for movies.. which is often missing cast information....

If someone is a fan of an actor, they will spend some time to make sure the actor has all their missing movie credits added to their filmography.. But the current method is extremely cumbersome and inefficient as mention in above posts.

Just look how IMDB implements it..

Here is an imdb page that you can add new movies to an actor's movie filmography profile http://i.imgur.com/yRqz89e.png

This will populate the actor's filmography with any missing movies.. This in turn has an effect that those movies cast credit is now more accurate and complete whereas before it was missing that actor's name and character.

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The unfounded fear that somehow implementing this feature would lead to more movies information being inaccurate...is just wrong..

This site has always being open to free editing by registered contributors and we contributors will do everything as best as we can to add accurate correct information.. and if someone else notices something they think is wrong, they will fix it..

This will remain unchanged and data will not be any more inaccurate if this feature was implemented.

The only thing this feature will do is make movies information more complete...

@madmax2,

I just read this whole discussion and I agree with @lineker: I don't see a significant advantage of your general suggestion in the long run. I kind of understand your wish and the purpose to have more complete actor's pages. However, would it be worth the time to program the workaround for all the special cases? I doubt this very much, actually - I think it's not worth the effort.

See, on one hand you write:

If someone was a fan of a particular actor they can go to that actors profile page and quickly add missing movies to that actors profile.

Then you write:

If I know an actor is missing 5 to 10 movies, do you think I will search for each movie one at a time.

But don't you think that if someone is a fan of an actor, she or he would use either way, no matter how long it takes? I don't really see your argument here - both ways are actually work to be done by the fan, and I doubt it would be quicker. Because there are a few more things also to consider that you don't mention:

1. What about roles in television etc., meaning not movie appearances? You only write about movies, but what if actors/actresses also appear on tv? So, in order to complete many actor's pages, you need a differentiation between movie and tv section, and then you have to think about how to display episodes of tv shows to select by a contributor, and so on. That's a lot of programming by Travis and clicking and choosing by you as contributor.

2. @lineker already mentioned the problem of sorting the cast credits of a movie from an actor's page -> how do you implement this and how would a user add this information without looking at the movie page? Also, if it comes to tv credits, you have to differentiate between show / season regulars and guest stars, which can be really complicated when actors change between seasons. For example, imagine: season 1 only guest star, season 2 regular cast member, season 3 guest star again -> adding those credits from an actor's page would be horrific and lots of work, in my opinion. (IMDb doesn't have this differentiation, TMDb sadly does -> one of the things I really dislike about TMDb in general, because it complicates contributing instead of making it easier, in my opinion)

3. You only mention pages for actors/actresses, not those for crew members. In my opinion, TMDb already focusses too much on actors/actresses rather than the whole crews of movies/tv shows. Which is kind of understandable, because the public is generally more interested in actors/actresses. However, as a movie database that wants to be taken seriously, there has to be given more weight to all entries than just the 5 or 6 stars of a movie or a show. So, what's with all those other people and their pages - how do you suggest to implement the differences between actors and non-actors, or even people who do both (directors who act like Woody, for example)? How do you implement the workaround for their job titles next to their names? I'm not entirely sure, but this looks like hell for any programmer ... poor Travis. :-(

4. Another point is that - in my experience - most actors/people in the film/tv business don't have long credit lists -> so this would only help adding credits for the stars and make your life easier in those few cases. You replied above to @lineker:

Your exaggeration of 25 credits is overblown and not usual for most movies

I don't think that's correct -> most movies easily have 25 credits, and a lot more if you count whole crews. I agree with you that most people probably won't "waste their time adding 25 credits" or more per each movie -> but that's how it should be and I would wish to be, actually. I mean, you write about more complete actor's pages - what about more complete movie pages? The problem is that no one will add credits for people they don't know, may they be C-, D- or E-list actors, or make up artists, or camera assistants, or casting directors, or second second assistant directors, or digital imaging technicians, or gaffers, or foley editors, or re-recording mixers, or ... this list goes on and on. As a movie database, those people should be as important as any star actor or actress.

So, all in all, in my opinion, your suggestion means a luxury for those few contributions to pages of actors/actresses that are prominent. And that's why I think it's not really worth Travis' time to implement this suggestion. I can't see people using this very often, and the way of contributing strikes me as complicated as the current way when you look into all those details. Although, there's one thing I did like - @lineker wrote above:

So the only possible solution would be to have a feature doing what you describe (at the actor's profile you click add credit, find the movie, click and then you are taken to the cast page for that movie and add the credit there). So you would save a couple of clicks.

That would actually be nice and seems intuitive. I'm not sure it's easy to implement, though ... :-(

Just my two cents ...

Best wishes,

janar

"Love [...] is the most incredible gift to give and to receive as a human being." - Ellen Page

@janar72 Just because they are are fan don't mean they want to waste any more time of their life than necessary and it takes more effort to do the current cumbersome inefficient method. Why don't you try adding 5 to 10 movies of the same actor to those movies using the current method and see how much more work it would take compared to my suggestion.

It is just too cumbersome and not worth the effort.

People want to spend the least effort. If it takes too much work they just wouldn't bother..

Also when I say fan, I mean it not necessary has to be a hardcore fan of an actor..

It would be simply as "Hey I seen this actor a few times in a number of movies, but I notice they are missing movie listing in the filmography..so it would be good to fill in the missing info.. But the current method is too much effort so won't bother.

=== Your ideals about adding crews is not realistic with what the reality of this site actually contains..

The majority of this site contributors just add movies, actors and posters.. They don't give toss about the crew except maybe for the big popular directors etc..

This is reality.. Most people just don't care who the sound grip or costume designer is.. Do you think they are looking at the end credits and writing down who was the sound grip and costume designer was?

This site will never be as in depth as IMDB data

You bring on crews to the argument is pointless cos most contributors here just don't care about adding them to the movie information.. Even though you like the ideal for the movie to be complete with crew information.. The reality is ..most people just don't care who the crew was..

Realistically, most contributors would just be adding the movie info, release date and a poster and at best, a few main cast members..

They are not going to be wasting their 30 minutes of life or more adding each crew members for just one movie..

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The reason I suggested this feature for actors page is because that is what the majority of contributors are focus on. This will ensure that the cast information would be more complete..and therefore the movie information is more complete...

It might not be complete with crew information (like your ideals) but at least it is still increasing the % of movie completion..which is currently missing many cast members from many movies..

And the few people who do care about crews, can still add that information via the movie information page like it has always been.

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The reason I focus on movies is because this is "The Movie Database". So majority of the contributors here are focusing on Movies...

Sure, this site might have gone on to add TV as a section.. But at it's heart it would always be about movies..

If you want to focus on TV, there is a much better, bigger and more in depth site for that http://thetvdb.com/

It doesn't mean that this feature can't be implemented because of this reason though..

If you look at this actors page, you can see he has movies and tv credits..

https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17419-bryan-cranston

But if you click on movies button on his page, then it only shows movies.. So the Add movie button will only appear when it is only showing all movies

And when it is only showing TV credits. only the "Add TV shows" button would appear. When no buttons are are pressed, than it does not not show any "Add" buttons...

Ideally, when the site was designed, it should have separated TV and movies credits on an actor's profile page, but this was poorly designed unlike IMDB which implemented this much better.

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OR

you can simply have a "Add credit" button on a person's profile then have a drop down list of what the type of data it is e.g. actor, director, producer,

So it could look something like this

Add credit button

• drop down list = type of data (e.g. actor, director, producer etc )
• movie title text box
• if drop down list chosen was actor then an another text box would be enabled to input character name

This would solve your other issue and can be implemented on crew profile page. This would also solve issue you mention with e.g. Woody Allen's profile page.