TV-movies problem found

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  • Updated 6 months ago
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  • (Edited)
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Hey all,
In a few years time I've corrected over 3000 tv-specials which were added as tv-movies.
These were mostly concerts, stand-up shows and awards shows.
I've always wondered why so many people add them as movies when 'tv-special' is an option too when adding a TV title.
But I might have finally found the reason; it's in the site's policy. I've found it here:
https://help.imdb.com/article/imdb/discover-watch/how-do-you-decide-if-a-title-is-a-film-a-tv-movie-...#
' (1)= TV pilots and TV Specials are also categorized as "TV Movies" '

Could this be the reason or do you think it's something else?
My other theory is that the keyword 'tv-special' NEEDS to be added as well, otherwise it'll end up as a movie anyway. And that most people don't know / do that.
Love to hear some feedback.
Have a good day!
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M J

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Posted 10 months ago

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10 months ago
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MAthePA

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Hi, M J.
Not sure if there is a problem.
All the titles categorized as TV movies:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title?title_type=tv_movie&view=simple&count=100
All the titles categorized as TV specials:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title?title_type=tv_special&view=simple&count=100
Both together:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title?title_type=tv_movie,tv_special&view=simple&count=100

And only one among
TV movies keyworded as "tv-special":
https://www.imdb.com/search/title?title_type=tv_movie&keywords=tv-special&view=simple&co...
(Edited)
10 months ago
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Will, Official Rep

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Hi M J,

It is the same title type (TV Movie) if that makes sense, but the tv-special keyword gets added which makes it display as a special. When you first submit a title this is presented as a separate option though. 

I hope this helps. 

Regards,
Will
10 months ago
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M J

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Will! I guess I finally have my answer, thanks!
So adding a new title as 'tv-special' instead of 'tv-movie' doesn't actually change anything?
Is this a bug that started after implementing the tv-specials?
Cheers!
10 months ago
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Will, Official Rep

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Hi M J,

Yes it changes the display, for example, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9168816/?ref_=nv_sr_2?ref_=nv_sr_2 displays as a TV Special




Internally this is stored as a TV Movie with an added tv-special keyword, which makes this display as a TV Special. You can see this if you hit the edit page option looking at the format of the title.



which shows it as a TV movie. I hope this helps explain the situation.

Regards,
Will
2019-05-08T10:28:20+00:00
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MAthePA

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Q: Is this a bug that started after implementing the tv-specials?..
A: Yes it changes the display...
interesting...
10 months ago
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M J

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I'm sorry, I still don't get it. If only the addition of the keyword 'tv-special' makes it display as tv-special, then what is the difference between choosing 'TV-movie' or 'TV-special' when adding a new title?
2019-05-08T17:44:26+00:00
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MAthePA

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As I understand, all of them are added as 'TV-movie'.
But when adding you choose 'TV-special', then such title is automatically supplied with 'tv-special' keyword. 
The TV-Movies with 'tv-special' keyword are displayed as 'TV Special' then.

PS: but the above conception corresponds hardly to the advanced search that I provided at the top. Otherwise, Melodi grand prix has a bug for searching, or another way to be keyworded as 'tv-special'.
(Edited)
10 months ago
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Eboy

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I’m also a bit confused. I recently added one title and chose ”TV Special” from (more or less) the first page when adding a new title. I noticed that it’s listed as a ”TV Movie”. Didn’t add any keywords.
2019-05-09T01:29:50+00:00
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Jeorj Euler

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The submission reviewers may have made a conscious choice to prevent the keyword from being added.
2019-05-09T08:18:17+00:00
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Will, Official Rep

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Have you got an example of this? The keyword generated from the TV Special selection may have been rejected.
(Edited)
2019-05-09T09:51:20+00:00
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Peter, Champion

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I just added next year's Oscars, selecting TV special, but without adding the keyword manually. See for yourself whether it automatically generates the keyword:

https://contribute.imdb.com/updates/u...
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10305932/
2019-05-09T11:13:19+00:00
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M J

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I guess we finally have our answer, Thanks Peter.
2019-05-09T13:06:42+00:00
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Will, Official Rep

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Thank you for the example, I've reported this now for our tech teams to investigate.

Regards,
Will
2019-05-21T12:11:38+00:00
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M J

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Any news on this? :)
2019-05-23T16:05:08+00:00
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precumbrium_

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I added some tv-specials without the keyword but they were still displayed as tv-movies so it's still the same.
2019-07-14T08:59:28+00:00
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M J

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https://www.imdb.com/search/keyword/?mode=detail&page=1&title_type=tvMovie&ref_=kw_ref_g...

Someone is adding a ton of soccer matches, probably as tv-specials but they're all shown as tv-movies. I've already corrected thousands of them but this is madness.
Also, they should've been added as episodes and the soccer league as a series, like the World Cups.
I don't understand why titles get approved so easily, contributors can damage the database easily and no one will notice.
I don't get it.
10 months ago
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Eboy

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I guess it mostly comes down to the keyword (I already asked about this a few years ago, it seems):

https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topi...

I guess the confusing part is that does it really matter whether we choose ”TV Movie” or ”TV Special” when we choose the title ”type” from the first part of the new title form? Meaning, if you still ALSO have to add the ”tv-special” keyword later on.
10 months ago
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Will, Official Rep

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Hi all,

It does matter, if you choose the TV special option when you choose the type, that automatically applies the tv-special keyword to the title so you don't have to.

If for example, you had a TV movie that is already live on IMDb that should be listed as a TV special, you can change it to that by adding the tv-special keyword.
2019-05-09T08:42:59+00:00
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MAthePA

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OK, it's previously understood. Then why the search:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title?title_type=tv_movie&keywords=tv-special&view=simple&co...
results in one option Melodi grand prix ?
A glitch?
Or it was a rare case when the keyword was added manually?
8 months ago
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gromit82, Champion

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Will: Can you please test whether choosing "TV special" as the title type does automatically add the "tv-special" keyword to a new title as it is supposed to? In the past, I have seen that it didn't, because there were titles which I submitted with TV special as the title type, but I forgot to submit the "tv-special" keyword, and the title showed up as a TV movie in the database.

Maybe this has been fixed since then ... but if it really had been fixed, then we wouldn't see this error as much as M J reports above.
8 months ago
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Eboy

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Yes, this has been the main point/question all along. Perhaps it’s best to test it.
8 months ago
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Will, Official Rep

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Apologies, I did cut a ticket based on this thread and the issue, you are correct, the radio button does not seem to add the keyword. This is still to be prioritized though.

Thanks,
Will
6 months ago
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Will, Official Rep

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Good news! This is now fixed so when you submit a title with the TV Special option selected this will automatically add the keyword.

Thanks,
Will
2019-08-16T16:35:02+00:00
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MAthePA

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Will, thank you.

I hope the fix also effected the "adult" genre.
If not, here is the bad news on similar issue: there is no automatic switch to "adult" when the two keywords (sex, hardcore) are added, as it is intended.
6 months ago
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Eboy

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I added one ”TV Special” some days ago (which then was marked as ” TV Movie”), but this is probably a very recent update? And not retroactive?

Thanks, though!
6 months ago
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M J

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Do you have a link to the title Eboy, and was it displayed as tv-special some hours later?
6 months ago
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Eboy

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No, it’s still ”TV Movie”. But like I said, this was maybe a week ago, so the (bug) update probably wasn’t ready then.
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