@filmsgy19201 said:

If a film has a little known cast and crew let the film be. Even if it's a student film. Stop deleting people's art.

This site has rules on what is allowed on the database. Student films are generally not allowed (although there are some guidelines that allow exceptions). You can read more here: https://www.themoviedb.org/bible/new_content#59f7933c9251413e9300000b

Edit: btw films are deleted by moderators. and also btw the films that are deleted are deleted based on the rules, not whether or not they've seen them or whether or not the cast/crew is well known.

If you created the deleted films' entries then you should have received a message about it. And if you disagree based on the rules that the entry should have not been deleted, then you should be able to respond to them explaining why you disagree.

@softpillow I'm an amateur filmmaker and your database deems me as being a youtuber. Though many of these films are not put on YouTube, you have assumed that I'm not worthy of your database. I saw tmdb as a way to promote my movies and improve through feedback. Your regulations prohibite this for me and many other young filmmakers who should be given a chance to improve. So I am disappointed and believe that this must be changed.

Despite this, I thank you for your reply.

Although, I still disagree with the views and values of the content bible and I'm steadfast in my belief that it should be more open minded, I am thankful for your clarification.

Edit: for clarification I created these entries but I deleted my account that I created them on.

@filmsgy19201 said:

@softpillow I'm an amateur filmmaker and your database deems me as being a youtuber. Though many of these films are not put on YouTube, you have assumed that I'm not worthy of your database. I saw tmdb as a way to promote my movies and improve through feedback. Your regulations prohibite this for me and many other young filmmakers who should be given a chance to improve. So I am disappointed and believe that this must be changed.

Despite this, I thank you for your reply.

Although, I still disagree with the views and values of the content bible and I'm steadfast in my belief that it should be more open minded, I am thankful for your clarification.

Edit: for clarification I created these entries but I deleted my account that I created them on.

This is not my database, I'm just a user like you. I did not create these rules, nor do I enforce them. I'm simply pointing to you that there are rules on this site that you can read, that explain to you what is and isnt allowed on the site. I do this because it seems (based on this post you created) you do not understand the rules of the site.

Also, what makes you say the database assumes you are a youtuber?

EDIT: Well, unfortunately if your movies are not allowed on this site based on the rules, then you incorrectly viewed tmdb as a way to promote and improve. That is not really the purpose of this site. Perhaps you can find or create a different site or method to do what you are trying to achieve. But atm, as long as your movies are not allowed based on the rules, then you will have to find something else. Things may change in future but I wouldnt hold my breath.

@softpillow I'm sorry for my hypocrisy within my statement. I shouldn't have directed my question in such an emotional manner.

I will say this to clarify: my contention was not directed at you, the user. I merely made this post to protest against TMDB's rules and regulations. TMDB, through its connection to sites such as Letterboxd, has the capabilities to channel an interactive way of discourse between small filmmaker's. Allowing them to share and rate each other's work. The TMDB guidelines seem to go against this possibility.

So my question to you is, how could I potentially persuade change in this "content bible". Because as a filmmaker, I heavily disagree with it's policies. If you cannot help me, or advise me thanks totally ok. I thank you for your time and have a good day.

Edit: I made the assumption that the sight viewed me as a youtuber based on it's Youtube guidelines.

@filmsgy19201 said:

@softpillow I'm an amateur filmmaker and your database deems me as being a youtuber. Though many of these films are not put on YouTube, you have assumed that I'm not worthy of your database. I saw tmdb as a way to promote my movies and improve through feedback. Your regulations prohibite this for me and many other young filmmakers who should be given a chance to improve. So I am disappointed and believe that this must be changed.

Just pointing it out there that TMDb does not exist as a means of promotion. If an "amateur movie" has been screened at one of more film festival (renowed, not like a local small town festival where anything goes) it's allowed to be in the database, as the work has been recognised by authoritive organisations.

Should an amateur project be screened at a selective and relevant film festival (e.g. a small town festival, a youth film festival or the Cannes Short Film Corner do not qualify), have a proper theatre release (e.g. a private/rented screening do not qualify), be on national TV in a country (e.g. small, local channels do not qualify), be on Netflix or an equivalent (e.g. content uploaded to your own YouTube channel, Vimeo or website, or Amazon Prime do not qualify), or picked up and sold by a proper distributor (e.g. local stores do not qualify), it might be allowed.

@filmsgy19201 said:

So my question to you is, how could I potentially persuade change in this "content bible". Because as a filmmaker, I heavily disagree with it's policies. If you cannot help me, or advise me thanks totally ok. I thank you for your time and have a good day.

You can't persuade anyone. It's about factual circumstances. If your movie got an actual screening, it's no longer deemed "amateur content". What would this database be without such guidelines? Anyone and their mother could add their homevideos to the database just because they wanna scrape info for it on some home cinema system Kodi something.

Perhaps there's some Reddit communities where you can promote your content? (I'm not well versed in the Reddit scene, so I can't help you there, but I'm pretty sure there's a Reddit page for ANYTHING. Just be sure to read their community guidelines about what's allowed or not.

Also, did you really just add more not allowed content to the database

https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1500200-untitled-harry-veal-feature-film

If John Cassavetes was still around you would take down his movies too by this logic. How's does a piece become credible only once it's been sold off by a company, as if the business behind it is what makes it art. I shouldn't have the bring up Vincent Van Gogh but is his art any less powerful or important just because it never made a profit? No, this close minded view could be at the detriment of young creators.

I'm starting to make more ambitious projects myself and you silence them because it's "incorrect". I already made the movie, why take it down?

@filmsgy19201 said:

If John Cassavetes was still around you would take down his movies too by this logic.

I dont know anything about that director but it seems you are wrong. You can find his movies here: https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11147-john-cassavetes .

It seems his independent films were released on dvd and/or shown at festivals, etc.

How's does a piece become credible only once it's been sold off by a company, as if the business behind it is what makes it art.

I shouldn't have the bring up Vincent Van Gogh but is his art any less powerful or important just because it never made a profit? No, this close minded view could be at the detriment of young creators.

Again, this site doesnt exist to argue or to validate any film/tv show how powerful or important or whether it not it makes a profit. It is not this site's concern what is the best thing for young creators. And again this site isnt determining what is or isnt art nor is it determining what is or isnt "credible". It's simply a database of tv and movies that are professionally released (on tv, in theatres, in festivals, in physical media by distribution companies, on streaming platforms etc.).

I'm starting to make more ambitious projects myself and you silence them because it's "incorrect". I already made the movie, why take it down?

Because rules exist, and they exist for a good reason. Obviously there are reasons why breaking the rules because someone wants to is a bad idea (it encourages more rulebreaking, and more complaints about rules not being applied fairly).

Your projects still exists even if it isnt on this site. There are many other ways to promote and get your film recognition/attention.

I see what you are saying, however, what separates platforms like YouTube from Netflix? The movie Clerks made on $4000, if it wernt pick up and distributed by a studio, it wouldn't appear on TMDB even if had a similar love and attention through purely online means. In short TMDB needs to adapt to a new form of distribution for purely independent and online creations.

I am arguing this because Letterboxd uses tmdb to outsource its information. The need for this 3rd party makes it hard for my friends to interact with my work. It creates an unorganised portfolio where they will 2 versions of me on letterboxd. I dont to look at my work and have it unorganised.

Thanks for your time.

@filmsgy19201 said:

I see what you are saying, however, what separates platforms like YouTube from Netflix?

The movie Clerks made on $4000, if it wernt pick up and distributed by a studio, it wouldn't appear on TMDB even if had a similar love and attention through purely online means.

Youtube is a social media platform. All it takes to upload a video onto youtube is just to create a free account and upload a video file. There are billions of videos on YouTube, and it would literally be impossible to add them all and still make any decent attempt to maintain the other rules of this site if anything uploaded onto youtube was allowed. TMDB has to draw the line somewhere so that not every single thing uploaded on the internet ends up on this database making the database a mess.

There is no perfect or objectively correct way to draw the line, but drawing the line at the movie/tv show has to have a professional release (physical media from distribution comanies, theatre screenings, festivals, streaming platforms, etc.) is logical, and practical and easy to verify and enforce. Its also great in that it isnt overly complex or subjective (doesnt require too much analysis or judgement)- and so shoudlnt make it difficult to understand and shouldnt create too many difficult and tiring arguments. It also shouldnt be prone to any bias or suspicions or allegations of bias, since its a black and white concrete rule.

Netflix is not a social media platform. You cannot simply create a free account with just an email, and then start uploading videos. Thats a huge difference between YouTube and Netflix. There are hundreds of thousands of movie and tv show entries on this site, and millions of data to add, fix, verify, etc. from posters to episode titles, to air dates, to official trailers, to original airing order, production companies, spoken languages, runtimes, tv status, etc. Imagine if you add to that having to have arguments about which youtube videos should and shouldnt be allowed on the site based off of what people think is and isnt art, is and isnt "credible", or how much money videos made or how much "love and attention" it gets, etc. that would be a nightmare, and impractical and a huge drain of time- especially for the few moderators of this site.

In short TMDB needs to adapt to a new form of distribution for purely independent and online creations.

Purely independent and online creations have been around for a very long time and these rules were created as a response to deal with the issue of those creations. Theres no need to adapt to something that isnt new and tmdb already is aware and has a stance on these creations.

I am arguing this because Letterboxd uses tmdb to outsource its information. The need for this 3rd party makes it hard for my friends to interact with my work. It creates an unorganised portfolio where they will 2 versions of me on letterboxd. I dont to look at my work and have it unorganised.

That's unfortunate. I dont use Letterboxd so perhaps you should complain to them and get them to use another site for their information if you want to fix that issue of yours.

EDIT: also yes, I dont really know the movie Clerks, but if it didnt get any professional release, then regardless of how much or little money, or love and attention it gets, it wouldnt be allowed on this site.

I understand what you are saying. I feel that tmdb is not the place for me however I will likely continue to upload movies just to have them on letterboxd, I don't need on tmdb permanently but it does make my profile quite unorganised. For a movie to be on letterboxd it will tale 1 day for it to upload so, if you were to delete my content please consider the 24 hours it takes. Thanks for your time.

Also if I put myself and my actors on tmdb but you delete the content could you spread the word to at least keep the actor / crew profiles up so I can keep this portfolio consistent. If not that's totally OK. Have a good day.