Apparently online since 1996 and (likely, to many) still one of the most invaluable movie resources available, the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) is another popular online company owned by Amazon (along with the Alexa website popularity ranking site, for instance). IMDB boasts over 25 million visitors per month in their recently updated home page banner, and offers hundreds of thousands of movie and television titles that pretty well span the general history of cinema worldwide, including (in most cases) cast and crew names, production info, and other trivia and tidbits for movie buffs and film critics alike.
I use the Internet Movie Database all of the time, after I'm done screening whatever new releases have appeared in town. Writing most of my notes in a darkened theatre while watching the big screen sometimes results in a few pages of indecipherable scribbles that successfully hide a character's or actor's jotted down full name, or obscure the complete title of the book that this or that movie has been adapted from. So, luckily, I'm normally able to turn to the same - far more legible - info that's been made available through this easy to use, widely popular website. I also check out the IMDB as a handy general resource for finding out what's up and coming during the following weeks and months ahead. It's a great website over-all, and well worth checking out if you haven't given it a look already. Even if you're just curious about what actor played in a particular movie - or what movies have featured a specific actor - to confirm your idle suspicions, for instance.
The other aspect of this site that I enjoy is that its database of film information seems to be updated with submissions from regular, ticket buying movie enthusiasts, as well as from professional agencies and production studio representatives. Anyone can submit a new title, or add to the IMDB's existing information, simply by signing up as a member for free. Some might think that it's slightly questionable to allow anyone and everyone within arm's reach of a web accessable computer to add info to a site that a lot of people may rely on, but I like the idea of it being an open resource. Much like the Wipikedia online encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/) is set up. With knowledgeable people working behind the scenes to ensure that the database actually remains reliable, by researching and verifying what's being submitted before any new info is added, I don't really see the problem. In fact, this is likely a great way for a small production company, one or more working actors and/or a completely unknown writer with limited creditials to potentially widen their scope of helpful contacts or to broaden outside interest in their work. Up to 25 million opportunities per month, possibly. More on that in a moment.
Along with a wide range of services, The Internet Movie Database also offers a premium membership, as well as a free membership, to those who are interested in becoming more than just passive visitors. Having tried out the free access to the paying membership they offer there for a limited time, I can tell you that there doesn't really seem to be a whole lot of difference to what's offered through the premium plan than what's made available to free registered members. Or, to those who choose to access the site as anonymous non-members. The layout and info are simply organized differently for the premium members, with a lot more statistics and media-related stuff made readily available for those who don't have the time (or don't know how) to hunt around for it manually, and are willing to pay for that convenience.
Additionally, what I've discovered about the Internet Movie Database's free membership registration is that it's relatively easy to add new info to the website. I'm back on track with the self-marketing potential I'd mentioned earlier. Sure, it can get slightly time consuming, depending on what info you've decided to submit for approval. However, I was able to key in a handful of direct links to the recently archived reviews at my own website, Stephen Bourne's Movie Quips (www.geocities.com/iamstephenbourne/moviequips.html), in less than an hour without too much hassle. It was simply a matter of figuring out which movies I wanted to add a relevant link to their External Reviews listing, click the Update button at the bottom of that page, and then add the specific link and description to each of those titles for consideration. Checking back about a day later, most of them had already been added.
So, now people checking out the Internet Movie Database for info about such Canadian movies as 'The Snow Walker' (2003) or 'The Delicate Art of Parking' can easily find a direct link to my website's archived movie review of those titles within the list of other external reviews found on those pages. And, since each archived review already has a built in link to my main page of current reviews, I consider it well worth taking the time to do that little bit of DIY online promotion of my site through the widely popular Internet Movie Database.
Thanks for checking in.
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