But I'm on IMDB!!!

Internet Movie Data Base or IMDB.com, as it's called is a resource for movie fans and industry professionals. IMDB is free and the site is paid for with banner ads galore. There is also an IMDB-pro, which most industry professionals subscribe to in order to research actors, producers, directors, and scam artists.

Have you ever tried to fix or add a credit on IMDB? The red tape is frustrating. Our festival had it's own IMDB page but some how got confused with another older festival that died in 1994. I've tried to fix the problem hours at a time but there is no direct contact. No problem solvers. I've had people add names to my films for credits never earned and I've tried to correct them but it falls on deaf ears. This had me searching the IMDB files on almost every title, actor, producer, director and just about every category you can think of looking at their credits.

How does "Uncredited" help an actor's resume? Seriously, you were insignificant enough NOT to receive a credit, why should anyone other than your parents care? Some people just want IMDB credit and they will do anything to get it. I saw a writer/actress with two credits. One was an "Uncredited" role in a film that hadn't received distribution and the other was for a screenplay she optioned to be developed into a feature. However, upon further review, she also wrote the screenplay, which makes everything bogus.

Take a look at the Job Postings and openings on IMDB. Ninety-nine point nine percent of them are "no pay!" What happened to the PRO in IMDB-PRO. Everyone is looking for something for nothing. I had a script sent to me for my consideration as a director. I kind of liked the script. It was a thriller with promise. It needed some work but don't they all. There was no funding in place but she wanted my name on a LOI and for me to recruit any crew or name acting friends, and then write a business plan. When I told her I needed an agreement with a retainer and additional promises for when the film received funding, she said that's not the way it's done. She's twenty-five, I'm fifty-seven and done it twenty times. When did the industry change? Needless to say, that's another film that won't get made. Kids are coming out of film school every semester and they are hungry to work for free. The problem is they don't have the experience or contacts it takes to get a movie made. I'm not talking credit card budgeted films but movies that an audience will be able to say they watched, enjoyed and perhaps even purchased for their library. Festival filmmakers should be commended. They go out, raise money, make their film and hope for the best. The good ones move up an increase their budget next time and the bad ones get to complain how unfair the world is and either try it again or go home and take a job at the local video store or movie theater.

Have you ever "Googled" yourself to see what people are finding out about you? Try it, it's fun. And remember, if I wanted to work for free, I would have started a film festival! Oh, crap, did I say that!

.....and cut!