In the digital age where internet accessibility and standard of living are increasing day by day, cinema has become more popular than ever.
People are consuming a lot of OTT content, while cinemas are also starting to return to pre-pandemic attendance levels. And amid all that demand, there’s no shortage of good movies and TV shows either.
But with more choice comes more stress. And suddenly, the question arises: how to choose a good movie or a good TV show to watch? This is where movie database platforms and rating sites come in.
IMDb is currently the most popular entertainment media and ratings database in the world. Keep reading to learn more about the history of IMDb, its significance, useful features, and some interesting facts.
What is IMDb?
IMDb stands for “Internet Movie Database”. IMDb is a well-known platform that hosts information related to movies, TV shows, video games, reality shows, and OTT content.
The information at issue refers to plot summaries, cast and crew biographies, movie trivia, trailers, release dates, official images, reviews from critics, and more.
IMDb was founded in 1990 by British programmer and film buff Col Needham as a personal database of films. The site quickly evolved into an Internet newsletter where other users could also add their own personalized lists of favorite movies and actors.
IMDb was acquired by Amazon.com in 1998 and is currently home to 10.1 million movie and TV titles, 11.5 million people records and 83 million registered users.
How does IMDb work?
IMDb allows visitors to view information on its site, but to add or fully use its services, an account must be created. Only registered users can rate movies and edit or add information.
IMDb also offers a paid version called IMDb Pro, which is mainly used by professionals in the entertainment industry to optimize their bio pages, add resumes and get inside information.
As for ratings, IMDb allows users to rate their movies on a scale of 1-10. Individual ratings are aggregated into a single IMDb rating, which is what you see when you search for a movie or TV series. . Once you have rated a certain number of titles, you become a regular user. IMDb is currently keeping its ratings calculation formula secret.
Useful features of IMDb?
Although you may have already heard of IMDb ratings and how they work, the site also offers several other useful features. We have listed a few below.
Database
You can save the movies or TV shows you have watched to your IMDb account.
Watchlist
You can also follow the movies you want to see on the IMDb watchlist. The site will automatically notify you of trailer releases and ticket information.
Comments
You can add movie and TV reviews for other users to read and decide whether or not to watch a title.
Recommendations
IMDb keeps a record of everything you’ve watched and rated, and based on your viewing activity, it regularly gives personalized recommendations.
Look for
IMDb has an advanced browsing system that allows users to search for actors, directors, collaborations, and more.
To sort
You can also sort movies and TV shows on IMDb by different categories such as ratings, year, genre, and language.
Content Notice
IMDb also publishes content advisories and parental guides so people can find out if a title is suitable for families. And if not, how violent or obscene exactly is it?
How to use IMDb?
IMDb has a website and a mobile app which are both pretty easy to use. Just create an account and start using the amazing features of IMDb. You can also use your Amazon, Google, Apple or Facebook accounts to log in.
