How do I find out why a submission was declined?

I'm trying to correct an incorrect comment (it has basic geographical errors), and it's been declined three times. The only reason given is, "Does not meet contribution guidelines."

I can find nothing in the "guidelines" that gives me any clue as to what the problem may be. I tried to guess and resubmit it, but I guess I guessed wrong.

Why can't IMDB be a tiny bit user friendly and tell people why their submission is declined?

Responses

Oldest First

Selected Oldest First

Peter_pbn

Champion

•

16.8K Messages

•

355.5K Points

6 years ago

Asking here is a possible way of finding out, but you will have to give more details.

For the benefit of IMDb staff you can also leave the reference number of one of your submissions.

bruce_kamiat

26 Messages

•

730 Points

Thanks!

The number on the latest declined submission is #200721-040234-397000.

As for more details, this is the explanation I included with my submission:
"The original comment had voiced the assumptions that 1) "Grand Central Station" would not be used to refer to the railroad station, as it differs from the official name ["Grand Central Terminal"]; and 2) that a fall upon entering the building would be unlikely, as there are no stairs going down at the entrance. I am correcting both of those incorrect assumptions. A quick look at Google Street View will reveal many photospheres taken inside Grand Central showing the Vanderbilt Avenue entrance and that staircase. It is very well known and prominent."

The corrected submission itself is a bit longer. I will provide it if you like.

6 years ago

bruce_kamiat

26 Messages

•

730 Points

So, Peter, do you think anybody will give me any actual help with this? Does anyone on the "IMDB staff" ever actually see these posts?

6 years ago

lucy_6bj3ourqkdpwm

9 Messages

•

528 Points

I'm also having the same problem with my quote submissions. They keep getting decline because it's badly formatted. I can't find anywhere in the guidelines about badly formatted submissions.

6 years ago

bruce_kamiat

26 Messages

•

730 Points

Does "badly formatted" mean things like sentence structure or grammar? If so, I may be able to help. I am a magazine editor. But the problem is, really, that IMDB doesn't tell you what they mean. "Badly formatted" may mean some obscure, mysterious thing that nobody can figure out. It's really a user-hostile system.

6 years ago

bruce_kamiat

26 Messages

•

730 Points

Well, Peter, Elizabeth, and Nikolay,

As I'm not getting any help with this post, maybe I should just resubmit it in the hope that somebody will pay some attention then.

6 years ago

Michelle

Employee

•

18.4K Messages

•

323.4K Points

6 years ago

Hi Bruce -

I have now approved the Goof correction you submitted and the changes should be live on the site shortly.

Cheers!

bruce_kamiat

26 Messages

•

730 Points

That's great. Thank you.

I'm still curious as to what was wrong with it that caused it to be declined at first.

6 years ago

graham_medlock

1 Message

•

100 Points

HI, I am trying to do the same, where an IMDb post against an episode of Star Trek: Voyager has been "hacked" for want of a better word, with hyperlink references to minor actors who were not even in the series - my ref is 200727-223142-640000 - this was also declined for the same reason as above - as I'm trying to correct an error, it seems odd that they just ignored my information (I know nothing has been done as the offending trivia points are still there).

I think it would be easiest if they had an option of entry correction, or similar, to allow this to be pointed out - I never expected my point to be shown on site, I was trying to do them a favour.

Regards

6 years ago

Alexi

10 Messages

•

170 Points

5 years ago

Hi Bruce,

I am glad you brought up this point. "user-hostile system" is a good way to describe it. I have submitted my own review for a film recently twice, and it was rejected twice with the same ambiguous explanation as yours. I really wish IMDb would tell people what exactly got flagged/went against their rules & policies in submitted reviews. As is it's guess work and I still have no idea what in my review flagged a rejection. I wish instead of general reference to IMDb's very general rules & policies they would either create more specific rules or actually tell why their submittal is being rejected.

chrisneville

1 Message

•

60 Points

15 days ago

I've had the same problem, but for a first time comment rather than an edit!

Here's the comment:

I had to say that this review has spoilers, 'cause spoiler alert - it's BAD, real BAD!

How exactly has this film got a 6.0 average star rating?

That's about a 6.0 average star rating too high!

Seriously I'd give it 0 stars, If I could!

But alas, the lowest IMDB rating of one star will have to do!

Basically ...

An illegal immigrant in Europe starts killing other immigrants in the name of "justice" - even if they're innocent since they've committed no crime!

And the film's as brain dead as one would expect from that "premise" (and in this film's case, I use that term loosely)!

And at one point I think Hammer's character "Mr Sanders" breaks a young bully's arm or tries to snap his hand off or something - and that's a young bully who looks like he's no older than a teenager!

Everything is wrong with this film!

The script seems like it could've written by Grok or ChatGPT!

So if a human wrote the entirety of the script for this film, then I weep for the future of cinema and the film industry!

The acting is sub par, throughout!

Even the lead actor, Armie Hammer is abysmal!

There's continuity problems!

There's even a line that Hammer's character says twice, one after the other - although I think this is because of the bad script issue!

And don't even get me started on the sequences where the person speaking sounds like an AI voice!

Oh and, let's not forget the reference to the "woke left" - obviously put in their by a director who has no clue about what "woke" actually means.

And it's clear to see who the target audience for this film is, and it clearly isn't average movie watchers!

I've seen some terrible movies in my time, especially among the B movie action movie section - but that's not to say all B movies are bad!

And despite being an action movie fan (when it's done right), I'd say this is the worst film that I've ever seen!

It's that bad that it's worse than anything The Asylum have ever released - and considering how bad their films are, that's saying something!

After a third review, the FSK assigned an 18 rating to the film's theatrical release, allowing it to be shown in cinemas - after rightly rejecting it twice, which in all honesty should give you an idea of how bad this film is!

Even the film's lead actor has condemned the film, and apparently he didn't understand the type of film that was being made!

And he's basically said he only took the job because nobody was employing him, and he wanted to get back to doing what he loves - which shows that he must be desperate to take any job that pays him!

I'm glad I've not seen any of Uwe Boll's other movies since I suspect they're almost as bad as this!

I can understand why he's earned a widespread reputation as one of the worst filmmakers in history, in some circles!This is BAD, real BAD!

If it's the "woke left" part of the comment that's the issue, please note that I wasn't posting anything hateful about them.

I'm a lefty myself and I was merely referencing some stupid words that were mentioned in the film, which obviously are a part of the film's bad script.

So can someone tell me what I need to change to get the comment posted?

Or look into this, and see if not against the guidelines?

Here's the reference number: #260718-192259-096221.

(edited)

bruce_kamiat

How do I find out why a submission was declined?

Peter_pbn

bruce_kamiat

bruce_kamiat

lucy_6bj3ourqkdpwm

bruce_kamiat

bruce_kamiat

Michelle

bruce_kamiat

graham_medlock

Alexi

chrisneville

Related Conversations

Helpful Widget