The Internet Movie Database (IMDB), a massive, extremely popular website detailing all aspects of many movies and television shows, has finally added what the site has curiously been missing all along: video footage of full-length movies and TV shows.
The Amazon-owned site will now offer 6,000 movies and TV shows free of charge from Hulu, CBS, Sony Pictures Television, and hundreds of independent filmmakers. The content will rotate (much as it does on Hulu), depending on the content-owners’ wishes. IMDB will host and stream some of the video itself, but appears to be using embeddable players from Hulu and CBS where possible.
Unfortunately, the site’s implementation of video leaves something to be desired - it feels as if IMDB doesn’t really want to be a destination site for video content, and that this was just tacked on. It’s apparently impossible to browse through a list of available content - the site instead tells you to search for the shows you like one by one (there is a featured list, but it only displays a fraction of the content available).
The site’s interface is also a letdown when it comes to sorting through items with multiple pieces of content, like a television show. After visiting the webpage for Arrested Development (easily one of the best shows in recent memory), I found that episodes were listed out of order with poor descriptions.
And figuring out what you can actually watch will likely confuse many first time visitors. After browsing to the webpage for “Superman”, I was presented with a greyed-out “Watch It” button, which was accompanied by a link to Amazon’s Video On Demand service. Unsure of why I couldn’t click “Watch It”, I promptly looked to see if I was missing a codec or needed to sign into the site. Turns out this is just a bad design choice on IMDB’s part - if you can watch a video the button will be gold, you can’t watch it if it’s grey (why not just say “You can’t watch this here”?).
IMDB is one of my favorite sites on the web - I’ve spent countless hours browsing through movie trivia, forums, and top 100 lists. It’s nice to see that the database is finally incorporating video, but it could be doing so much more than links to Hulu embeds. Instead of including video as footnotes to database pages, the IMDB should create a consumer-friendly content portal, leveraging its database to serve as a powerful recommendation and review engine.
The ‘Featured List’ link is broken. Please fix it
Fixed.
Thanks!
Just a heads up so you don’t appear uninformed… *ahem*…. IMDB has had “video content” for a while (at least for me) in the form of trailers and clips … they are now offering “full episode” and “full film” options as well… that is what’s new, captain.
also, “it feels as if IMDB doesn’t really want to be a destination site for video content” … uh.. yyyeah… and also, you might want to write a post about how the sky was blue today.
hehehe.
I agree with whatever Jason mentioned, but I think IMDB is still under improvement. If you are tracking the site from past couple of weeks, you’ll see that they are introducing small features day by day, so I think we should wait and see what they are really up to.
yeah… i agree here… good point. i go there to find “who was that voice” or “what was that mike leigh movie that david thewlis was in” type of stuff… not to watch video.. it’s nice to have it along side the content they have… as a supplement.
atleast after while but little video with keep imdb live or would not die.
Good idea!
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the best way to use a movie database, with movies!
those videos are handy whne you want to learn about a movie, but what makes imdb really interesting is the community giving life to its forums: it’s damned dynamic!
Ok implementation but this also goes back to “US Viewers Only”
Yes, this should be expected - given the number of ads a US viewer is forced to consume to watch a movie itself and the usual inability to monetize international traffic. We are hard to monetize - so no videos for us here same as on Hulu and other sites.
I’ve used IMDB for years but ever since Amazon bought them it seams to be the bastard child of the organization that they’ve been whoring out for every nickel they can get. They could do so much more with the property but these days its just filled with MySpace like full-site ads, popup ads, outrageously annoying animated overlay ads, subscription service offers, and lots of add space. I miss the old IMDB.
“why not just say “You can’t watch this here”?”
Because “You can’t watch this here” doesn’t fit in a button, Mr. Designer.
I’d be happy if IMDB was able to post more head shot of the actors listed. Why isn’t this done? In deference to the actors themselves, or their agents, and having an up to date image? Its not being used for casting, I think some using IMDB would just like to see any image that helps ID the actor.
IMDB Pro has had many improvements since they were bought by Amazon. It’s the free version that hasn’t seen much in the way of change.
Is there any movie which is watchable ?. Coz , every movie i checked the Grayed Watch it