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      CommentAuthornaut
    • CommentTimeSep 28th 2008 edited
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    So, you have some questions and want to know how this site works, eh?
    If you have addtional questions, which are not covered in this F.A.Q. please let us know, and we'll add those.


    Q: Somehow, I can't login, the page reloads, but nothing happens. I don't see the upload link.
    ---------------
    A: Your account is probably not activated yet. Be sure to check you e-Mail inbox as well as your spam folder, and click the link in the mail.


    Q: How does the hall of fame work? I think, I should be listed, but I'm not.
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    A: Every posted movie gets a 30 days time counter. During these 30 days you'll get a point for solving this movie.
    After the "solve time" (e.g. the 30 days) is over, you get no more "hall of fame points" (short: hofp) for this movie.
    Your solvecounter right behind your name still raises, your highscore counter doesn't. You can see your hofp in the highscore.
    "All time" counts every hofp, where "last 30 days" counts only those movies, which are still "solvable"
    (e.g. they are not older than 30 days).


    The reason, why we decided to raise your solve counter, even after the 30 days is, we think there are a lot of honest people out there, who never press the "show solution" button and still want to know how many movies they already solved in total.

    Q: Why are my movies not accepted?
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    We get a lot of movie snapshots every day. Selecting the ones, which we post on whatthemovie is a difficult task.
    At first you should make sure, your movie doesn't violate against the rules. I'll try to list some common reject reasons:

    > Your movie has black bars all around.
    Try to crop the image in photoshop (or your image editing software of choice)

    > The image quality of the shot is poor.
    Try to use the original DVD, when taking the screenshot.

    > Your shot is not intersting.
    1. Try to search the whole movie for the real best snapshot.
    2. Shots, which display the main characters of a movie are often rejected, because you can easily look for their names on IMDB, and simply enter every movie.
    3. Don't post shots, with people waving guns in front of the camera. We already have plenty of those.

    Try to focus on a distinct "feature" which describes the film.
    For example:

    > crucial point in the film:
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/101
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/428
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/1382
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/2589

    > funny moment:
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/124
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/576

    > the story:
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/591
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/2191
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/960

    > the visual aspect:
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/294
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/2939
    http://whatthemovie.com/shot/2942

    There are a lot of best practice examples out there! Be creative!

    > Your snapshot is already listed on whatthemovie. We usually take multiple snapshots of the same film if the scene differs.
    Actually, we don't take any more snapshots of films, which are posted more than 10 times or so. (For example crank :)

    > Your movie is not yet availiable on DVD.
    Can you tell me how you took the snapshot. You didn't use an illegal download, did you?

    > The general difficulty of the shot is too hard.
    Solving movies on whatthemovie should be possible by everybody. The movie nerd, but also the guy how goes to cinema only once in a while.
    We don't want to become a "nerd" platform. Films which have less than 1.000 votes on IMDB have to be either real good, or on the right place, in the right time :) (e.g. following 10 easy shots)

    > You didn't take the snapshot yourself. If you took it from images.google.com or IMDb we cannot accept your shot.


    Q: How often is the highscore updated?
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    A: Every full hour.


    Q: How long does it take, until my movies are accepted?
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    A: At the moment the wait time is about 4-5 days


    Q: "The rating on my shots looks weird!"
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    A: Know that a vote from somebody who solved the shot counts triple, when compared to a vote from somebody who didn't solve it.
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      CommentAuthorStarvey
    • CommentTimeSep 29th 2008
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    Yeah, well, got a stupid one : what about nudity / gore / obscenity ?
    I don't mean porn, but some movies revolve around / have intensive nudity (Eyes Wide Shut, Color of Night), gruesome splatter (Evil Dead, Hills Have Eyes, Braindead) or vulgarity (American Pie, Eurotrip).
    • CommentAuthorKIni
    • CommentTimeSep 30th 2008
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    Did I get that right: you only get highscore - points within 14 days after the shot is posted? Even in the overall-highscore? Then I don´t really get the meaning of the two highscore lists, or did I get anything wrong?
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      CommentAuthortliff
    • CommentTimeOct 1st 2008
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    only points earned while a movie was noy solvable are counted for the highscore
    The 14 ray highscore shows the points you earned within the last 14 days
    The overall higscore shows the points you earned no matter when

    Solving movies which are solvable wont earn you points in any highscore
    • CommentAuthorKIni
    • CommentTimeOct 1st 2008
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    Okay, I´ve seen this when leaving through other discussions in this forum (should visit more frequently...) - but in spite of the risk to start a discussion here, that has been led elswhere: why is it? I mean solveable movies do not necessarily mean that this feature is used. Can´t it just be that the "show solution" button kicks this movie out of ranking for this user?
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      CommentAuthortliff
    • CommentTimeOct 1st 2008
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    nope.
    get second account, check solution there.
    enter solution in first account, get epic points.
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      CommentAuthorStarvey
    • CommentTimeOct 1st 2008
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    @tliff
    Go epic IP ban :D
    • CommentAuthorEmjk
    • CommentTimeOct 4th 2008
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    By the way, there seems to be a bug in the guessing feature: if I don't know the movie, I can click on "show solution" and then type in the aforesaid solution, and it will still count it as guessed. is that normal?
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      CommentAuthornaut
    • CommentTimeOct 4th 2008
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    yeah, that was considered normal. We didn't bother disabling the guessing feature, when "show solution" is pressed, because people can always get a second account and request the solutions. You cheat on yourself, if you copy and paste the title. The system can't be cheated ;)

    But since a lot of you people see this as bug, we're going to disable it ;)
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      CommentAuthorBorjanP
    • CommentTimeOct 5th 2008 edited
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    Cropped
    • CommentAuthorCinSon
    • CommentTimeOct 6th 2008
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    > Your movie has black bars all around.
    Try to crop the image in photoshop (or your image editing software of choice)

    Certainly NOT
    Aspect Ratio is a really crucial point for guessing the title.
    You should not crop any screenshot.
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      CommentAuthorDeviant
    • CommentTimeOct 6th 2008
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    @CinSon: The aspect ratio won't change by cropping the black bars. It's still the same size.
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      CommentAuthornaut
    • CommentTimeOct 6th 2008 edited
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    CinSon:
    Deviant is right, it'll be the same size.

    This example shows a shot with black bars, which we dislike:

    > movie: http://whatthemovie.com/shot/439
    > IMG:

    These bars are completly useless. They limit the size of the movie shot.
    Be sure to check your still for such bars, before uploading.
    • CommentAuthorDjZIggy
    • CommentTimeOct 7th 2008
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    But some movies have them as an extra or a black circle around them (like being john mocovich)
    • CommentAuthorCinSon
    • CommentTimeOct 7th 2008
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    In that case it is ok !
    I was worried you asked people to crop the screenshot to fulfill the 16/9 box.

    Of course we have to remove such things and enhance the viewing for the comfort of the game, as long as we don't touch the real picture.
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      CommentAuthormsa
    • CommentTimeOct 9th 2008 edited
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    This example shows a shot with black bars, which we dislike:
    > movie: http://whatthemovie.com/shot/439

    damn, i posted this one xD
    sorry, i'll remove any bars from the next shot i'll post.
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      CommentAuthorStarvey
    • CommentTimeOct 13th 2008
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    @ msa
    infamy, through time.
    Yuck, this must be tough... ;)
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      CommentAuthorStarvey
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2008
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    Nice player for everything and frame by frame pictures : Gom.
    • CommentAuthorkasten
    • CommentTimeJan 4th 2009
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    I've got another question. I just clicked "show solution" on a movie I already solved. Does this affect my score?
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      CommentAuthornaut
    • CommentTimeJan 4th 2009
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    no, it doesn't.
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      CommentAuthorMimimi
    • CommentTimeFeb 17th 2009
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    Is it allowed to post screen shots from ...

    * Short film?
    * Made for TV movies (TV) ?
    * Made for video movies (V) ?
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      CommentAuthorZanapher
    • CommentTimeFeb 17th 2009
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    Nope (x3).
    There have been some rare exceptions (either because we wanted it to appear or because we missed the fact that it was a short/TV/video...)
    But the general rule is no.
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      CommentAuthorMimimi
    • CommentTimeFeb 17th 2009
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    Merci Zanapher!
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      CommentAuthorMimimi
    • CommentTimeMar 15th 2009
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    Learned today that ...

    * Documentaries are allowed, provided that there was a theatrical release. http://whatthemovie.com/beta/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=204&page=1#Item_4
    • CommentAuthorLordMyst
    • CommentTimeMay 29th 2009 edited
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    I don't get the new submissions section

    what's it for?

    can we all vote for the new uploads if they are going on the WTM?
    • CommentAuthordasznik
    • CommentTimeMay 29th 2009
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    You almost, but not entirely scored a point. Hmm ?
    whats that supposed to mean??
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      CommentAuthorZythux
    • CommentTimeMay 29th 2009
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    Some of the shots in new submissions will make it to the feature films and some won't (depends on the rating it gets). If they make it to the feature films you'll get a point and if they don't make it that far you won't. So it all depends on if they'll get to the feature films.

    (naut/tliff: correct me if I'm wrong)
    • CommentAuthorLordMyst
    • CommentTimeMay 29th 2009
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    personnely I don't think we need een submissions section. I think the uploads are for the moderators and not for everybody

    and

    its it me or WTM is very very slow
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      CommentAuthorMimimi
    • CommentTimeMay 29th 2009 edited
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    Peeps read the Help & FAQ http://whatthemovie.com/page/help it explains a lot. :D

    @ LordMyst: Yep it is slow. ;)
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      CommentAuthorZanapher
    • CommentTimeMay 30th 2009
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    LordMyst, the new system is way better... now you can't complain against the moderators if an upload is rejected :D (the wonders of democracy)

    Anyway, you can keep playing only on the "Feature Films" and it won't give you any disadvantage (even better, you only spend time looking at shots that really earn points).
    The only benefit of the "New Submissions" is that you can get WTM Bucks there, which aren't that useful if all you want to do is guess snapshots. So it depends on how much you want to participate in the now democratic moderation process, but really, there's no obligation at all.
    • CommentAuthorbap2008
    • CommentTimeMay 31st 2009 edited
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    is it allowed to upload snapshots, that were rejected on wtm 1.0 ?

    I'm wondering whether democracy brings a different result :D
    • CommentAuthorLordMyst
    • CommentTimeMay 31st 2009 edited
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    i was to fast with my conclusion about the submission section

    sorry about that

    I spend what more time on the submission section and it's oke
    • CommentAuthorDarillian
    • CommentTimeJun 4th 2009
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    Can someone tell me, what those red bars under the shots in the New Submissions overview mean? ;)
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      CommentAuthortliff
    • CommentTimeJun 4th 2009
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    it means nobody has solved this shot yet
    • CommentAuthorblackseed
    • CommentTimeJun 5th 2009
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    could somebody please tell me what rating a snapshot has to reach in the new sub.-area to finally pass to the feature movies? I recently uploaded a still which reached a 5.9 and it was deleted. but another still with only a 4.0 rating was submitted. well, I just want to know what rating is needed. thx!
    • CommentAuthorLordMyst
    • CommentTimeJun 5th 2009
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    @blackseed

    the top 10/20 of that day are selected to go to feature films. So if that moment movies below 5.0 are in top 20. They go in the feature films.
    if your upload got a 5.9 but 20 other movies were above you. Then you were not so lucky.

    I say try again with a better photo
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      CommentAuthornaut
    • CommentTimeJun 6th 2009
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    LordMyst: exactly
    plus the snapshots which we (and possible users with a high rank) transfer by hand.

    • CommentAuthormoritamary
    • CommentTimeJun 10th 2009
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    Hello,
    I am desperately trying to improve my position (no longe cable monkey for me...) by evaluating the screenshots in the new submission area... However, I am stuck in 30 WTM bucks... I was talking to another user and he told me his score is working just fine.. is it me, only?

    thanks a lot!
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    Are you sure to be in the "New Submissions" category ? Not in "Feature Films" ?
    • CommentAuthormoritamary
    • CommentTimeJun 10th 2009
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    yes, i was definetely in new submissions...
    • CommentAuthortoffetomas
    • CommentTimeJun 11th 2009
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    I have a question I uploaded a shot today, but now its completly gone. It was following all the rules as far as i know. If it was voted for deletion i would really like to know why. You can still see the still in my profile (the last upload).
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      CommentAuthorFifty
    • CommentTimeJun 11th 2009 edited
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    If you're talking about the one with the soldiers that's because that wasn't the good aspect ratio. That looked stretched
    • CommentAuthortoffetomas
    • CommentTimeJun 11th 2009
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    yes, i was talking about the one with the soldiers. But there was nothing wrong with the aspect ratio, it came straight from the dvd...
    • CommentAuthorJohannaP
    • CommentTimeJun 14th 2009
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    I have a few "problems" with the site:
    1) I can't edit my profile. I can edit of course but the changes are not saved.
    2) The previous and next buttons in the new submissions section are disabled.
    3) when browsing through the archive and/or the ff, the computer gets an error: Sorry, but you are not allowed to access this page and then I have to look for the next still.
    Can these things be solved? Hope so ;-)
    • CommentAuthorbap2008
    • CommentTimeJun 14th 2009
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    I have a question regarding uploading stills:
    in the old days (WTM 1) a shot mustn't exceed 720 in width and 400 in hight to be suitable for uploading.
    therefore screenshots had to be cropped.

    I can't find anything about this in the help or uploading section.

    Is this procedure no longer necessary ?
    • CommentAuthorastrododo
    • CommentTimeJun 16th 2009
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    JohannaP: a fix to your 2nd problem, using previous and next in the new submissions:
    you have to uncheck the 'show unsolved only' box. I'm not sure why this is the case, but it fixes it.

    On the 3rd problem: I have noticed this too, and it seems to occur when a movie is either deleted or added to Feature Films, but I don't know why this happens.
    • CommentAuthorJohannaP
    • CommentTimeJun 16th 2009 edited
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    Thank you Astrododo!
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    Hello,

    I have the same problem like moritamary, that I get no WTM bucks for rating movies in the "New Submissions" category. And additionally, I can't edit my user profile, too. That's really annoying :(

    The editing issue seems to be a bug with the account, I have created a new one for test purposes and here it works :(

    Would be really nice, if this could be fixed for this account somehow :)
  3.  permalink
    thanks, all my questions have been answered with this
    • CommentAuthorRadioJon
    • CommentTimeAug 26th 2009 edited
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    Hi there,
    how am I able to upload a snapshot of a movie which isn't in the database already? I'm quite lost... any help?
    Thanks and cheers.