001. Remakes
Due to popular demand, new tags for remakes were recently born. Two new tags, "MDL Remake" and "Non-MDL Remake" are here to help users track titles that are remade from a title that's already on MDL, plus help track titles that are remade from a title that's not on MDL.
As a bonus, these tags will also help those that are doing the yearly MDL watch challenges.
❗️MDL Remake = A title which has been remade from a country that is on MDL (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan).
❗️Non-MDL Remake = A title which has been remade from a country that is not on MDL.
In addition to these two tags, we also have a list of titles on MDL, which had a remake outside of MDL, so you can check this list out, too. If you have any new titles that can be added to the list, please drop a message.
Some of the tags that were removed this week:
hello world, Tgifted, girl x heroine, Show Break, Cool male lead, Sakaki Tsukasa, Alex Christine, Oshikiri Rensuke, resturant, Monsta S, ...
014. Postponed Episodes
There are many reasons why an episode of an ongoing drama is delayed, and also many reasons why the start of the drama is moved to a later date, but whichever the case, the reason for the delay should only be marked on the episode which was delayed, not all the others episodes in the calendar.
❌ Don't mark every single episode as delayed, except the actual episode that was delayed.
❌ If the entire drama is postponed, then don't mark the episodes as delayed, but just fix the calendar to start from the new date.
❗️When an episode is delayed, add the reason for delay only on that specific episode. All the other episodes should be marked as "Wrong date or time".
009. Source Submitting
Some learned this the hard way, and some discovered it on their own, but there are still plenty of users that don't know.
❗️Each section on MDL is treated as a separate section, regardless if they're all under one title's/person's page.
❗️Each section needs their own sources in the form of links and explanations.
❗️Each section is looked at a different time and often by a different staff member. While one section (i.e. Cast section) might have your submission approved/rejected today, a different section (i.e. Release Info section) might have your submission approved/rejected after two/three days.
❗️Every time you press the "Submit" button, the submission will overwrite the previous submission you made in that particular section.
❗️Every time you press the "Reset" button, the submission will disappear from the staff's approval panel.
002. 2 to 2: Friends, Rivals, Enemies, Lovers
Changes in relationships are pretty common, and that change can be a happy one or a miserable one. People compete, people love and everyone just has their own way of expressing themselves. So here are some tags that can help describe some of those changes in characters' relationships.
❗️Friends to Lovers = Where characters who start off as friends eventually develop romantic feelings for each other and enter into a romantic relationship.
❗️Enemies to Lovers = Where characters who start off as enemies eventually develop romantic feelings for each other and enter into a romantic relationship.
❗️Rivals to Lovers = Where characters who start off having a highly competitive relationship eventually develop romantic feelings for each other and enter into a romantic relationship.
❗️Lovers to Enemies = Where characters who start off in a romantic relationship with each other turn antagonistic.
❗️Friends to Enemies = Where characters who start off as friends eventually turn antagonistic toward each other.
❗️Rivals to Enemies = Where characters who initially start off having a competitive relationship eventually start to oppose each other and turn hostile.
❗️Friends to Rivals = Where characters who are friends start to develop a more competitive dynamic, often characterised by them going against each other to reach a common goal/target.
❗️Lovers to Rivals = Where characters who are in a romantic relationship no longer continue as lovers but instead develop a competitive relationship where they compete against each other against a common goal/target.
❗️Lovers to Friends = Where characters who are in a romantic relationship no longer continue as lovers, but are still able to support and encourage each other as platonic friends.
❗️Enemies to Friends = Where characters who have a mutual dislike and animosity towards each other, eventually become friends.
❗️Rivals to Friends = Where characters who had a highly competitive relationship with each other eventually turn more supportive and encouraging towards each other as mutual friends.
Some of the tags that were removed this week:
Prominent Lead, domestic drama, intelligence officers, Filipino-American, Thai language, Thai-Chinese Family, American Indian, Chinese Man- French Woman, Cdrama, 'Drama, Romance', ...
015. Variety Show Cast
Adding cast for TV shows (variety, talk, reality, etc.) works a bit different and can seem complicated and scary to some users, but it doesn't necessarily have to be like that. The best thing to remember is not to overcomplicate things.
❌ If the cast has not adopted any characters to play in the TV show, then don't add [Himself], Himself, Herself, [Herself] or anything similar in the character field.
❌ If the cast in the TV show is just being themselves, then leave the character field empty.
❗️Unlike TV shows, actors/actresses who play themselves in movies and dramas should have the [Himself] or [Herself] descriptor written in the character field.
010. Network Deletion
This might not come as a surprise to some of you, but on MDL there are quite a number of things that just can't be removed from their fields if they were first accepted when the title/person came in as a new page request. The one suffering from this unfortunate fate is the network field.
❗️If there's only one single network in the network field, then that network can't be removed.
❗️Even if you remove the network from the network field, submit it in for approval, and the approval staff accepts your submission, that same network will still continue to show up on the title page.
❗️The network field can't remain empty if it's an existing page, so it must have a network.
❗️If the network field has more than one network, then it is possible to remove the additional networks, but one will always have to remain, while others can be deleted.
❗️Only new titles which were initially added without a network have the luxury of having the network field empty.
❗️Approval staff has no option to remove an incorrect network when new titles come in for approval, so our hands are tied.
003. Title Length
There are various formats that a production house will adopt in order to portray the story they want to portray for their desired audience. Episode/movie length is one way to go about it, but so is the episode count.
Since currently MDL doesn't have any filter for episode and movie runtime, a few tags were created to go around that problem, so as to help users find something they can watch but not needing to invest too many hours for it.
❗️Miniseries = Miniseries is a title that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes, of usually 10 or less episodes.
❗️Short Length Series = Short length series are titles that have an average runtime of less than 20 minutes per episode.
❗️Short Film = Short film is an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits.
Additional info:
❗️Miniseries = Any title that has 10 episodes or less than 10 episodes.
❗️Short Length Series = Any title which has an episode runtime of 19 minutes and less than that. Titles with an average episode runtime of 20 minutes or more do not fall under this category.
❗️Short Film = Any movie which is 40 minutes long or less than 40 minutes. A movie with 41 minutes runtime or more does not fall under this category.
Some of the tags that were removed this week:
brainwaves, Hurt & Comfort, hurt and comfort, solid dream, true passion, Special treatment, #RidingBattle, buddies, tvshow, Baby magazine, ...
016. Deleting Streaming Links
While some things can't be removed from MDL after they've been added on a certain page, there are things that can indeed be removed from that same page. One such thing is an incorrect or expired streaming link.
❌ If a streaming link doesn't work anymore, don't swap the link with another link from a different streaming channel/website.
❌ Don't submit an empty submission and request from the staff to remove the streaming link.
❗️The approval staff has no option to remove or add any links in your submission, so if the submission is empty or incorrect, we can only reject your submission.
❗️To remove a streaming link, click on the pencil button on the right side of the link, and then click on the button "Delete". The streaming link will turn red and everything in the line will be crossed out.
011. Magic Broadcasting Day
Now you see me, now you don't. MDL pages seem to lead a double life. First life is the one that all users see when they open a certain title's/person's page, and another life is the one you try to edit from the inside. You add, you fix, you remove, but what is seen on the front page can be completely different from your submitted edits. Such double life leads our Release Information section.
❗️If you added a broadcasting day(s) when you added a new title, that day(s) will indeed be visible on the front page of the title. However, that same day(s) won't be visible when you try to edit the page, so you have to re-add it again.
❗️Even if you added the broadcasting day with broadcasting time, the system won't remember it when the new title is accepted to the database. You have to re-add it again.
❗️Even if you set up the seasons and the entire calendar, that calendar will disappear as soon as the title gets accepted to the database. You have to re-add it again.
❗️Add all the broadcasting info, such as days, time, seasons and calendar after the new title gets accepted to the database.
017. Character Nicknames
So many titles, so many names, and so many characters. To remember and recognize all these characters, certain systems were put in place to differentiate all their special names.
Names should not be all jumbled up in the character field, and instead should follow certain guidelines. Nicknames is one of the many character names that should follow a certain guideline when adding them to the character field.
❌ If the character has a full name and a nickname, don't add the nickname in the middle of the full name.
❌ If the character has a full name and a nickname, don't add the nickname in front of the full name.
❗️The character nicknames should go after the full name, and should be separated with a forward slash plus a space in front and after the slash.
❗️The character nicknames should be put under quotation marks.
018. Free Synopsis Content
"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."
From machine translated synopses, to badly written ones, then back again to the ones that are a page long and then we reach the pinnacle of all synopses = the dots, the dashes, the repetition of title names, and etc. which apparently should magically tell us everything what goes on in the show, which we are deciding whether to watch or not. All very informative...
The synopsis should explain what goes in the show, without containing any kind of spoilers. It should help users understand what to expect from the show and help them decide whether to watch the said show.
~Don't fish for free points.~ There are plenty of other easy ways which can help you get some contribution points.
❌ Don't add N/A, dashes (—), hyphens (-), and any other similar punctuation marks as a synopsis.
❌ Don't add the name of the title as a synopsis.
❌ No need to say which season it is in the synopsis, as that information is readily available in the title name or found in the AKA field.
❌ No need to say if the show is a reality show, or a movie, drama, variety show, or any other type of show. That information is also readily available in the title's category field found on the left side of the title page.
❗️If you can't come up with any kind of synopsis to explain what to expect in the show, then leave the synopsis field empty.
012. Calendar's Episode Count
Some things can be edited and fixed by doing only one single action, but most things on MDL require more than one step in order to edit information on a page. Getting the calendar to work properly, so it can show you exactly when the next episode will air, requires several steps. However, before you can even set up the calendar and fix the episodes, the primary thing you need to be worried about properly fixing is the episode count.
❗️If you want to update the episode count of a title, to a higher number than the existing number on the title page, then you can't only do that through the Seasons field in the Release Information section.
❗️Even if you manage to adjust the calendar to 50 episodes, if the original episode count is left at any number smaller than 50, for example, 2 episodes, then when the approval staff receives your submission, they will see the calendar set up only for those two episodes. The other 48 episodes will not show up, and the calendar won't work properly, even if the submission is accepted.
❗️If you want to fix the episode count to a higher number, then you have to first fix the episode count in the Primary Details section, and then after you fix it there, you can go and update the episode count in the Release information section.
019. Relations: Original & Parent Stories
Relations can be a little complicated for some, and if you don't use them often, they can easily be forgotten when and how to use them. So when in doubt, what to do? Checking the guidelines before making an edit is your safest bet to get your submission approved.
❌ Don't add Side Story, Spin-off, or Adaptation as a relation, if the first title is an Original Story.
❌ Don't add Remake, Compilation, or Adaptation as a relation, if the first title is a Parent Story.
❗️"Original Story" is used only when connecting remakes and compilations.
❗️"Parent Story" is used only when connecting side stories and spin-offs.
❗️"Parent Story" is used for connecting side stories and spin-offs, where the story just continues or runs parallel to the original title. It uses the same story set-up, same characters, and also, mostly the same actors.
❗️While the "Parent Story" might talk about a student "A" in his high school setting the entire time, the "Side Story" might talk about that same student "A", but only shows what happens after he comes home after school.
❗️Likewise, if the "Parent Story" talks about a student "A" in his high school setting the entire time, the "Spin-off" might talk about the classmates of student "A" and use those classmates as the main roles in the story, and show what goes on in their life, be that in school or somewhere else.
❗️If the first story is an "Original Story", then the "Compilation" titles will be all those behind the scenes videos, specials, recaps, movie versions of a drama, variety specials, and so on.
❗️"Parent Story" title is seen as the main story, the parent, and all the other stories are their other life stories and their kids' stories.
❗️"Original Story" title is seen as the main story, the original, and all the other stories are copycats and stories that are trying to relive the same popularity and not let the story die down.
013. Movie Platforms
Another simple tip that ain't really a mystery, but many seem to still not know it. Not all movies are released first in the cinema, some are released on other platforms, such as our good old TV. How shocking... (:
❗️Movies that are released originally on TV are not categorized as Movies on MDL, but instead as Drama Specials.
❗️When a movie is released originally on TV, it will have the date and the day it's released, the hour when it will air, and also the TV station where it will air.
❗️When adding a movie that originally aired on TV, both the Start Date and End Date field must be filled out with the same date, otherwise the system will think the movie is still airing.
❗️The only case when the Start Date and End Date are different, is when the movie starts airing late in the evening, and finishes after midnight, which is the next day, in that case the two dates will not be the same, so pay attention to the Air Time and the Runtime of the TV movie.
004. Kiss or KISS
Some want to have a more obvious sign that the characters are in love when they watch their favourite romance shows, and some don't really care about those clear signs. However, those that do want a clear sign that their characters are in love, usually want it in a form of a kiss. Some unfortunately, need to wait a whole 49 episodes to get a fake kiss, or at least a small and fast peck on the cheek...... Others are more lucky, and get more than they bargained for.
To help navigate through all those romantic titles and seek what your heart desires, here are a few tags that can help you with that search.
❗️Important note: These tags are only added to titles that have a romantic theme or sub-theme.
❗️No Kisses = There are no lip-on-lip kisses between the main leads in the show.
❗️Fake Kisses = Kissing from an angle which isn't shown to viewers, usually with their backs facing viewers.
❗️Accidental Kiss = Unintentionally kissing someone.
❗️Forced Kiss = Kissing forcefully and without the receiver’s consent.
❗️Steamy Kiss = Not the usual peck on the mouth. A real hot kiss which conveys the attraction of two characters.
+ Bonus:
❗️Slap and Kiss = It is about a love-hate relationship (mostly revenge-oriented) in which couples bicker, fight, argue, and then end up kissing or having sex.
Some of the tags that were removed this week:
See future, see visions, Filipino movie, Weird and Cute, Stray kids drama, Country manipulation, grassland, Cinta tigasegi, disproportionate situations, Tvb Pearl, ...
