IMDb has announced a major expansion to its professional credit listings, adding 12 new categories that highlight a wider range of behind-the-scenes talent across film and television. The update includes credits for intimacy coordination, choreography, craft services, puppetry, and voice actor dubbing-roles that were previously grouped under the "additional crew" section.
The new professional categories also encompass the color department, health and safety department, legal, production department, production finance and accounting, property department, and publicity. With these additions, IMDb now features 45 distinct professional credit categories, marking a significant step toward comprehensive recognition of all entertainment industry professionals.
The expansion highlights IMDb's ongoing efforts to make its database a more accurate reflection of the modern entertainment landscape. The updates were developed in consultation with key industry organizations, including the Choreographers Guild, Colorist Society, I.A.T.S.E. Local 161, I.A.T.S.E. Local 871, the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), the Property Masters Guild, and SAG-AFTRA.
"Our vision is to ensure every profession involved in making movies and TV shows receives equal recognition. We're grateful to our IMDbPro customers and industry collaborators who helped shape these updates, and we look forward to continuing this important work together," said IMDb CEO Nikki Santoro.
The update has been met with widespread praise from guilds, unions, and entertainment professionals who have long advocated for more accurate crediting.
SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin called the move "an important step toward creating an accurate and more inclusive reflection of the industry." He noted that proper crediting not only validates workers' contributions but also provides a vital professional resource. "When our members work on a production, it's important that they be credited in the right way-not just because it feels good to see our names connected to our titles, but because it's a professional resource that the community looks to, to be informed," Astin said.
"Having the choreography credit category on IMDb and IMDbPro is a sign of respect for our profession and the value we bring to the entertainment industry. We are excited and grateful to see one of the collective goals of our community realized," said Choreographer and Choreographers Guild Executive Board Member Mandy Moore.
Colorist Society President Kevin Shaw also celebrated the addition of a color department credit, emphasizing how it elevates a key yet often unseen craft. "This makes it easier to identify talented colorists and supports the work of the Colorist Society to advance the art of color grading through collaboration and knowledge sharing," Shaw said. "Our members will be thrilled that this new credit category recognizes the unique role we play in modern filmmaking."
Molly Merrell, President of I.A.T.S.E. Local 161, echoed the appreciation, saying, "Coordinators and accountants spend countless weeks making sure productions run smoothly and assist other departments with their needs. To have the production department and production finance and accounting categories added means we are recognized as equal members of the film crew who contribute just as much as anyone else."
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland added, "From dubbing performers and puppeteers to intimacy coordinators, choreographers, and so many others, every professional contributes to the magic of storytelling. This progress represents an important step toward a more accurate and inclusive reflection of the industry we all help create."
The update also reflects IMDb's growing focus on international collaboration and global content. For the first time, IMDb will accept dubbing credits for foreign-language versions of movies and TV shows, allowing professionals to showcase their work in languages including English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. By expanding dubbing credits, IMDb acknowledges the crucial role of voice performers in bringing stories to global audiences-especially as international content continues to thrive across streaming platforms.
The migration of existing credits into these new categories is already underway and is expected to be completed by November 9 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Tags: imdb, credit categories