Template:Infobox film/doc

Infobox film is used to create an infobox which summarizes the main information of a particular motion picture.

Usage

{{{name}}}
[[File:{{{image}}}|frameless|alt={{{alt}}}|upright=1|{{{alt}}}]] {{{caption}}}
{{{native_name}}}
Directed by	{{{director}}} or {{{directors}}}
Written by	{{{writer}}} or {{{writers}}}
Screenplay by	{{{screenplay}}}
Story by	{{{story}}}
Based on	{{{based_on}}}
Produced by	{{{producer}}} or {{{producers}}}
Starring	{{{starring}}}
Narrated by	{{{narrator}}} or {{{narrators}}}
Cinematography	{{{cinematography}}}
Edited by	{{{editing}}}
Music by	{{{music}}}
Production companies	{{{studio}}} or {{{production_companies}}}
Distributed by	{{{distributor}}}
Release date	{{{released}}}
Running time	{{{runtime}}}
Country	{{{country}}}
Language	{{{language}}}
Budget	{{{budget}}}
Box office	{{{gross}}}

The infobox may be added by pasting the template as shown below into an article, typically at the top of an article above the lead section.

{{Infobox film
| name           = 
| image          = 
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| native_name    = <!-- {{Infobox name module|language|title}} or {{Infobox name module|title}} -->
| director       = 
| writer         = 
| screenplay     = 
| story          = 
| based_on       = <!-- {{Based on|title of the original work|creator of the original work|additional creator(s), if necessary}} -->
| producer       = 
| starring       = 
| narrator       = 
| cinematography = 
| editing        = 
| music          = 
| studio         = <!-- or: | production_companies = -->
| distributor    = <!-- or: | distributors = -->
| released       = <!-- {{Film date|df=yes/no|year|month|day|location|ref1=}} -->
| runtime        = 
| country        = 
| language       = 
| budget         = 
| gross          = 
}}

Parameters

All parameters are optional.

Template parameters

Parameter	Explanation
italic_title	Set to no if the title of the article should not be automatically italicised (for instance, if the title has a disambiguation clause).
name	Insert the full common name of the film (defaults to {{PAGENAMEBASE}} if empty).
image	Insert a relevant image for the film. Ideally this should be a film poster, but a DVD/VHS cover, screenshot, or other film-related image may also be used. Only use the actual file name, i.e. |image=Forrest Gump poster.jpg. See #Image for further guidelines.
alt	Alt text for the image. See WP:ALT. This field is normally not visible in standard web browsers, but you can see it by requesting the image's properties from the browser. A visually impaired reader will typically hear the alt text in place of the image.
caption	Insert image caption, which should describe the type of image used.
native_name	Insert the native title of the film using the {{Infobox name module}} template if it is different from the displayed title; please visit that template's page for full instructions. This parameter is for the native title only, i.e. it should not be used to add translated titles to the infobox.
director	Insert the name(s) of the director(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each director to their article if possible.
writer	Insert the name(s) of the writer(s). This field is primarily used for films where the writer(s) are credited under "Written by". Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each writer to their article if possible.
screenplay	Insert the name(s) of the screenplay writer(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Use this field instead of the normal writer field if films divide writing credits between screenplay and story writers. Link each writer to their article if possible.
story	Insert the name(s) of the story writer(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Use this field instead of the normal writer field if films divide writing credits between screenplay and story writers. Link each writer to their article if possible.
based_on	Insert the title of the source material and the name(s) of the source material writer(s). Use this field in conjunction with screenplay and story where applicable (i.e. "Screen story") if films are based on previously produced or published material, such as books, plays, articles, old screenplays etc. Use {{based on}} or similar formatting where possible. Do not use this field where the source material is ambiguous.
producer	Insert the name(s) of the producer(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each producer to their article if possible. Only producer credits should be included, not executive producers, associate producers, etc.
starring	In general, use the billing block of the poster for the film's original theatrical release as a rule of thumb for listing starring actors. If unavailable, use the top-billed actors from the screen credits. An alternative approach may be determined by local consensus. Use either the {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}} template for multiple entries, and link each actor to their article if possible. Don't add additional text (such as "with" or "featuring") or punctuation to the list.
narrator	For documentaries only. Insert the name(s) of the narrator(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each narrator to their article if possible.
cinematography	Insert the name(s) of the cinematographer(s) or director(s) of photography. Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each cinematographer or director of photography to their article if possible.
editing	Insert the name(s) of the editor(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Listing "additional editors" and "supervising editors" may occasionally be appropriate, in which case add the tag "(add)" or "(sup)". Link each editor to their article if possible.
music	Insert the name(s) of the composer(s) of the original music score. They are usually credited with "Music by". Composers credited for "additional music" and songwriters should not be included. Separate multiple entries using either {{ubl}} or {{plainlist}}. Link each composer to their article if possible.
animator	For animated films only. Insert the name(s) of the animator(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each animator to their article if possible.
layout_artist	For animated films only. Insert the name(s) of the layout artist(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each layout artist to their article if possible.
background_artist	For animated films only. Insert the name(s) of the background artist(s). Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each background artist to their article if possible.
color_process	For animated films only. Insert the type of film stock used to make the film. For most cartoons, this should be filled only with one of the following choices: black and white, Sepia tone, Technicolor, Technicolor (two-color), Cinecolor, Polacolor, or Metrocolor. For more modern (post-1970) cartoons, "Color" will suffice.
studio or production_companies	Insert the company or companies that produced the film. Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}, and use the "production_companies" parameter. Link each company to its article if possible. When possible, this should be cited to reliable secondary sources that explicitly identify the production companies.
distributor	Insert the company name(s) of the distributor(s) that first released the film. Separate multiple entries using either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}}. Link each distributor to its article if possible. See #Distributor for additional guidelines.
released	Insert only the most relevant release date(s) of the film. Use {{Film date}}. See #Release dates for additional guidelines.
runtime	Insert an approximate time duration of the film in minutes. If the running time is given to the second, round it to the minute (and do not link to "minute"). Restrict the entry to the runtime for the primary release. See #Runtime for additional guidelines.
country	For reasons explained below preference is given to reliable databases like BFI, AFI, or trade publications such as Screen International and Variety. Some call it the country(s) of production, while other simply call it the country(s) or nationality. If there is a conflict of information in various reliable sources, then list only the common published nations. Alternatively in the case of conflict, consider leaving this field blank and discussing the issue in the article. When using the field, do not use flag icons, as this places an unnecessary emphasis on nationality; see MOS:FLAG for a detailed rationale. Also, do not link to Cinema of XXXX; see WP:EGG.
language	Insert the language primarily used in the film. Databases often give every language spoken within the film, even if they only reflect a few lines in the overall script. The BBFC website is a good resource for the main language used in the film. Only in rare cases of clearly bilingual or multilingual films, enter separate entries with {{unbulleted list}}. In the case of a single language without any additional text, the film article will be put automatically in the category concerned. Note: languages are not automatically linked. This has been done intentionally because according to WP:OVERLINK, most major languages should generally not be linked. Please do not override this by using a piped link such as [[English language|English]].
budget	Insert the approximate production budget of the film. This is the cost of the actual filming, and does not include marketing/promotional costs (e.g. advertisements, commercials, posters). Budget figures can be found at Box Office Mojo, The Numbers, the Los Angeles Times, Variety, etc. If there are conflicting estimates, do not cherry-pick; list each estimate either as an individual value or as a number range. Do not use primary sources to corroborate budget figures. When applicable, add "gross" and "net" parenthetically beside the figure(s), using the either {{plainlist}} or {{ubl}} template.
gross	Insert the worldwide gross revenue accrued by the film in its theatrical run (home media sales should instead be covered in the article body). This information is available for many Hollywood pictures at Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. If worldwide gross is not available, then indicate which region has grossed that amount. Use condensed, rounded values ($22.4 million vs $22,392,684). Precise values should be used where stable and appropriate to the context, or significant in themselves for some special reason. (See also: MOS:LARGENUM and this consensus discussion.)

Additional parameter usage explanation

Image

Ideally, an image of the film's original theatrical release poster should be uploaded and added to the infobox to serve as an identifying image for the article. Poster images can be found at websites such as Internet Movie Poster Awards or Internet Movie Poster Database. If a poster image cannot be found for the film, or if the film did not have a theatrical release, then a cover image of the film's display case (VHS, DVD, etc.) may be used instead. Cover images can be found at commercial websites such as Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. In the absence of an appropriate poster or cover image, a screenshot of the film's title card may also be used. When replacing an existing image, upload the new image over the old image (where possible), and update the relevant details on the image description page. See Wikipedia's non-free content policy to learn about the appropriate use of copyrighted images (such as most poster images) on Wikipedia, and see introduction to uploading images to find instructions for uploading an image.

Once uploaded, place the file name of the image, e.g., FILM TITLE poster.jpg (or a similar description), in the image= field of the infobox, but do not include the Image: part of the file name. The caption= field should describe the image, i.e., identifying it as "Theatrical release poster" (or "Promotional release poster", which may be appropriate if the film has a poster but did not receive a wide theatrical release, or its theatrical release status is unknown) or "DVD cover"; repeating the title of the film here is not necessary. Below is an example of how to use the fields:

| name = FILM TITLE
| image = FILM TITLE poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster

Nationalities (e.g. "American theatrical release poster", "French release poster", "Japanese release poster", etc.) should be excluded from the caption, unless the poster in question is not from the film's country of origin. If the poster used is not from the film's country of origin, then the poster's language or country of origin can be specified (see the English-language poster in the infobox for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives as an example).

If the poster is illustrated, its illustrator may be specified in the caption (see the infobox caption for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which reads "Theatrical release poster by John Alvin". Inclusions of artist names in film infobox captions should be reliably sourced.

Credits

Credits in the infobox should not be retrospectively altered to accommodate name changes at a later date. A person should be credited by the name they were using professionally at the time the film was made.

Distributor

Using the same rationale as the release date, the distributor(s) should be restricted to the country or countries that produced the film and (if different) the country where the film is first released. If there are only two distributors in total (a domestic and foreign) then include both of them.

Release dates

The film infobox is too small to reproduce the long lists of release dates provided by sources such as the Internet Movie Database. Release dates should therefore be restricted to the film's earliest release, whether it was at a film festival, a world premiere, or a public release, and the release date(s) in the country or countries that produced the film, excluding sneak previews or screenings. If the film was officially distributed by a streaming service such as Netflix for its original release (not including cases where the service has only acquired distribution rights for certain overseas regions that don't include the producing countries), then the date it was released on the platform should also be included. If other release dates are found to be notable, it may be appropriate to include them in the main body of the article (example).

{{Film date}} should be used for the film's release dates, which automatically adds the film to the appropriate release year category (such as 2024 films), and Upcoming films when appropriate. Please see that template's documentation for more info.

Release dates for straight-to-video and television films should follow the preceding guideline for home releases and airings, respectively.

Some editors like to use flag icons instead of country names. This should be avoided, as flags are less recognizable than country names.

Runtime

The runtime for the film should be for the primary release; this will usually be the format the film premiered on, so for films that have had a theatrical release insert the runtime of the original theatrical version. Runtimes can vary due to regional censorship, alternative cuts (such as a director's cut or an unrated version) and different technical specifications across release formats, but do not include any additional runtimes without consensus. Use a reliable secondary source, such as the BBFC classification site, to cite the information; do not time it yourself, and for upcoming releases, do not take it from theater chain or ticketing service websites. If using the BBFC website as a source take note that a film may have been submitted to the BBFC several times for classification and have several different runtimes associated with it depending on format, version and component (such as a DVD commentary), so be careful to source the correct time, which are all listed at the entry page for the film under "Cinema".

Home video packaging should only be used to source runtimes for direct-to-video films or for films that may not have been classified; reliable secondary sources are still preferable in these instances if at all possible.

Country

According to the European Lumiere project, the value of this parameter is seldom found in the primary source (the film) and often involves original research:

"defining the nationality of a film is a complex task. There are no widely accepted international or even European definitions of the criteria to be used to determine the country of origin of a film. This is both a legal and a statistical problem. It is enlightening to compare the lists provided by the different national sources that we use: countries involved in a joint production are not always indicated (even when the main coproducer is from another country). Different national records – and the statistics on which they are based – can show the same film as having a whole range of nationalities." (from "Identification of Films in the Lumiere Database". European Audiovisual Observatory. 2006.)

Controlling line-breaking in embedded bulletless lists

Template {{nbsp}} may be used with {{wbr}} and {{nowrap}} to control line-breaking in bulletless lists embedded in the infobox (e.g. cast and other credits lists), to prevent wrapped long entries from being confused with multiple entries. See Template:Wbr/doc#Controlling line-breaking in infoboxes for details.

TemplateData

TemplateData documentation used by VisualEditor and other tools

See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Infobox film in articles based on its TemplateData. TemplateData for Infobox film {{Infobox film}} is used to list at-a-glance comparative information about a particular motion picture. Template parameters This template has custom formatting. Parameter Description Type Status Italicize title italic_title Set to 'no' if the title of the article should not be automatically italicised (for instance, if the title has a disambiguation clause). Set to 'force' to enforce an italicised title. String optional Film name name The full common name of the film (default: {{PAGENAMEBASE}}). Default {{PAGENAME}} String optional Image file image A relevant image for the film. Use only the file name, for example, test.jpg. File suggested Image size image_size no description Number optional Alt text alt Alt text for the image (see WP:ALT). A visually impaired reader will typically hear the alt text in place of the image. String optional border border no description Boolean optional Image caption caption Image caption with a brief description of the image content. String suggested Native title native_name Native film title. Should only be used, if the native title differs from the common film title. Use {{Infobox name module|language|title}} or {{Infobox name module|title}} String optional Director director directors Name(s) of the director(s), separated using {{Plain list}}. Link each director to their appropriate article if possible. String suggested Writer (general) writer writers Name(s) of writer(s), which are credited under 'Written by', separated using {{Plain list}}. Link each writer to their appropriate article if possible. If the film divides between screenplay and story writer, leave this field empty. String suggested Screenplay writer screenplay Name(s) of screenplay writer(s), if the film divides credits between screenplay and story writer, separated using {{Plain list}}. Link each writer to their appropriate article if possible. String optional Story writer story Name(s) of story writer(s), if the film divides credits between screenplay and story writer, separated using {{Plain list}}. Link each writer to their appropriate article if possible. String optional Based on (sources) based_on Title of the source material and the name(s) of the source material writer(s). Use this field in conjunction with screenplay and story where applicable (i.e. "Screen story") if films are based on previously produced or published material, such as books, plays, articles, old screenplays etc. Use {{based on}} or similar formatting where possible. Do not use this field where the source material is ambiguous. String optional Producer producer producers Name(s) of the producer(s), separated using {{Plain list}}. Link each producer to their appropriate article if possible. Only producer credits should be included, not executive or associate producers, etc. String suggested Starring starring Names of the actors as they are listed in the billing block of the poster for the film's original theatrical release, separated by {{Plain list}}. Do not add non-notable or uncredited actors and avoid filler text such as 'with' or 'featuring'. String suggested Narrator (documentaries only) narrator narrators Name(s) of the narrator(s), separated using {{Plain list}}. Link each narrator to their appropriate article if possible. String optional Cinematography cinematography Name(s) of the cinematographers, separated using {{Plain list}}. Link each cinematographer to their appropriate article if possible. String suggested Editor editing Name(s) of the editor(s), separated using {{Plain list}}. Listing 'additional editors' and 'supervising editors' may occasionally be appropriate, in which case add the tag '(add)' or '(sup)'. Link each editor to their article if possible. String suggested Music composer music Name(s) of the composer(s) of the original score. They are usually credited with 'Music by'. Composers credited for 'additional music' and song writers should not be included. Separate multiple entries using {{Plain list}}. Link each composer to their appropriate article if possible. String suggested Animator (animated films only) animator Name(s) of the animator(s). Separate multiple entries using {{Plain list}}. Link each animator to their article if possible. String optional Layout artist (animated films only) layout_artist Name(s) of the layout artist(s). Separate multiple entries using {{Plain list}}. Link each layout artist to their article if possible. String optional Background artist (animated films only) background_artist Name(s) of the background artist(s). Separate multiple entries using {{Plain list}}. Link each background artist to their article if possible. String optional Color process (animated films only) color_process The type of film stock used to make the film. For most cartoons, this should be filled only with one of the following choices: black and white, Sepia tone, Technicolor, Technicolor (two-color), Cinecolor, Polacolor, or Metrocolor. For more modern (post-1970) cartoons, "Color" will suffice. String optional Production studio studio production_companies Company(s) that produced the film, separated using {{Plain list}}. In addition, link each company to its appropriate article if possible. String suggested Distributor distributor distributors Company name(s) of the distributor(s) that first released the film, separated using {{Plain list}}. In addition, link each distributor to its appropriate article if possible. String suggested Release dates released Only the most relevant release date(s) of the film, using {{Film date}}. See #Release dates for additional guidelines. Example {{Film date|df=yes/no|year|month|day|location|ref1=}} String suggested Film duration runtime An approximate time duration of the film in minutes. Do not link to minute. The BBFC website is a good resource – the running time is given to the second, so round it to the minute. Number optional Country country Country(s) of production or 'country', depending on sources. Do not use flag icons. See template documentation for more usage information, especially on disputed cases. String suggested Primary language language Only specify the language 'primarily' used in the film. Single language values will automatically link and categorize to this language. String suggested Production budget budget Approximate production budget excluding marketing and promotion. In case of conflicting reliable sources, list all values or an appropriate value range. For more information see the template documentation. Number suggested Worldwide gross revenue gross Worldwide gross revenue accrued by the film. This information is available for most pictures at Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. If worldwide gross is not available, then indicate which region has grossed that amount. Use condensed, rounded values ($22.4 million vs $22,392,684). Precise values should be used where stable and appropriate to the context, or significant in themselves for some special reason. (See also: MOS:LARGENUM). Number suggested

Examples

Plan 9 from Outer Space
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Edward D. Wood Jr.
Written by	Edward D. Wood Jr.
Produced by	J. Edward Reynolds
Starring	Béla Lugosi Vampira Lyle Talbot
Cinematography	William C. Thompson
Edited by	Edward D. Wood Jr.
Distributed by	Distributors Corporation of America
Release date	July 1959 (1959-07)
Running time	79 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$60,000

 {{Infobox film
 | name           = Plan 9 from Outer Space
 | image          = Plan nine from outer space.jpg
 | alt            = Poster reading "Plan 9 From Outer Space".
 | caption        = Theatrical release poster
 | director       = [[w:Edward D. Wood Jr.|]]
 | writer         = Edward D. Wood Jr.
 | producer       = J. Edward Reynolds
 | starring       = {{Plainlist|
 * [[w:Béla Lugosi|]]
 * [[w:Maila Nurmi|Vampira]]
 * [[w:Lyle Talbot|]]
 }}
 | cinematography = [[w:William C. Thompson (cinematographer)|William C. Thompson]]
 | editing        = Edward D. Wood Jr.
 | distributor    = Distributors Corporation of America
 | released       = {{Film date|1959|07}}
 | runtime        = 79 minutes
 | country        = United States
 | language       = English
 | budget         = $60,000
 }}

Removed parameters

IMDb, AllMovie and other external links

When this infobox template was first created in December 2004, one of the parameters created an external link to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Irrespective of the fact that IMDb is not used as a reliable source for verifying content in articles, it still is a resource that many people, including editors and readers of Wikipedia, often turn to.

In more recent years, additional external websites have become increasingly useful resources, including AllMovie, Box Office Mojo, the British Film Institute, Metacritic, and Rotten Tomatoes. Also, modern films almost invariably have an official website. As a consequence, new external links were added to and removed from the infobox as consensus changed on the subject.

Discussions about the fate of these links took place in numerous places over some time, with a number of people advocating removal of all external links from the infobox, if not the article as a whole. Others spoke of the value of having at least a link to IMDb in the infobox. Eventually, a far from undisputed consensus arose to remove all external links from the infobox and to move them to the External links section where appropriate.

Important points towards this consensus included fact that the infobox could not include all of the available links and that it would be inappropriate to pick and choose one or a few of those links over others. Suggestions that losing access to the most useful of the available links (typically IMDb) would damage the usefulness of film articles were not found persuasive by many since such links could still be included in the External links section and the table of contents linking to the external links section having all of the useful external links is adjacent the infobox.

External links to resources such as the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), AllMovie and any official website are no longer included in this template. Nevertheless, these resources and others may be usefully added to the "External links" section of the article using the following templates:

• {{AllMovie title|id=

am_id|title= film title}}

• {{BFI|id=

bfi_id|title= film title}}

• {{Mojo title|id=

bom_id|title= film title}}

• {{IMDb title|id=

imdb_id|title= film title}}

• {{Metacritic film|id=

mc_id|title= film title}}

• {{Rotten Tomatoes|id=

rt_id|title= film title}}

• {{Tcmdb title|id=

tc_id|title= film title}}

A link to the official website, if any, may be created manually, or using the {{official website|url|name= title (optional)}} template.

Ratings

Like links to IMDb, statements of a film's rating(s) have been excluded from the infobox as consensus has shifted over the years. Mainly, there are simply too many ratings systems in English-speaking countries, let alone the world over. Further, these ratings systems rarely exactly agree, and a film's rating can change drastically over time as different editions of a film are released, and re-released, to theaters, broadcast, cable/satellite/streaming, and home media. Ratings information should be integrated into the film's article.

Preceded by / Followed by

The "Preceded by" and "Followed by" parameters were removed on 16 February 2011. (See Template talk:Infobox film/Archive 19#Preceded By.2FFollowed By.)

Microformat

The HTML mark-up produced by this template includes an hCalendar microformat that makes event details readily parsable by computer programs. This aids tasks such as the cataloguing of articles and maintenance of databases. For more information about the use of microformats on Wikipedia, please visit the Microformat WikiProject.

Classes used

The HTML classes of this microformat include:

• attendee
• contact
• description
• dtend
• dtstart
• location
• organiser
• summary
• url
• vevent

Please do not rename or remove these classes
nor collapse nested elements which use them.

Categories added by template

• Category:English-language films and similar subcategories of Category:Films by language)
• Category:Silent films

Tracking categories (hidden)

• Category:Pages using infobox film with unknown parameters (171)
• Category:Pages using infobox film with image size parameter (0)

See also

• {{Infobox television}}