Photographers Can Get Credited For TikTok Videos With ‘New IMDb for Everyone’
Photographers and videographers can finally get credited for their work on short-form videos, such as on TikTok, with a newly-launched “IMDb for Everyone.”
Although there are over 34 million videos posted every day on TikTok, a significant proportion of the individuals who make some of the internet’s most viral videos remain invisible, and never get the credit they deserve.
However, the Creators Guild of America (CGA) has launched Mosaic — a resource described as as “the IMDb for everyone” — so that individuals like photographers and videographers can legitimize their contributions to the world of short-form video.
According to a report by Fast Company, the CGA — a “non-profit professional service organization” formed in 2023 to focus on the rights of digital content creators — has launched an accreditation service to let digital creators register and verify their work.
A comprehensive record of people’s credits on these digital projects will go online on Mosaic (which is currently in beta).
“Historically, [short-form] content was utilized merely for fun or as entertainment or a joke,” Daniel Abas, founder and president of the CGA, tells Fast Company.
“The accreditation service was born with the intention of recognizing the contributions of digital creators, both in front of the camera and behind it, because this is turning into a serious profession.”
How Photographers Can Get Their Credit
Like the film and TV credit database that inspired it, Mosaic offers separate pages for each individual and brand in its database.
Users can select labels — such as Creator, Photographer, Videographer, Editor, and Producer — to describe their profession. Then they can fill out their profiles by listing sponsorships, collaborations, and other pieces of digital work.
Fast Company reports that the CGA then verifies the request for accreditation following a peer-to-peer review of that application, which can take a few days. The peer review process allows other members of the creator world to confirm the applicant’s credentials to ensure accuracy.
The final accreditation will provide a formal recognition of an individual’s work, which can potentially be leveraged for other jobs.
“Content is a form of entrepreneurship,” Abas tells Fast Company.
“We hope this is the beginning of the necessary infrastructure for this wild wild west.”
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Mosaic.
