Now that IMDb has (hopefully) finished altering their website API we could take a look at their Cast photo database and find away to incorporate them into one of the standard DVDpedia templates or perhaps a new "Standard" DVDpedia template (e.g. Credit Photo Template). The "Collections" template appears to be the one that several of us have modified to incorporate cast photo's, properly because it has that lovely floating right hand box which is ideally suited for this purpose.
My own version
Rigido version
Now I have studied the IMDb Cast photo code and it looks like they use three sizes of photo's when referencing a cast member.
Using Daniel Craig from Skyfall (2012) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1074638/?ref_=sr_1 They (IMDb) use a thumbnail size of (H)44px x (W)32px.
That then "On-Click" links to a bigger photo on his bio page http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185819/?ref_=tt_cl_t1, HTML labelled "img.primary" whose size is (H)314px x (W)214px.
This is then "On-Click" further linked to an even bigger photo HTML labelled http://www.imdb.com/media/rm633441024/nm0185819 "Primary" image of the size (H)400px x (W)269px.
In our own cast photo templates, Rigido and myself, have HTML restrained the photo size to (H)150px x (W)100px and placed the info either on top or to the side (I like Rigido's placement and will be altering mine according soon)
Now as far as a new "Standard" DVDpedia template displaying cast photos, there are four ways, I believe, that this could be done.
1 - That the template fetches the photo from IMDb and displays it accordingly using a template constrained size of approximately (H)150px x (W)100px. The problem with this method is that you have to be online.
2 - That with each new Addition of a DVD to DVDpedia or on "Update from" IMDb, the larger of the three IMDb photos [(H)400px x (W)269px] be downloaded, constrained to a size of approximately (H)150px x (W)100px and stored within the ~/Application support/DVDpedia/Info Templates/Images/Cast (Cast being the new Folder which is created on first use of the new template)
3 - That individual users of DVDpedia can download and install and store their own cast photos using the new template which constrains the image size and where the template forces the file name of the cast photo (forcing the name makes it standard)
4 - A combination of 2 & 3.
IMDb uses their own reference numbering system for all their cast photo's, therefore the template would have to force change the file name of the photo using the IMDb or the pedia's cast members name. Any missing cast photo's the user could then research & download themselves (e.g. Google images) and then drag and drop onto the missing image blue box question mark or to change an existing image. The program then automatically takes up and stores that image just as it does with cover images.
Now we come to Pocketpedia and Doghouse.
Within the iPhone version you could add a button next to the Summary button that "On Touch/Tap" displays the Credit listing with thumbnail photo's, then "On Touch/Tap" of a particular thumbnail photo it brings up a full screen screen image the same as it does with the cover image.
Within the iPad version you just display a thumbnail photo along side each Credit listing that "On Touch/Tap" displays a larger image.
Of course the problem with displaying Cast photo's on either of these iDevices is the limitation of the storage capacity of the device.
Doghouse. Bruji's own server based database could start collecting from the contributed individual databases of their Cast photo's. On each movie information page a thumbnail could then be used within the Credit listing with an "on-click" larger image being displayed. This image database could also be used from within DVDpedia "Update from" Doghouse to update the owners DVDpedia database.
Now I am not to sure about the legality of a commercial enterprise such Bruji using IMDb or even publicly available images, such as can be found in Google, of movie cast members. I believe as individuals we are ok.
As I stated in an earlier posting: I find having a photo against the DVDpedia Credit entries a HUGE benefit as it ensures I have the right actors to the right movie, bearing in mind lots of movies are remade with different actors over the years. Plus this also gives you a great visual time line of your favourite actors. It brings the program closer to the user.
Perhaps this same process could be applied to Authors in Bookpedia & musicians/bands in CDpedia.
OK - I would love hear what other DVDpedia forum members think of this and what ideas they also have.
Cheers
