Movie Metadata Guide

Movie metadata transforms a filename into a poster on your home screen. When metadata works, your offline library feels like a streaming service. When it fails, you see wrong artwork, missing descriptions, or duplicate entries — and trust in the catalog collapses.

This guide explains how metadata matching works, why it breaks, and how to fix it permanently in your offline movie library.

What metadata includes

For each matched title, a video library app typically stores:

• Display title and original release year
• Poster and backdrop artwork
• Plot overview and tagline
• Genres, runtime, and content rating
• Cast and crew (where supported)
• Trailer links

MyBinge uses TMDB as the primary metadata source. TMDB matches based on parsed title and year from your folder or filename.

How automatic matching works

The matching pipeline is straightforward:

1. Scanner finds video file at path 2. Parser extracts title and year from folder/filename 3. App queries TMDB with parsed values 4. Best match populates poster and details 5. Result cached locally for offline browsing

Match quality is directly proportional to naming consistency. `Inception (2010)` matches reliably. `Inception.2010.1080p.BluRay.x264-GROUP.mkv` may match — or may not — depending on parser quality.

Always normalize names with the Movie Filename Formatter before expecting perfect automation.

Common metadata failures and fixes

Wrong poster, right file **Cause:** Year missing or incorrect in folder name; remakes confused (Spider-Man 2002 vs 2012). **Fix:** Rename folder to exact `Movie Title (Year)`. Rescan or manual rematch.

No poster at all **Cause:** Unparseable filename; special characters; TV file in Movies folder. **Fix:** Normalize name; verify file is in correct top-level category.

Duplicate entries **Cause:** Same movie in two paths or two files in one folder treated as separate titles. **Fix:** Consolidate to one folder, one primary file.

TV show listed as movie **Cause:** Episode file under Movies instead of TV Shows hierarchy. **Fix:** Move to [TV folder structure](/guides/how-to-organize-tv-shows).

Use the Metadata Finder to parse messy filenames and generate a clean TMDB search query.

Manual matching best practices

When automatic match fails:

1. Open title in MyBinge 2. Search TMDB for correct film 3. Confirm year and poster before saving 4. Rename folder to match chosen title to prevent repeat failure

Document manual fixes in a simple spreadsheet if you have hundreds of outliers — note original filename, corrected title, and year.

Metadata maintenance schedule

Metadata is not set-and-forget:

• **On ingest** — verify new titles within 24 hours
• **Monthly** — spot-check Recently Added row
• **Quarterly** — refresh posters when TMDB updates preferred artwork
• **After bulk rename** — trigger full rescan

Treat metadata fixes as part of ingestion, not emergency repair.

Subtitles and metadata

Metadata and subtitles are separate systems. A perfectly matched poster does not guarantee subtitles exist. Pair `.srt` files with matching base names and verify with Subtitle Checker.

Advanced: edition handling

Director's cuts, extended editions, and IMAX versions confuse matchers when year alone is insufficient:

• Use edition tag in filename: `Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Final Cut.mkv`
• If TMDB lacks edition, pick closest theatrical match
• Accept that some editions require permanent manual override

Metadata and privacy

Metadata fetch sends title strings to TMDB — not your video files. Your movies stay local. Only search queries leave the device during refresh.

Related guides

• Movie Organizer Complete Guide
• How to Organize Downloaded Movies
• Fixing Wrong Posters — quick troubleshooting blog

Clean names first, metadata second, maintenance always. That sequence keeps your offline movie library trustworthy on every screen.