Why do I get a 'Query Syntax Error', and do I need to escape special characters?

Q: Why do I get a 'Query Syntax Error', and do I need to escape special characters?

A Query Syntax Error usually means a search operator is malformed. Check for: Unbalanced quotation marks or parentheses. NEAR/ or NOTNEAR/ without a distance number, up to 500. A quoted phrase followed by ~ without a number. A query containing only excluded words, such as -word , with no positive term. You do not need to escape slashes in ordinary subtitle text. Before searching, Filmot replaces punctuation such as / , \ , ? , ! , $ , & , @ , : , = , commas and square or curly brackets with spaces. When Filmot can identify the problem, the error message describes it. If a correctly formed query still fails, send the exact search expression through the contact form or the Discord server linked there.

Question

Accepted Answer

A Query Syntax Error usually means a search operator is malformed. Check for:

Unbalanced quotation marks or parentheses.
NEAR/ or NOTNEAR/ without a distance number, up to 500.
A quoted phrase followed by ~ without a number.
A query containing only excluded words, such as -word, with no positive term.

You do not need to escape slashes in ordinary subtitle text. Before searching, Filmot replaces punctuation such as /, \, ?, !, $, &, @, :, =, commas and square or curly brackets with spaces.

When Filmot can identify the problem, the error message describes it. If a correctly formed query still fails, send the exact search expression through the contact form or the Discord server linked there.