Examples of 360 camera videos, the Tomorrow Land video demonstrates how this concept could work brilliantly putting my application users into their own Edinburgh Festival virtual reality.
I designed a mock up of how my app would look. It features the splash/loading page, home page, connect page and streaming screen. Users can chat whilst watching their favourite shows and see what their friends are watching and join them.
I thought of which new technology is beginning to establish itself in the tech marketplace, I envisioned installing 360 camera into venues across Edinburgh festival and incorporating virtual reality for into the application. Each subscriber to the app will receive a free eco friendly virtual reality headset, to watch their favourite shows with friends and experience the festival as if they were there.
After much consideration I decided to pursue the BBC Edinburgh Festivals brief. I thought of a interesting way to bring the festivals the everyone using technology and this was my strongest concept. I researched into current applications such as the Fringe app to find out styles they are using, colours, images, graphics etc. This also allowed me to see the scale of the festival and what venues they use.
I initially thought of an application where users can communicate with friends, plan their festivals virtually on the app, discover and stream the live performances with friends or catch up on the ones they've missed.
A mock up of how the normal MUBI users profile will look with clubs added and the small star symbol to show they are a member over 6 months and owner of a club. Users can view other peoples clubs when visiting their profile, this could be helpful if users discover people they find have similar interests regarding film.
MUBI Brief Concept
'Help film-lovers swap endless
searching for instant satisfaction with
a scene-stealing idea for MUBI'
I have called my concept CLUB MUBI where I am attempting to convey cinema clubs online. The idea is to let users decide which club is perfect for them, each club has its own particular preference on films, this is based of data collected through asking short questions and social media.
In each club there are still 30 films just like the original MUBI, but they are related to that specific clubs favourite genre, actors, music etc. Members can vote for the films they want to see most which MUBI have added to the 'feed', but members can also vote for films they and others post to a 'community feed' to make the film choice more diverse and interesting.
To start your own club you must have been a member for at least 6 months, others can only join clubs. Users are limited to creating one club and can join up to 3.
How is this shortening users search time to find the perfect film?
My concept is using a time where networking is prevalent to its advantage, by finding other users with similar film interests and pairing them up to assist each other in finding the ideal film. It also introduces users to new content they may have never seen before. When users sign in they can choose one of their clubs that suits their particular liking that day, instead of sifting through every film on the main page. The rating system also helps separate the good from the bad, where 'TOP PICKS' will feature in each club showing the most up-voted films for the day. The community feed brings in new content that as a club people can decide on, giving them more scope of what they want to see.
FlickSurfer is a similar site with advanced search settings. You can use IMDB scores, Rotten Tomatoes scores, Netflix scores and even select the specific awards a film has won. I could integrate this method into my current concept of 'MUBI Clubs' but as a initial requirement for new members of any 'Club' it could help them find the perfect one to join for maximum impact in relation to finding films.
MUBI Vision
Five things that were on our minds when we first dreamt up MUBI:
- Why can’t you watch In the Mood for Love in a café in Tokyo on your iPad?
- Why is it so hard to meet people who share the same love for Antonioni?
- Wouldn’t it be great to instantly send Tati’s Playtimeto a friend if you think they needed it? (There’s nothing like film therapy!)
- Why do films on the Internet just look awful?
- Why are we talking as if we were John Cusack in High Fidelity?
And that was that. We simply couldn’t resist the idea of everyone having their own film library… Your own little cinema, anytime, anywhere.
After all, not everyone can make it to the Cannes Film Festival – especially if you are a school teacher or you live in Winnipeg (or both) – but that doesn’t mean you can’t recite all of Kubrick’s films in reverse chronological order, or that you are not desperate to watch the latest Kitano film that’s definitely not going to be released in your local multiplex.
And that’s our point: Popular doesn’t always mean good.
Our film library is brimming with visionary films that wouldn’t fill a single cinema in Belgium for a week – not even a day. But if you searched the world (all of it), you might just find an audience of a thousand for these rare cinematic treats. And we don’t think a thousand people should be ignored just because they happen to live in different time zones or far away from Belgian cinemas. If someone needed to make such a precise film, it means that someone, somewhere needs to watch it. More importantly, that someone might be you. Or Martin Scorsese (he happens to be a member too.) You’ll also find Hollywood favorites, from Annie Hall to The Royal Tenenbaums. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where films come from, as long as they come from someone’s mind.
MUBI is not just about discovering wonderful new cinema or classic masterpieces. It’s also about discussing and sharing these discoveries, which makes us like a small coffee shop… a place where you can gather and talk about alternative endings, directors’ cuts, and whatever those frogs in Magnolia meant. Heated debates and passionate arguments are welcome.
Are you in the mood for cinema? Welcome to MUBI.
P.S. By the way, we’ve worked hard on the quality of the streaming and we are very proud of it… just wanted to let you know…
Competitors
Fandor is another Indie style online streaming service that hand picks specific films for their audience, similar to MUBI.
We present exceptional, hand-picked films to a community of film lovers and makers connected by meaningful and entertaining cinematic experiences. We are committed to the advancement and preservation of film art and culture, delivering a 50% revenue share to our films’ rights holders. In order to support the lifecycle of a film, we’ve launched initiatives across critical stages of the filmmaking process, partnering with educators, students, filmmakers, festivals and distributors.
Snag Films
SnagFilms is like that cool local video store with unique indie films and exciting hidden
movie treasures – except everything can be watched online! For those of us looking to
discover something different, SnagFilms has over 5,000 movies, TV show episodes, eye
opening documentaries and exclusive original comedy shorts. There is something to watch for everyone!
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2014/09/14/mubi/
Like linear
I was immediately drawn to the basic concept of what MUBI was all about. You see, one of the big issues many people have with content, be it on online entertainment emporiums such as Netflix or the bricks-and-mortar Blockbusters of yore, is that there is too much choice. Filtering through the cacophonous crackle of C-List flicks (that may actually be quite enjoyable), remakes, sequels, spin-offs and all the rest, can be painstaking.
“The problem with Netflix is there is too much choice”
I’m not for a second suggesting that the on-demand, unlimited streaming revolution is a bad thing. Far from it. But one of the key benefits of traditional broadcast ‘linear’ TV has always been that you have to watch what the broadcasters, well, broadcast. Yes, your choices are stifled, but you do end up watching stuff you’d otherwise never have seen, and – importantly – it’s devoid of hassle.
MUBI takes this key benefit, gives it a boost by way of a littlemore choice, and then adopts a Netflix-style approach the rest of the way.
How it works
How it works
Every day, a team of movie experts at MUBI introduce a new film into the mix, after which you have 30 days to watch it before it vanishes from sight. So in effect, MUBI only ever has 30 movies available at any one time, and previously-aired films will rarely, if ever, make a reappearance.
At the time of writing, there is actually a little quirk in the system if you watch MUBI on the PS3, as it still adheres to an old model – you actually have 69 movies to watch at any given time. This will be brought into line with the other platforms shortly though. In addition to the PlayStation , a monthly subscription gains you access to films on iOS , Android tablets, Sony Bravia TVs and the Web.
The interface and functionality varies a little depending on the platform. But using the iPad as an example, you scroll horizontally through a library of movies that contain the cover art, title, and director’s name.
I researched into statistics of the MUBI website to give me some insight into the target markets browsing habits. It showed me that the main source of traffic through social media came from Facebook and that the USA were the biggest collection of users to the site.
MUBI targets lovers of culture, art, design, music etc, so they focus on a more niche market rather than the general audience. I am required to help these users find the perfect film faster. Looking at competitors allows me to research what others on the market are attempting, what's working and what's not.
I have chosen to undergo the MUBI brief as my practise project. This brief entails helping MUBI users find a better selection of films suited to their personal preference, without them having to sift through hundreds of titles before they find the ideal one.
http://www.soitgoesmag.com/
Whilst looking for inspiration I came across So it Goes Magazine. It features some interesting content, with intriguing photography and exciting film visuals.
Whilst looking for inspiration I came across So it Goes Magazine. It features some interesting content, with intriguing photography and exciting film visuals.
I currently use Behance to display my online portfolio, I like this platform as it is free to use and provides a large network to potential employers and other creatives. It's a great tool that has put me in touch with huge brands such as Adobe and Adidas. I will continue to use it even when I move to my own personal website as it is an additional tool that helps promote my work in a professional manor.
Seb Lester is a professional typographer who I admire greatly, he promotes using Instagram and Facebook mainly, but does has a personal website also. His site follows the usual pattern of an easy layout but clear images of his work to capture the viewer. Navigation is very easy and you can scroll through his work very quickly which I think is a great touch as he has a lot of pieces. As he has a very unique skill I believe Facebook is a great tool for him as a typographer, uploading videos etc can have the potential to go viral and this goes a long way on this platform.
Seb Lester (Typographer)
Another Creative who I follow uses a more unique way of self promotion and showcasing. He solely uses Instagram, which I thought is extremely impressive. He is a photographer so this is of course is the most obvious platform to use, but very few Creatives can only stick to one platform as a self promo tool.
Eric Ward (Photographer)
As Creatives we are required to showcase our work to clients and potential employees. I was set a task to look at other professional Creatives and see how they promote and exhibit their work, to help gain inspiration for myself.
Joshua Warren (Designer)
http://joshwarrendesign.com/
Josh is a Designer who I have previously interviewed for a university module. I love his style of design, it always has great composition, colour and includes some intriguing icons. His website is, in my opinion, a great way to showcase your work online as a Creative. Simple navigation, large tiles to preview each project and a professional aesthetic throughout, with consistency.
Joshua Warren (Designer)
http://joshwarrendesign.com/
Josh is a Designer who I have previously interviewed for a university module. I love his style of design, it always has great composition, colour and includes some intriguing icons. His website is, in my opinion, a great way to showcase your work online as a Creative. Simple navigation, large tiles to preview each project and a professional aesthetic throughout, with consistency.
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