Struggles every movie Lover faces
Every cinephile knows the struggle—hours spent scrolling, obsessing over details, or defending and sharing an underrated masterpiece like it’s a personal mission.
Despite how deeply we engage with films, most movie platforms treat discovery as a passive, surface-level experience. This exact struggle is what got me thinking!
Audience to be understood
To design better for a subculture like cinephiles, its important to understand and identify them. I've created a methodology to create more engaging and meaningful experiences for them.
Cinephiles
/noun/
Watches a lot of movies, analyses frames, lives for the details.
Just a disclaimer,
the case study below incorporates two aspects
Research framework
&
Interface design
Exploring Niche Target Audiences
In the contemporary design landscape, focus on average users can lead to neglecting the specific needs of niche communities and subcultures leading to uninformed designs. Understanding subcultures requires a nuanced look at the social structure, social interaction, consumption habits, behavior analysis, origins, etc.
Why Subcultures Are Left Behind in Design?
The Average User
A Niche Subculture
Designs and Products focus on
Leaving behind
?
Unclear identification as a subculture
What Frameworks Exist Already
(generalized)
(fragmented)
(bottom up)
(extensive)
Human-centered design
Participatory design
Grounded theory
Design Ethnography
A methodology for identifying subcultures
WHAT WAS MISSING
Before delving into the Methodology Created: SIFT
Research Paper Publication and Presentation at ICoRD’25 at IIT Hyderabad
My research paper, alongside my co-author, Vasundhara Dhar focused on a novel approach—SIFT (Structured Insight Filtering Technique) was accepted and presented at the International Conference on Research Into Design (ICORD 25) at IIT Hyderabad and celebrated by experts from around the world . This acknowledgment was a turning point, validating our commitment to uncovering the hidden layers of niche communities.
Research Paper Authors
Accepted and presented the SIFT Framework at ICORD'25
Enough boasting,
what really is the SIFT methodology mentioned above
plain
&
simple
Structured Insight Filtering Technique (SIFT)
SIFT is a structured funnel that refines raw data—from broad quantitative surveys to deep qualitative interviews—for precise, actionable insights. By integrating cultural mapping and thematic analysis, it delivers a holistic, ethnographic eye to the research.
Key Themes Identified: For Cinephiles
Cinephile's Language
Critical yet adoring
Emotional and technical aspects
Film Memorabilia
Collecting relevant objects
Strong nostalgic connection
Consumption Patterns
After-movie rituals
Creating engaging content
Sheer love for Film
Unwavering passion
Emotional with cinema
Preference for Quality
‘Demanding viewers’
Strong stories, developed characters
It's time!
To create an app that speaks directly to their needs
Insight
TO
Design
So I ideated...
Filmmaking is an ART
Every film starts with a CONCEPT
INTRODUCING
When Picking a Movie Feels Like a Job.
The Brand Artceps
Artceps is a dynamic and immersive platform that makes discovering, understanding, and engaging with films more fun and interactive. It caters to all your movie needs—whether you’re exploring hidden gems, unlocking behind-the-scenes content, or diving deep into the art of filmmaking.
Scroll to walkthrough the brand.
through its target audience
Cinephiles
Movie Lovers
Filmmakers
Film Student
Critics
through its visual aesthetic
Curated
Modern
Engaging
through its color palette
#0F211E
dark jungle green
#1ABC9C
mountain meadow
#F5C042
popcorn yellow
through its typography
through its logo
Building Blocks of Artceps
Built with precision, scaled with ease. Using Atomic Design methodology, each component I designed—from the smallest atom to full-page structures—ensures consistency and flexibility and detail.
Here's one of the component design process.
NAV TAB
/UI Atoms
Anatomy
/UI Molecules
Anatomy
Variants
Anatomy
Variants
/UI Organism
Anatomy
Usage
through its feature set
Hey Sanjana,
MoD
popular this week
handpicked for you
Make your own film festival
your cinematic pieces
The final Execution
With the foundation set, it's time to explore how users navigate and interact with Artceps. From early user flows to wireframes and refined high-fidelity screens, here’s how the design takes shape to create an engaging and intuitive movie discovery experience.
All set?
Everything we imagined, now in motion.
scroll
&
discover
Key Features
Swipe it, Love it!
Swipe right to add movies to your watchlist, left to skip
The more you swipe, the smarter the recommendations
Inspired by the Bumble swipe mental model
Read the Movie DNA
Level up your movie knowledge, from script to screen
Explore AI-driven insights on directing, cinematography, etc
Audio Mode transforms it to a podcast-like experience
Unlock the Reels
Get exclusive deleted scenes, bloopers, and director’s cuts.
Unlock snippets as you watch, review, and explore.
A delightful reward system that feels fun, never forced.
Your Film Festival
Get a handpicked lineup of hidden gems, tailored to your taste.
Feels like your own film festival, complete with a custom ticket.
The ticket-inspired UI makes discovery feel special.
MOD (Movie Of the Day)
One handpicked movie every day—no endless scrolling.
Perfect for when you can’t decide what to watch.
A dynamic widget that keeps your watchlist fresh, daily.
Lights, camera, explore!
More than just watching—immersing into cinema.
HOVER TO REVEAL
