Flicker is a streaming app dedicated to discovering independent films a home for the filmmakers who make them and the audiences who seek them out.
My Role
UX Research · UI Design · Visual Design
Project Status
Solo project.
Tools
Figma.
Case Study Video — Coming Soon
A walkthrough of the Steady design process.
Process
Research · Define · Design · Test & Iterate
Discovery
Big streaming services prioritize films from major studios, pushing smaller independent titles to the bottom of the page where most users never find them. Passionate film fans had no dedicated home
The Problem
Big streaming services push independent films to the bottom of the page, making them nearly impossible to find for viewers and nearly impossible to promote for emerging filmmakers.
Research
I combined industry reports and platform data with user personas to understand how 16–34 year-olds discover and watch indie films.
60% of viewers say streaming recommendations feel like promotion, not personalisation.
Source: Hub Entertainment Research, 2024
As of 2024, even award-winning indie films are failing to secure distribution deals as streamers cut acquisition costs.
Source: NPR, Sundance 2024
User interviews & testing
I spoke with two users and a college animator and a casual film fan. The animator shared that getting their work seen on Social media platforms is nearly impossible. The casual user described how even a simple Google search makes finding something new to watch feel frustrating. Usability testing helped shape and validate the design, with feedback shaping key decisions around navigation and the Hidden Gems section.
Nearly 50% of consumers abandon a streaming session because they can’t find something to watch.
Source: Hub Entertainment Research, 2024
65% of 16–34 year-olds say their new favourite film is an older or underseen title, not a new release.
Source: Hub Entertainment Research, 2024
Objectives & Goals
Give independent films a dedicated home
Build a space where emerging filmmakers have their own profiles and film fans have a real way to find them.
Build for passion, not algorithms
Create a discovery system driven by mood, genre, and community rather than black box recommendations.
Small Community
Design a streaming experience built specifically for independent cinema not an afterthought buried beneath studio content.
Key Insights
Content Saturation
60% of viewers say streaming recommendations feel like promotion, not personalization and nearly half abandon a session entirely because they can't find something to watch.
Audiences Want What's Buried
65% of 16–34 year old viewers say their new favorite film or show is an older or underseen title not a new release. They're actively seeking what mainstream platforms bury.
Small Community
Even award winning indie films are failing to secure distribution deals. making it almost impossible to break into the film industry.
Filmmaker Visibility
Two thirds of the most engaged film audiences are aged 16–34 yet independent filmmakers have no dedicated platform to see there filmography
User Personas
Chris Bennet
Chris, 23, is a Business major at the University of Maryland living on campus in Baltimore. He loves discovering indie films and hopes to create his own, but struggles to find new content as mainstream platforms prioritize popular titles. He’s looking for a dedicated space to both explore indie films and share his own work.
Film Maker
PAIN POINTS
- There’s no platform that puts indie films front and center, forcing Chris to dig through forums and scattered websites just to find something new to watch.
- Big budget films on mainstream streaming platforms overshadow indie content, making it difficult for Chris to find films that match his interests.
- Mainstream streaming services make it hard for Chris to explore a filmmaker’s full catalog in one place.
- Chris has no platform to share his short films with an appreciative indie audience.
GOALS
- Find a platform that puts indie films front and center.
- Use a service that makes it easy to discover small, low-budget indie films.
- Explore a filmmaker’s full filmography without having to search the web.
- Upload his own films so a diverse audience can see his work.
Jessica Lee
Jessica is a recent graduate working at a financial advisory firm in Austin. After long, mentally exhausting days, she wants something genuinely good to watch without spending time searching. While not a film enthusiast, she prefers grounded, human stories over mainstream blockbusters and wants a platform that understands her taste.
Everyday User
PAIN POINTS
- Mainstream platforms are full of content that all feels the same, nothing surprises her.
- Has no way to bookmark films she sees recommended on Reddit or social media.
- Doesn't have the patience to search around the platform for a film that would catch her interest. If it's not surfaced quickly she moves on.
GOALS
- Find new and original content that is catered towards her interests.
- Have the option to bookmark films so she can comeback to watch what she bookmarked.
- Find a platform that recommends the kinds of films she watches.
Design Solutions
Personalized Homepage
Film Detail Screen
Genre and mood preferences collected during onboarding shape the homepage from day one so the first scroll already feels like it was made for you.
Every film gets its moment, filmmaker profile, user ratings, description, and a row of films pulling you toward your next watch.
Mood based rows
Homepage rows that let casual viewers browse by how they want to feel instead of by genre, reducing fatigue.
Hidden Gems page
A dedicated page for underseen but highly rated indie films, organised by genre with a Rising Stars section for films gaining traction.
User Journey Map
Mapping Chris’s end-to-end experience with Flicker helped identify friction points and design opportunities across onboarding, discovery, and filmmaker tools.
Step 1
Chris hears about Flicker and downloads the app.
Task
Searches for a platform, downloads, signs up and completes onboarding
Environment
At the dining hall in between classes
Challenges
Genre selection during onboarding could feel overwhelming
Emotions
Annoyed
Thoughts
"There’s too many options close together."
Urgency Level
High
Design Opportunity
Allow users to search and filter genres during onboarding
Step 2
Browsing and discovery Phase.
Task
Browses the explore page looking for indie films to watch
Environment
At the dining hall in between classes
Challenges
None
Emotions
Excited
Thoughts
"I’m excited to watch another indie film."
Urgency Level
High
Design Opportunity
Surface new releases from favorited filmmakers
Step 3
Action and intent.
Task
Picks a film and adds it to his watchlist
Environment
At the dining hall during a break between classes
Challenges
None
Emotions
Optimistic
Thoughts
"I don’t have time to watch this now but I’m looking forward to coming back to this film."
Urgency Level
Medium
Design Opportunity
Add a watchlist feature so users can save films for later
Step 4
Contribution and Verification.
Task
Submits a request to become a verified filmmaker
Environment
Back at his dorm after a long day of classes
Challenges
Submitting personal information for filmmaker verification is tedious
Emotions
Frustrated
Thoughts
"I don’t like that I have to give so much of my information away."
Urgency Level
Low
Design Opportunity
Simplify the filmmaker verification process
Task Flow
WireFrames
3 Key screens that were tested for flow and had unnecessary elements removed
Home Screen
Hidden Gems
Filmmakers Page
Key Screens
Home Screen
Profile Page
Hidden Gems
Design System
Color Pallete
Ui Components
Nav Bar
Film Cards
Buttons
Login/Sign up
Continue
Edit & Favorite
My List
Film Maker Profile Icon
Typography
Key Challenges
Filmmaker Visibility
Early versions of the homepage had no filmmaker section. Users had to click into a film just to find the creator behind it. Adding a dedicated Top Filmmakers section to the homepage made talent discovery feel effortless.
Homepage Navigation
Early designs included an Explore button above each homepage section to open dedicated pages per content category. The problem was that navigating away broke the browsing flow users lost their place every time they went back. Keeping everything scrollable on one page felt more natural and kept users in the control.
Hidden Gems
The Hidden Gems section presented a unique challenge, "How do you explain what a feature is to a first time user without interrupting the experience with a pop up?" The solution was a hero image at the top of the section with a brief description built directly into the design, giving users the context they needed without breaking their flow.
UX Research
Talking to a college animator who had made a short film reinforced the research, even creators themselves struggle to get their indie work discovered, not just viewers trying to find it.
Accessibility
Using a familiar streaming style design made the product feel easy to use and familiar while conducting user tests.
Iteration
User testing informed several iterations of the home page and the filmmaker profile page. Those iterations shaped the final product.