Background
The film industry is a multi-faceted space, constantly evolving to deliver on the demands of the audience. This fast-paced evolution can especially be seen in the equipment used on film sets; highly complex, specially curated, and insanely expensive.
As a student studying film production in university, my professors often spoke on the necessity of becoming familiar with professional/industry-grade film equipment. The comfortability in an individual handling these complicated and expensive materials would prove to hiring production houses their level of experience.
Challenges
While it is true that students familiarizing themselves with industry-grade film equipment would increase job opportunities, there are several challenges preventing them from doing so:
Lack of equipment within the university collection
Unaffordable to purchase industry-grade equipment
Rigid, unaffordable, and/or complicated rental services
Ultimately, many filmmakers/content creators, struggle to gain access to professional camera equipment due to monetary restraints or simply, lack of resources.
I would like to explore how the process of finding/renting/purchasing professional/industry-grade equipment for filmmakers can be improved.
Research Goal
1. To understand an individual's process of finding professional/industry-grade filming equipment.
2. To understand the preference of an individual when purchasing or renting professional/industry-grade equipment.
3. To find out how individuals currently gain access to professional/industry-grade equipment.
4. To find out what kind of professional/industry grade equipment individuals have access to.
5. Address the pain points and challenges faced by individuals when renting professional/industry-grade equipment.
6. Make the the process of renting professional/industry-grade equipment simple and affordable for individuals.
Methodologies
Primary Research
User Surveys
User Interviews
Secondary Research
Competitive Analysis
Primary Research:
User Surveys
Participant Characteristics
- Independent filmmakers/content creators
- University students pursuing any media production related studies
- Ages 18-35
Recruiting Methods
- Pass out flyers on university campuses: University of South Florida, University of Tampa, and Hillsborough Community College, near the departments of Art and Mass Communications and the library.
- Reach out to previous colleagues and coworkers who work or have worked with content creating and or filmmaking.
Primary Research:
User Interviews
Once the results of the screener surveys were compiled and analyzed, five individuals were chosen to complete the user interviews.
The chosen individuals varied in age and videography/photography skill set. However, all individuals had an interest in creating film/content and had considered or continue to consider purchasing or renting industry-grade filming equipment.
All interviews were conducted in person.
User Interview Insights
RENTAL COMPANIES
- Rigidness with duration of rentals with rental company.
- Does not account for changes in filming schedule or accidents.
- Harsh monetary penalties enforced.
- Inventory is limited.
RENTING EQUIPMENT
- Renting equipment is financially more viable.
- Do not have to commit to experimental equipment.
- Different shoots require different kinds of equipment.
- Do not have to commit to experimental equipment.
- Different shoots require different kinds of equipment.
PURCHASING EQUIPMENT
- Good to build a camera kit.
- Only for essentials like a camera body and basic lenses.
- Only for essentials like a camera body and basic lenses.
Research Synthesis
Insights were synthesized through the two methodologies:
Affinity Mapping
Empathy Mapping
Empathy Mapping
User Insights:
Affinity Mapping
When creating affinity maps with the information received through the interviews, the map went through three iterations.
Map 1:
- Personal characteristics (age, occupation, etc.)
- Enjoyed experiences in filming/production process
- Types of equipment used
- Preference in renting or purchasing equipment
- Improvements they recommended to renting process
Map 2:
- Grouped similarities and differences in the responses
- Added skill level of each interviewee
Map 3:
- Rearranged information to bring more clarity to the pros and cons of renting/purchasing industry-grade equipment for each participant.
User Insights:
Empathy Mapping
Empathy mapping helped pinpoint various components within rental services and user needs such as:
- User expectations of inventory
- User expectations of quality of inventory
- User pain points with previous rental service experiences
- User expectations for fair pricing
SECONDARY RESEARCH:
Competitive Analysis
Secondary research consisted of competitive analysis. Three existing rental company websites, thelensdepot.com, prophotorental.com, and borrowlenses.com, where compared using the three Heuristic Principles:
1. aesthetic and minimal design
2. user control and freedom
3. consistency and standards
2. user control and freedom
3. consistency and standards
Competitive Analysis PowerPoint: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ErxA0D4CfmKFWXYMFpZ4gYBw6nb9o4EjV6ZWrzuAmXw/edit#slide=id.p
How Might We...
- Organize resources for renting in an easily consumable format without sacrificing the ability to personalize/customize each individual’s experience?
- Create more flexible guidelines in regards to rental time frames to better fit customer needs?
- Relieve the stress behind the process of renting equipment online?
- Ensure the quality and functionality of equipment that is being rented?
Personas
User Stories
IDEATION:
Sitemap
Creating the initial sitemap for the application allowed clarity when analyzing the importance of each feature. The sitemap also helped organize the features based on the user's immediate needs.
IDEATION:
Userflows
Creating user flow charts brought clarity with how the user would interact with the app and what possible obstacles they would come across while completing a task.
The red routes in the user flow were for:
- Renting a lens as a guest
- Creating an account or logging in
Rentee Flowchart: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVPv4KXAY=/?share_link_id=58362345099
Renter Flowchart: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVPv_4K6E=/?share_link_id=240553094200
Early Ideation Highlights
"CONTINUE AS A GUEST"
The "CONTINUE AS A GUEST" option allows users to skip the "sign up" or "login" feature if they are in a rush or simply, uninterested in creating a profile. From interviews, it was clear that some users want to see what the app is capable of achieving before committing time or pledging loyalty to the app community.
"RENT NOW"
The "RENT NOW" option allows users to directly go from the product page to renting the product. This supports users who are trying to move through the app quickly or efficiently, giving them a positive experience by accomplishing their goal in simplest of steps.
"PRICE CALENDAR"
The "PRICE CALENDAR" is a feature that allows users to see the pricing for various dates when selecting a time frame to rent a product. This provides complete transparency in pricing for each day and helps users select dates that are most affordable.
"PRODUCTS PAGE"
The "PRODUCTS PAGE" is designed to be clear and simple, organizing products that have been curated to fit the needs of the user. Each product is represented by a picture and title, and has the ability to be "favorited" or "reserved" with a click of the corresponding icons. This streamlines the process of renting or adding a product to the cart in a minimal amount of steps for the user.
Initial Sketches
Wireflows
Mood Board
The Design Process
HOMEPAGE
The homepage began very colorful, utilizing pastel and neon shades, incorporating shadows to add dimension to various elements on the page. After the first round of testing, many user participants stated that the page felt busy, distracting them from the functionality of the page. The second iteration received the same feedback, with users feeling like the colors did not compliment the concept of the app. However, users did like the thin lines used in the icons. The final iteration encompassed all the collective feedback of users during the various rounds of testing. The colors were kept very minimal and icons combined thin lines and opaque shapes to add distinction in active and disabled.
RESERVATION PAGE
The reservation page went through very similar design changes, like most of the app during the design process. Colors were changed and shadows were removed. However, many users felt that while the calendar in the reservation page was very clear and helpful, some were not sure how to return to the product page. As a result, the final iteration had a back arrow added to the top left corner for users to easily navigate back and forth between pages. Additionally, the product name was added to reinforce clarity for which product they were reserving.
PRODUCT PAGE
The product page had several new elements implemented to it by the end of the design process. With each iteration, it was clear that users were not found of the product picture placed on the left side of the page. In addition to this, there was no way to flip through the different pictures of the product. In the final iteration, I decided to center the product picture and place the "favorite" and "reserve" icons in positions similar to the product results page. The would maintain consisting in location of the elements throughout the app. The "Add to Cart" and "Rent Now" button were also changed, now having a similar design and arrangement to buttons with the same function from the Amazon mobile app. Users found the final product page much easier to consume and navigate.
Final Style Guide
Usability Testing: ROUND 1
Main concerns included:
- Navigation bar and contents
- Communication options with renters.
- Organization of information on product page.
Key Takeaways:
- Easier readability for users.
- Need color scheme that is easier to consume.
Usability Testing: ROUND 2
Main concerns included:
- Lack of smooth navigation when executing red routes.
- Lack of distinction in important, functional elements such as buttons.
Key Takeaways:
- Continue to think in the perspective of the user and consider user frustrations.
Final Prototype
RED ROUTE 1: SEARCH PRODUCT & ADD TO CART
RED ROUTE 2: "RENT NOW" AS A GUEST
RED ROUTE 3: CREATE A PROFILE
RED ROUTE 4: MESSAGE & VIEW RENTER PROFILE
Capture Collective Prototype: https://www.figma.com/proto/6fLoNZnMC9ydP9kOHS3jfU/Capstone-1%3A-Capture-Collective?type=design&node-id=109-22533&t=zYLFdPCLWWowgeY0-1&scaling=min-zoom&page-id=0%3A1&starting-point-node-id=109%3A22533&show-proto-sidebar=1&mode=design
