Interaction - Bachelors

Represent

Represent is a collaborative film ranking platform that prioritises the representation of diverse characters over critical acclaim; Through this alternate lens of film critiquing, Represent aims to provide resources to viewers for more inclusive media consumption,
and encourage discussion and engagement with diverse storylines.

Isabella Bartho Laxton

How can IxD be harnessed to educate and support viewers of under-represented minorities in film?

Problem Area

Film and television fulfil the audience’s desire to make interpersonal emotional connections with characters and understand our social world, however minority groups are still dismissed and underrepresented. Western media has a long, complicated, often coded history of misrepresenting minority groups and their practices, often using them for comedic or offensive purposes and prioritising patriarchal, Eurocentric, heteronormative viewpoints. Because of this, members of minority groups can find it difficult to find new movies and television shows that positively depict characters they relate to, and hence do not feel seen in the media.

Image of screenshots of Represents Charts, New movies and movie review pages.

THE CONCEPT

The Represent App is a UX/UI design project that aims to educate and support viewers of under-represented minorities in film and television. Represent provides resources to these users by creating a collaborative movie and television ranking platform that prioritises important storylines based on the representation of diverse characters and community voting. The key goals of this app is to provide resources to viewers for more inclusive media consumption, and encourage discussion and engagement with diverse storylines.
Image of 3 screenshots of the Represent filtered search, review page and movie pages.

FEATURES

• Collaborative, community driven voting system that promotes storylines highlighting diversity
• Content tagging system so users can easily seek films with relevant characters or storylines, eg. ‘gay, happy ending’, as well as content warnings regarding potentially triggering topics
• New movie feed to promote upcoming films with important storylines
• Users can review and discuss films together, encouraging discussion about diversity and representation

PROTOTYPE

DEMO

Isabella Bartho Laxton

Bella is an emerging UX/UI Designer inspired by solving user problems. Coming from a dual degree background of Computer Science and Interaction Design, Bella strives to create user-centred solutions that are as functional as they are beautiful.