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PROOF OF CONCEPT (POC)
FOR A MEDIA PLATFORM

Cross-platform solution for searching cinema-related data

PoC media case study hero image

ABOUT
the project

Client:

Mediatech company

Location:

Country flag

US

Company Size:

20+ Employees

Industry:

Services:

Technologies:

About the project

The product is a cinematography database platform providing information on the cinema industry, including facts about films, actors, and directors. Users can find films that have already been released, track new premieres, and watch trailers of particular movies.

This cross-platform solution also allows users to find information on streaming services broadcasting the films and cinemas in which they can watch those movies. As for now, the platform is a proof of concept (PoC), but the customer has plans for growing the platform and expanding its functionality over time.

Mediatech industry

CUSTOMER

The customer is a U.S.-based media tech startup driven by the goal of creating a large information platform for cinema enthusiasts. The client has a vision of a product that should be accessible across various devices. As for now, they have a long-term strategy of building an app from a PoC to a full-fledged solution available across various devices.

BUSINESS
CHALLENGE

The customer wanted to create an early version of their product involving only the basic functionality. The main requirement was developing a cross-platform solution with a shared codebase that would be deployed to the web, iOS, and Android as an app.

Meanwhile, the customer wanted to create a PoC in the short term and without significant budget spending. That's why they needed an experienced team and the most efficient tech stack for the fast development of a cross-platform application.

PoC Project in detail scheme

Project
in detail

The customer provided us with a rather detailed list of requirements for the app’s proof of concept. Meanwhile, the choice of the tech stack was completely our responsibility.

For this non-trivial case, we chose .NET MAUI & Blazor with C# as a unified language for development. Such a choice proved to be much more efficient than going with React and React Native, as this combination would allow us to reuse a maximum of 30% of the codebase, significantly increasing the development time.

We rejected the option of using Flutter for cross-platform development due to its limited SEO capabilities and lower performance compared to .NET MAUI and Blazor.

While being an excellent solution for cross-platform mobile development, Flutter might not be the best solution for projects involving a significant web development part.

First, we developed a web version of the app supporting responsive design. Our full-stack specialists applied Blazor without using JS. With Blazor and C# as the primary technologies, we also relied on CSS and its frameworks, namely Bootstrap and Flexbox for developing the responsive UI/UX design of the solution. We integrated the app with the customer’s API, providing access to the information on movies, actors, and cinema premieres. The content of the platform can be easily changed once we keep developing our proof of concept. There is an option to use the same architecture for any other industry.

Once all the code for the web version was ready, we ported 95% of the code to .NET MAUI and BlazorWebView. This ensured fast development of the app’s mobile versions for both iOS and Android. The solution is also compatible with Windows desktop operating systems and macOS. Just minor fixes were required to make the app run on mobile devices. In particular, we added features like double-tap and tap for mobile devices.

Mediatech industry
project-in-detail

User Profiles with Personalized Offers

A user can create a personal profile and add favorite actors, films, directors, and studios to get personalized content. A custom matching algorithm provides recommendations on various events and films that could be relevant to the user. The app also offers personalized notifications across different devices. There is also a personalized system of ratings for actors, directors, and films.

project-in-detail

Interactive Search

The platform provides interactive search. The user can find items, such as actor, film, or director entries, using various search filters. As has been already mentioned, users' individual preferences also affect the recommendations they receive. As a result, the user can find information on many thousands of films, actors, and directors in one place. This advanced search makes our cross-platform solution a perfect place for searching for any cinema-related information and statistics.

project-in-detail

Dynamic Main Page

The app provides a dynamic main page with schedules and trending events chosen with custom algorithms. The user can start from a main page and get more detailed information on events, films, directors, and actors with just a few clicks. The app also integrates with video hosting, allowing users to watch the trailers of particular films.

Technology Solutions

  • A full-fledged cross-platform solution providing consistent user experience on the web, on various desktop operating systems, and on Android and iOS

  • Simple-to-edit and reliable codebase, with 95% of code re-used across different devices

  • The solution provides full control over how the UI is rendered and can easily configure SSR and CSR for high performance and full SEO coverage

  • Fast development with MudBlazor components that provide out-of-the-box control over the application, as well as responsive design support

Value
delivered

  • The customer received an app's PoC with the basic planned functionality in less than 3 weeks

  • The database of the platform is constantly expanding, as the app is intended to grow into a large-scale storage of cinema-related information

  • We laid a foundation for the app that can significantly grow and expand its functionality over time, according to the customer's plans

  • Efficient cross-platform solution providing consistent user experience and performance on the web, on desktop operating systems, Android, and iOS