The British Film Institute is adding a huge number of classic movies to its VoD ‘BFI Player’ service. It has also revamped its website, with help from design consultancy Ostmodern, to make navigation even easier.

“The user interface and experience of the BFI player has been optimised following an in-depth consultation with 1,000 users, to help showcase the range and quality of the 1400 films within the service and present them in the most engaging and accessible way. Working with Ostmodern, every aspect of the product and user journey was reconsidered, from technical architecture and operational procedure to curatorial workflow and content discovery,” says the BFI.

“As part of the remit to support the UK film industry and grow audiences for independent and specialised film, the BFI Player has become a go-to destination to access a wide range of movies that many people may be unable to see at their local cinema. Alongside its work with Ostmodern, the BFI continues to work with Ooyala to host and securely deliver films to users at the highest quality.”

The new BFI Player features more content than ever before. Throughout November BFI Player will be dedicated to some of the best Sci-Fi movies ever created including a new catalogue of iconic movies from Universal Pictures. The collection, Sci-Fi: Days of Fear and Wonder presented together with O2, includes well-known blockbusters such as Flash Gordon, and other highly-regarded classics like The Day The Earth Caught Fire. This gives BFI Player users, for the first time, a chance to experience a BFI blockbuster season online.

With 70 per cent of premium content captured in high definition, many of the movies and content on BFI Player have been lovingly restored by the BFI to return these classic stories to their former glory. At launch 60 per cent of the content will be available for free with premium content making up 40 per cent of the catalogue. Prices for premium content range from just £1 for shorts with features starting at £2.50 and a range of titles released day-and-date with cinemas priced at up to £10. Viewers will have 30 days to watch their purchase and a 48 hour window to re-watch movies once they are first viewed. As well as a 15 per cent discount on all rentals, BFI Members will have access to exclusive offers. The first of these is a hand-selected film which members can watch for free to celebrate the new BFI Player.

Categories: Articles, VOD