app
Springboard capstone project
Silverscreen: Creating a space for movie lovers to connect, share, and geek out together
A social movie discovery app that pairs personalized recommendations with private, trusted spaces for discussion.
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
6 Months
Team
1 Designer
Tools
Figma, FigJam
At a glance
Problem
Movie fans struggle to find recommendations that fit their taste, and many feel uncomfortable sharing opinions on public platforms.
Approach
Interviews, competitive analysis of Letterboxd, IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, storyboards, and two rounds of usability testing.
Outcome
A focused redesign built around personalized discovery and privacy-first conversation, trimmed from an over-scoped first version.
01 · Introduction
“I really wish there was an app just for talking about movies.”
That comment from a friend sparked the idea behind Silverscreen, a social movie discovery app designed for movie enthusiasts who want more meaningful recommendations and discussions around film.
As someone who enjoys analyzing themes, reading reviews, and debriefing movies with others, I wanted to explore how a platform could make movie discovery and conversation feel more intentional, personalized, and community-driven.
My goal was to design an experience that addressed common frustrations moviegoers face today, from discovering relevant films to finding comfortable spaces for discussion.
02 · The problem
No dedicated social space for movie enthusiasts
I began by analyzing popular movie platforms including Letterboxd, IMDb, and Rotten Tomatoes. Letterboxd stood out for its social features, but research revealed that many users still used it mainly for personal tracking rather than meaningful interaction.
Digging into Reddit threads and online discussions, I noticed three recurring frustrations:
✦ Low-quality or joke-driven reviews
✦ Difficulty finding relevant recommendations
✦ Discomfort with sharing opinions publicly
Together these pointed to an opportunity for a more curated, privacy-conscious movie discussion experience.
03 · User research
Understanding moviegoers’ frustrations
Interviews surfaced two pain points again and again. They became the foundation for everything that followed.
Insight 1
Discovering relevant movies
Users spent more time searching than watching, because recommendations rarely matched their taste.
Insight 2
Privacy in discussion
People loved talking about movies but hesitated to post publicly. They preferred small, trusted groups of friends or family.
04 · Scenarios and storyboards
Two people, two journeys
I wrote scenarios from recurring interview themes, then storyboarded how the app could support each person through discovery and discussion. For Alex, I explored several ways to balance community with privacy, including Friends Only sharing and private discussion groups.
Emma — Tailored Discovery
After finishing a psychological thriller, Emma struggles to find recommendations that match the type of complex, twist-driven stories she enjoys.
Alex — Private Conversations
Alex enjoys reading movie discussions online but avoids posting publicly out of fear of judgment. Instead, he turns to private group chats with friends to share thoughts more comfortably.
05 · Initial exploration
Casting a wide net first
Before narrowing the scope, I explored a variety of ideas for improving both movie discovery and social interaction.
Early concepts included:
✦ Personalized onboarding questionnaires
✦ Recommendation feedback systems
✦ Collaborative movie lists
✦ Private discussion spaces
Sketches and wireframes helped identify which features most directly supported the core user needs uncovered during research.
06 · First design iteration
Taking it to high fidelity
I translated the early concepts into a high-fidelity interface to begin testing the overall experience and gather feedback on usability, navigation, and interaction patterns.
This initial version laid the groundwork for refining the product direction further through usability testing.
07 · Usability testing
Where people got stuck
Through two rounds of usability testing, I uncovered several areas where users experienced confusion within the interface.
Key findings included:
✦ Confusion between “liking” a movie and liking a recommendation
✦ Difficulty searching while adding movies to lists
✦ Unclear which buttons were clickable
These insights directly informed the next iteration of the design.
08 · Design revamp
Doing less, on purpose
Revisiting this project later gave me the opportunity to critically evaluate the first iteration and identify ways to simplify and strengthen the experience.
One of the biggest lessons I learned was the importance of staying focused on the core problem. In the original version, I became overly ambitious with features and unintentionally drifted away from the main user needs.
In the redesign, I shifted the focus toward the two strongest insights from research:
✦ Personalized movie discovery
✦ Balancing community engagement with privacy
This led to a cleaner, more intentional product experience.
09 · Final solution
The final experience
The redesign answers the two insights from research directly, one feature set for each.
Answers insight 1
Personalized recommendations
To help users discover movies that better match their preferences, I designed an onboarding flow featuring a short questionnaire and movie-swiping activity. Based on user responses, the app generates tailored recommendations with visual match indicators to communicate relevance more clearly.
Balancing community and privacy
To create a more comfortable social experience, I designed features that allow users to control how they interact with others, including:
✦ Friends Only sharing
✦ Public and private discussion circles
✦ Private group chats for movie discussions
Together, these features encourage more intentional and personal conversations around film.
How it works
10 · Reflection
What I learned
This project taught me the importance of iteration and designing with clear priorities.
Early on, I focused heavily on adding features and expanding the scope of the app. Revisiting the project later helped me understand that strong UX design is rarely about adding more. It’s about making thoughtful decisions that directly support user needs.
The redesign also reinforced that first iterations are only the beginning. Some of the most valuable growth as a designer comes from revisiting your work, identifying what isn’t working, and refining it with greater clarity and intention.
nlk9458@nyu.edu →
Open to full-time roles and freelance projects
© 2026 Nicole · Designed and built by me in Framer
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