Launching a Secure VOD Platform for Awards Viewing

Project Summary


Product: BAFTA View

Client: British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)

Delivery Timeframe: 2021 – 2022

Technology Stack: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React

Project Tools: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Figma

Approach: Agile Development

Project Overview

As Product Manager for BAFTA View web app, I led the implementation that transformed film-focused designs into a working platform supporting all BAFTA awards – Film, Games, Television, and Television Craft. Joining the project after the initial concept and designs were established, I delivered the strategic implementation decisions that turned ambitious Figma prototypes into a scalable, multi-award VOD platform.

My key decisions focused on data architecture and system integration. I mapped complex metadata flows from Nucleus to the front-end, ensuring accurate display across vastly different content types – from film posters to game codes to television programmes. Rather than building new admin systems, I integrated with existing BAFTA infrastructure (Nucleus and Voting sites), reducing complexity and avoiding another system for administrators to manage. I also chose WordPress for the help section, saving development costs while enabling the membership team to manage content independently.

The platform successfully replaced DVD screeners across all awards, with member engagement rising from 29% to 93% and films watched per member climbing from under 5 to over 34. By 2023, all BAFTA Awards viewing had transitioned to BAFTA View, establishing it as the definitive platform for secure, accessible digital awards screening.

Project Background

BAFTA faced mounting pressure to replace DVD screeners due to cost, security, and environmental concerns. Physical disc production disadvantaged small-budget films through expense (up to £50k per film), created security risks through unencrypted distribution, and conflicted with BAFTA’s sustainability goals. While BAFTA had developed cloud-based solutions for Television Awards, extending this to Film Awards required new technical approaches and security considerations.

The organisation had already commissioned UI Centric to design a sophisticated VOD front-end and delivered ScreenerHub middleware for distributor integration. I joined the project to deliver the web app implementation, focusing on translating complex designs into a working platform that could serve multiple award types with different content structures and metadata requirements.

My role centered on solving the technical and strategic challenges of turning film-focused designs into a multi-award platform. This required mapping diverse data structures from Nucleus, designing flexible content display systems, and integrating with BAFTA’s existing infrastructure to create a unified user experience without introducing additional administrative complexity.

Project Objectives

Enable Multi-Award Platform Scalability+–

Expand the film-focused designs to support Games, Television, and Television Craft Awards within a single platform, eliminating the need for separate viewing systems and reducing administrative overhead across BAFTA’s diverse awards portfolio.

Minimise Administrative Complexity+–

Integrate with existing BAFTA infrastructure (Nucleus and Voting sites) rather than building new admin systems, reducing the number of platforms administrators need to manage while maintaining operational efficiency and avoiding additional training requirements.

Replace Legacy Physical Distribution+–

Eliminate costly DVD screener production and distribution (up to £50k per film) while levelling the playing field for smaller productions unable to afford physical screener campaigns, supporting BAFTA’s commitment to fair access across all budget levels.

Improve Member Engagement and User Experience+–

Deliver a responsive, accessible platform that enables members to engage with award entries more effectively through intuitive navigation, comprehensive metadata display, and judging tools like note-taking and progress tracking.

Reduce Development and Maintenance Costs+–

Implement cost-effective solutions like WordPress for help content and API-driven architecture to minimise custom development work while delivering full functionality and reducing long-term maintenance overhead.

Enhance Content Discovery and Organisation+–

Streamline entry organisation with effective search, filtering, and sorting capabilities, helping members discover and evaluate entries they might not have encountered through traditional physical distribution methods.

Implement Robust Security and Access Control+–

Integrate strong security measures through existing BAFTA authentication systems (SSO and MFA) to ensure secure access and protect pre-release content without introducing additional security infrastructure.

Future-Proof Content Delivery Infrastructure+–

Establish a scalable foundation capable of supporting evolving content types and award formats without requiring platform rebuilds, positioning BAFTA as a leader in digital awards delivery.

Development Process

Phase 1 – Implementation Planning & System Analysis

Translating designs into technical requirements and integration strategy.

Requirements Analysis
Reviewed Figma designs and existing system capabilities to identify integration points and multi-award expansion requirements.
Integration Strategy
Defined API connections with Nucleus and Voting Site to avoid building separate admin systems while ensuring data accuracy.
Stakeholder Alignment
Coordinated with membership team, awards staff, and developers to align implementation approach with operational needs.

Phase 2: Multi-Award Architecture & Data Mapping

Expanding film-focused designs to support diverse content types.

Technical Coordination
Worked with developers to map complex metadata structures from Nucleus to support Film, Games, Television, and Television Craft requirements.
Configuration System Design
Specified flexible award profiles controlled via existing platforms to handle different layouts, filters, and content types.
WordPress Integration
Implemented separate help site strategy to reduce development costs while enabling independent content management.

Phase 3: Development Oversight & Quality Assurance

Ensuring platform stability and cross-award functionality.

Cross-Platform Testing
Oversaw testing across all award types to ensure consistent functionality and data accuracy for diverse content formats.
Accessibility Validation
Led desktop and mobile functional testing plus design fidelity reviews with developers and designers.
Stakeholder Validation
Incorporated feedback from membership team and awards staff to refine user experience and administrative workflows.

Phase 4: Launch & Multi-Award Rollout

Delivering the platform and expanding across award types.

Platform Launch
Coordinated the 2021 launch replacing the temporary system with the full BAFTA View web app.
Training & Support
Delivered training for staff and members while establishing support processes through the WordPress help site.
Expansion Management
Managed the rollout across different award types, ensuring successful migration from physical screeners to digital platform.

Key Features and Innovations

The project delivered a range of innovative technical features designed to optimise system performance, streamline operations, and elevate the end-user experience:

I expanded the film-focused designs to support Games, Television, and Television Craft Awards by creating flexible award profiles with configurable layouts, filters, and workflows. This enabled BAFTA to serve multiple award types from a single platform without duplicating development work.
I designed dual API integrations with Nucleus and the Voting Site to dynamically surface entry metadata, category details, and voting rights. This eliminated the need for a bespoke admin UI while ensuring seamless data synchronisation across systems.
Implemented sophisticated features like watched/played tagging, note-taking, sorting, filtering, and My List management, giving members intuitive, self-managed ways to track and organise judging progress across large award sets.
I mapped diverse metadata structures to support distinct content types – portrait imagery for Film, landscape for TV, platform-specific codes for Games, and multi-level metadata fields. This ensured rich, detailed presentation across all award formats.
I specified the Get Game functionality with platform-specific download codes and bundle handling, enabling Games Awards entries to deliver digital access directly to judges — a feature not required for other awards.
I proposed and managed the creation of a separate WordPress help site, styled to match BAFTA View. This saved significant development costs while enabling BAFTA staff to independently manage FAQs and support content without developer dependency.
Working with developers, we delivered a fully responsive, keyboard-navigable, screen reader-compatible interface tested against accessibility standards, with closed captions, audio description flags, and WCAG-compliant design principles.
My integration strategy using existing admin systems (Nucleus/Voting sites) and third-party solutions (WordPress) significantly reduced custom development costs while delivering full functionality and maintainable architecture.

Challenges and Solutions

Building a Front-End System Integrating Multiple Data Sources Without Custom
  1. BAFTA View had no bespoke admin interface – entry data lived in Nucleus, membership data in Salesforce, and voting controls in the Voting Site. My solution was an API-driven architecture that mapped these diverse systems into a cohesive front-end experience. By aligning endpoints and mapping metadata fields, I eliminated the need for separate admin controls while keeping the system lightweight and maintainable.
Adapting Film-Focused Designs for Multiple Awards With Distinct Requirements
  1. The original designs were created for Film Awards, but I needed to make them work for Games, Television, and Television Craft – each with unique workflows, metadata, and content types. My approach was creating a flexible configuration system controlled via existing platforms (Voting Site and Nucleus) that allowed layouts, filters, and media types to adapt per award. This enabled tailored user experiences without duplicating development work or fragmenting the codebase.
Delivering Modern UX While Preserving Legacy System Stability
  1. I had to modernise the front-end for mobile responsiveness and accessibility while working with backend systems not designed for dynamic, component-based interfaces. Working with developers, I conducted detailed systems mapping to align React components with the underlying PHP and Symfony APIs. This delivered a fully responsive, WCAG-compliant interface without destabilising backend systems, ensuring cross-device compatibility and inclusive access.

Conclusion

The BAFTA View web app delivery demonstrates how strategic implementation decisions can transform ambitious designs into working platforms that exceed expectations. By focusing on smart integration over custom development – using existing admin systems rather than building new ones, choosing WordPress for help content, and creating flexible data mapping for multiple award types – we delivered a scalable solution without unnecessary complexity.

The results validate those implementation choices – member engagement jumped from 29% to 93%, and average films watched per member rose from under 5 to over 34. What’s particularly satisfying is seeing how the multi-award expansion strategy enabled the platform to serve Games, Television, and Film Awards equally well from a single codebase.

Working with designers and developers, we turned film-focused prototypes into a comprehensive awards viewing platform. The key was recognising that smart system integration and flexible data architecture could deliver more value than building everything from scratch. By 2023, all BAFTA Awards viewing had transitioned to the platform, proving that thoughtful implementation strategy can be just as impactful as original vision.

The platform’s success shows that execution excellence such as making complex data mapping decisions, choosing the right integration points and expanding scope intelligently, can transform good concepts into industry-leading solutions that fundamentally change how organisations operate.

Results and Impact

The BAFTA View web app implementation delivered measurable success across all targeted areas, validating the strategic decisions around multi-award expansion and system integration. The platform’s growth demonstrates how thoughtful implementation strategy can enable transformative business outcomes.

“Unlike the old system, BAFTA View delivered the Film entries in one place and made the process much simpler. I especially liked the ability to add notes while watching… has helped me keep track across so many titles.”

— Member feedback

“The new BAFTA View has been streamlined into a system that makes accessing content simple and intuitive. Being able to filter by dates, game systems, and category is perfect for what I needed when assessing games.”

— Member feedback

“The revised BAFTA View is not only visually appealing but also provides practical features that help track the status of entries. I particularly appreciate the ability to add games played alongside annotated notes.”

— Member feedback
Films Viewed by Members
244,654 unique viewings by voting members in 2025.

Member Engagement

88% of voting members watched films on BAFTA View during the 2025 EE British Academy Film Awards.

Films Watched per Member
On average, each voting member watched 34 films using BAFTA View

Interested in working together?

I help organisations streamline workflows, modernise legacy systems, and deliver user-focused digital products — without unnecessary complexity. If you’re looking to scope a project, refine a platform, or explore automation and no-code solutions, I’d love to hear from you.

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