Summarized Case Study

The Challenge

The festival is beloved by film fans, and the digital experience needed to capture that same magic. The tricky part was:

• Every year came with a new theme and visual direction, so we had to reinvent the look and feel while keeping it consistent with the TCM brand.

• There were development constraints on sticking within an existing layout for the app and website. Sometimes that could make it difficult to feel fresh each year.

• We had to design for multiple platforms — from the main TCM site to a custom microsite, mobile app, and social campaigns.

• The designs needed to inform and excite festival-goers, making sure they could easily find schedules, film info, and updates.

Goals

• Bring each year’s festival theme to life digitally.

• Make the festival schedule and info easy to access on any device.

• Create a sense of community and celebration for fans who couldn’t be there in person.

My Approach

• Collaborated with the brand and marketing teams to translate the annual theme into digital assets.

• Designed for the festival microsite and app, focusing on schedules, film details, and ticketing info.

• Created social graphics and promotional content to get fans excited ahead of the festival.

• Ensured consistency across multiple platforms while still allowing space for that year’s unique personality.

• Volunteered at the help desk at the event and was able to talk in real-time with any issues guests were experiencing with our digital products.

The Solution

• Delivered a new festival website design each year, tailored to the new theme.

• Designed an app experience where users could check schedules, browse films, and plan their festival days.

• Built a set of digital promos for TCM’s main site and social channels, extending the festival’s energy online.

Impact

• Fans had a smooth digital experience to explore the schedule and plan their festival visits.

• The annual designs helped the festival feel fresh and unique every year, while staying true to TCM’s classic style.

• The digital content reached beyond Hollywood, letting fans at home feel part of the celebration.

What I Learned

This project taught me how to design for flexibility — keeping a core structure while reinventing the look and feel each year. It was also a great lesson in how to translate an in-person event into a digital experience that still feels exciting and special for an older audience.