Chichester Cinema at New Park is a locally loved and nationally acclaimed independent cinema and charity, screening films and sharing movie magic since 1979. It runs the Chichester International Film Festival, which draws audiences, directors and movie stars from across the world.
We designed new websites that guide visitors through the activities that put Chichester Cinema at the cultural heart of its community, and provided a platform for reaching a new generation of cineastes.
Chichester Cinema’s engagement activities range from school and adult education initiatives to care home and accessible screenings, while their Film Festival attracts international, cinephile followers.
Their existing websites struggled with this variety of users and navigation was full of unexpected plot twists, cliffhangers and misdirections: hugely enjoyable on the big screen, less so when trying to book tickets. They turned to LEAP to create a less complicated sequel.
We took each strand of Chichester Cinema’s activity and analysed its audience, designing journeys that met their individual needs, while still feeling a part of the organisation’s larger family. We streamlined the Film Festival site, giving it a strong, focused identity to match its international profile and ambitions, providing well signposted links across to the Cinema site for curious visitors.
The priorities of the cinema experience are now reflected in the websites. Movies take centre stage and enlarged stills, trailers and visuals lead the site design. Navigation is simple with an intuitive browsing experience that encourages users to follow their interests, and allows content to generate excitement. We partnered with Savoy Systems to ensure this impact isn’t lost when buying tickets, creating an integrated booking system that works seamlessly across all devices.
Chichester Cinema’s new mobile-ready, social media linked sites give it the perfect platforms to reach younger and more diverse audiences, and inspire a new generation of film enthusiasts. They also give clarity to the organisation’s charitable status and mission, helping to support fundraising and volunteer recruitment initiatives.
Here at LEAP we have our popcorn to hand and are excited to see how the latest episode of their story plays out.
