POV
An Engaging Environment for Exploring Documentary Films
POV (a cinema term for “point of view”) is television’s longest-running showcase for independent documentary films. Since 1988, POV has premiered over 275 of the best, boldest, and most innovative documentaries on PBS.
POV films are known for putting a human face on contemporary social issues through intimacy, unforgettable storytelling, and timeliness.
Challenge
The POV collection spans a range of topics, and each film has a variety of associated materials, such as articles, videos, interviews, or slideshows.
Before working with us, the POV team built a new static site for each film or feature. Because of this, viewers were having trouble finding the information they needed and getting to know the series.
Our goals were to make the vast amounts of content more accessible, let the site take the backseat to the films, and streamline the publishing process with consistent, flexible Movable Type templates.
Solution
We designed a new site where users can explore the topics within the collection and the materials related to each film. We wanted it to be visually distinct, appeal to a wide audience, and fit nicely with the logo Pentagram designed for POV’s 20th anniversary.
We created a custom CMS with Movable Type so the POV team can easily manage and cross-reference useful content. The new site creates a lightweight impression, with paths through a wide array of topics and a clear focus on the films themselves.
We included as much video within the site as possible. Some of the documentaries are available to watch online in full, with more to come.