Media Burn

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Media Burn is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and showcasing history captured on videotape. Videotape was the dominant format for news and activist videos in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, but the fragile tape degrades rapidly, and without preservation, these stories would be lost forever. Media Burn’s growing archive contains tens of thousands of digitized videos, all viewable on their website and available to license. But their site was slow, antiquated, and difficult to use, leaving viewers and researchers frustrated trying to find the videos they wanted.

THE APPROACH

Overhaul the website and update the outdated Media Burn look. The new style modernizes Media Burn, while paying homage to the organization’s video roots. The logo, typography, and icons were all inspired by the on-screen displays of VCRs and camcorders of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. 

The redesigned website provides tools and guidance for both casual viewers and footage researchers as they navigate the vast collection. Casual viewers unsure of where to start will find suggested searches, related videos, and digital exhibitions that let them “tumble down a rabbit-hole” of interesting history. Footage researchers seeking to license clips will find enhanced search and filter tools that comb through transcripts and pinpoint exact moments in videos that can be saved for later. For the Media Burn team, the new content management system automatically relates videos based on smart context, relieving some of the burden of managing such a large collection, and allowing Media Burn to grow into the future, while it continues to preserve the past.