28 January 2009 | Author: Yasmin Sulaiman
Comparing itself to Google from the outset is fast becoming a must for any fledgling search engine hoping to make a dent in the overcrowded search industry. The case is no different for FindAnyFilm.com, a new search feature launched by the UK Film Council, which has declared itself a veritable "Google for films".
At first glance, FindAnyFilm.com sounds a lot like the current movie search engine giant - the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). But while the IMDB is a powerhouse of trivia for any film buff, FindAnyFilm.com offers a much more consumer-friendly outlay with information that's more immediately usable. For starters, search for a new film and the search engine will show where and when cinema screenings occur (IMDb currently only offers US show times). Search for something a little older and you'll also have access to DVD and Blu-ray release dates, TV screening times, download sources and even sites that let you stream the film for online viewing.
With 30,000 films - or seven years of viewing - from 20 genres and in 60 global languages, FindAnyFilm.com is certainly positioning itself as an online force to be reckoned with. Developed over the last seven months, the £1 million project will be continually updated to accommodate new releases and new viewing formats.
What's more, it has already shown itself to be a true child of the digital age, as half of its budget will be spent on search engine optimisation, Google AdWords and behavioural marketing - though how long it will take to penetrate Google's IMDb dominated SERPs for most film-related queries is anyone's guess. Other features in development include applications for both the iPhone and Facebook, as well as user feedback and review capabilities.
FindAnyFilm.com's ambitions are lofty. Peter Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the UK Film Council and a keen exponent of the website, claims: "This new site is going to transform how consumers find the films they want to watch - we will soon wonder how we ever coped without it!" But does FindAnyFilm.com really have what it takes to be welcomed by often stubborn online users?
One of the first things search engine connoisseurs are likely to notice about FindAnyFilm.com is that, while search results appear fast, page load times can be slow. However, the ease with which users are able to search for cinema screening times - and compare all show times in their area for different cinemas on the same page - is a quick win. What's more, DVD listings are equally useful, with the price of a particular DVD from a range of major retailers listed conveniently on one webpage for easy comparison. Scheduled TV screenings are a nice touch too, as is the functionality to sign-up for alerts when the film you've searched for is available in other formats.
In fact, there seems to be only area in which the search engine disappoints. The current inability to post reviews or ratings of films - a glaring omission considering that user-generated content accounts for so much of the web today - means that FindAnyFilm.com initially lacks soul. A review and feedback feature may be in development at the moment, but until it is launched it's likely to be hard to gauge how much film fans will warm to this undeniably valuable project.
UK Film Council launches "Google for films" search engine
Comparing itself to Google from the outset is fast becoming a must for any fledgling search engine hoping to make a dent in the overcrowded search industry. The case is no different for FindAnyFilm.com, a new search feature launched by the UK Film Council, which has declared itself a veritable "Google for films".At first glance, FindAnyFilm.com sounds a lot like the current movie search engine giant - the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). But while the IMDB is a powerhouse of trivia for any film buff, FindAnyFilm.com offers a much more consumer-friendly outlay with information that's more immediately usable. For starters, search for a new film and the search engine will show where and when cinema screenings occur (IMDb currently only offers US show times). Search for something a little older and you'll also have access to DVD and Blu-ray release dates, TV screening times, download sources and even sites that let you stream the film for online viewing.
With 30,000 films - or seven years of viewing - from 20 genres and in 60 global languages, FindAnyFilm.com is certainly positioning itself as an online force to be reckoned with. Developed over the last seven months, the £1 million project will be continually updated to accommodate new releases and new viewing formats.
What's more, it has already shown itself to be a true child of the digital age, as half of its budget will be spent on search engine optimisation, Google AdWords and behavioural marketing - though how long it will take to penetrate Google's IMDb dominated SERPs for most film-related queries is anyone's guess. Other features in development include applications for both the iPhone and Facebook, as well as user feedback and review capabilities.
FindAnyFilm.com's ambitions are lofty. Peter Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the UK Film Council and a keen exponent of the website, claims: "This new site is going to transform how consumers find the films they want to watch - we will soon wonder how we ever coped without it!" But does FindAnyFilm.com really have what it takes to be welcomed by often stubborn online users?
One of the first things search engine connoisseurs are likely to notice about FindAnyFilm.com is that, while search results appear fast, page load times can be slow. However, the ease with which users are able to search for cinema screening times - and compare all show times in their area for different cinemas on the same page - is a quick win. What's more, DVD listings are equally useful, with the price of a particular DVD from a range of major retailers listed conveniently on one webpage for easy comparison. Scheduled TV screenings are a nice touch too, as is the functionality to sign-up for alerts when the film you've searched for is available in other formats.
In fact, there seems to be only area in which the search engine disappoints. The current inability to post reviews or ratings of films - a glaring omission considering that user-generated content accounts for so much of the web today - means that FindAnyFilm.com initially lacks soul. A review and feedback feature may be in development at the moment, but until it is launched it's likely to be hard to gauge how much film fans will warm to this undeniably valuable project.
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