Web Design
SaaS Integration

Blaine Harbor Festival Website

My Role
Web Designer
SaaS Integration
Timeline
August - November 2022

A mobile-first solution for 20th century media

Introduction

In today's digital age, creators and rights holders alike face significant challenges when it comes to sampling and remixing media - in our case, 20th century media. Creators are constantly seeking new ways to express their creativity and engage with their audience, but are hindered by complex licensing processes, limited access to content, and a lack of user-friendly tools. Similarly, rights holders struggle to effectively monetize their valuable content, often leaving it untapped and underutilized due to inefficient licensing systems, poor metadata and a lack of visibility.

Problem
The current landscape of sampling and remixing nostalgic media is plagued by several key issues:
  • Licensing Complexity
  • Navigating the legal landscape of licensing samples is time-consuming and expensive for creators.
  • Rights holders struggle to monitor and control the use of their content effectively.
  • The lack of standardized licensing processes leads to missed opportunities for both parties.
  • Limited Access to Content
  • Many nostalgic media assets are locked away in archives or are difficult to find, limiting creators' options.
  • Rights holders miss out on potential revenue streams from their underutilized content.
  • The value of nostalgic media is often untapped due to the lack of efficient distribution channels.
  • Lack of User-Friendly Tools
  • Existing sampling and remixing tools are often complex and require technical expertise, alienating potential users.
  • Collaboration between creators and rights holders is hindered by the lack of streamlined platforms.
  • The process of discovering, licensing, and using samples is fragmented and inefficient for both parties.
Revival: The solution
Revival is a mobile-first platform that aims to solve these problems by:
  • Simplifying Licensing
  • Streamlining the licensing process through smart contracts and automated royalty splits.
  • Providing creators with clear and affordable licensing options.
  • Offering rights holders a transparent and efficient way to monetize their content.
  • Expanding Access to Content
  • Partnering with rights holders to digitize and catalog their nostalgic media assets.
  • Enabling creators to discover and license a wide range of unique and iconic samples.
  • Creating new revenue streams for rights holders by unlocking the value of their content.
  • Empowering Creators and Rights Holders with Intuitive Tools
  • Developing a user-friendly mobile app with built-in sampling, remixing, and collaboration features.
  • Integrating the licensing process directly into the creative workflow.
  • Fostering a community of creators and rights holders to encourage innovation and collaboration.
Currently, the process of obtaining legal permissions to sample or repurpose iconic media assets, such as film scores, video game soundtracks, and radio archives, is  mired in complexity and friction. This hinders the ability of contemporary composers and creators to access and utilize valuable resources in their work. Legacy systems have failed to keep pace with the evolving needs of both creators and rights holders, resulting in missed opportunities for creative innovation and revenue generation.


The core challenge lies in developing a platform that simplifies the licensing process, making it intuitive, efficient, and accessible to all parties involved. By removing barriers and automating key aspects of the agreement process, we can unlock the latent potential of these iconic media assets, fostering new creative expressions and generating fresh revenue streams for rights holders.

Consider the following:
  • Creators often struggle to navigate the complex legal landscape surrounding sampling and remixing, leading to underutilization of valuable media assets
  • Rights holders miss out on potential exposure and revenue due to the difficulty in granting permissions and tracking usage of their intellectual property
  • Streamlining the licensing process can lead to increased productivity and creative output, benefiting both creators and rights holders alike
  • 90% of internet users turn to mobile for media streaming and uploading
  • Average mobile session lengths under 5 mins suits snack-able sampling
  • Mobiles serve as dominant web access point in growth markets
The opportunity lies in developing a user-friendly platform that demolishes friction points, enabling creators and rights holders to execute legally binding agreements seamlessly and in real-time. By unlocking the untapped potential of iconic media assets, we can foster a new era of creative innovation while ensuring that all parties are fairly compensated for their contributions.
Market Validation & Research
There are multiple signals that nostalgic media holds untapped creative and commercial potential, if thoughtfully unlocked for today's talent.
Surging Grassroots Creator Adoption
User-generated content has entered a renaissance - with volume growing over 10x since 2016 across social platforms. Nearly 25% of people now self-identify as creators. They demand unique tools to engage audiences by repurposing cultural touchstones. The subscription revenue model has concurrently seen rising adoption and willingness to pay.
Supporting Data:
  • UGC market size to reach $17B by 2028
  • ~25% are currently counted as content creators
  • Willingness to pay for subscriptions up 15% by 2025
Remix Culture Going Mainstream
Once a subculture, remixing and sampling media has permeated into chart-topping hits. An entire generation engaging with nostalgia seeks to reshape cultural relics in this image. This appetite will only expand as more than 82% of consumer internet becomes video.
Supporting Data:
  • Up to 25% Billboard Hits contain samples
  • 40% of Gen Z listeners tap into nostalgia
  • 85% will access internet exclusively on mobile by 2025
Untapped Niches Within Wider Fields
While major entertainment verticals thrived digitally, niches like soundtrack archives, indie films and old-time radio holdings remain largely inaccessible. New channels can expose hidden subcultures where scarcity meets specialization.
Supporting Data:
  • Music publishing worth $30B+ globally
  • $250B creator economy will double by 2027
  • $1B market for sound recognition tech by 2030
  • Overall a 5% slice of projected $750B creative economy by 2025
This wave of technology-charged inspiration aligned with demand for uncovering partly obscured pop culture promises to fuel a creative reawakening - if it respects evolving cultural norms.The substrate exists for Revival.
Competitor Analysis
Tracklib
While Tracklib simplifies sampling clearance and provides a large catalog, there are some limitations in serving broader multimedia remixing needs:
  • Catalog spans many genres but lacks inclusion of wider media assets like film/tv/game sounds
  • Entry subscription plan starts at $9 for hobbyists + $50-$1500 per sample fees
  • Portal focused exclusively on music label samples rather than supporting multimedia fan communities
Supporting Data:
  • Over 65K tracks encompassing global regional sounds
  • Cheapest plan allows 25 sample clearances/month for $9 (plus fees)
  • Raised $12.2M, currently at Series A funding stage
  • Geared primarily towards music producers vs. wider hobbyists
BeatStars
As the top marketplace connecting beat makers and artists, BeatStars excels in original music sales but lacks sampling reuse focus:
  • Made over $500M in producer payouts
  • Doesn't offer licensed samples or integrated remix tools
  • 6.5M users but split between rap producers and vocalists
Supporting Data:
  • 6.5M creator community with 2M buyers
  • Enabled $2B in artist collaboration in 2022
  • User base skewed 94% male according to Voltaire
  • Limited creative audio/video remix features
BeatStars
As the top marketplace connecting beat makers and artists, BeatStars excels in original music sales but lacks sampling reuse focus:
  • Made over $500M in producer payouts
  • Doesn't offer licensed samples or integrated remix tools
  • 6.5M users but split between rap producers and vocalists
Supporting Data:
  • 6.5M creator community with 2M buyers
  • Enabled $2B in artist collaboration in 2022
  • User base skewed 94% male according to Voltaire
  • Limited creative audio/video remix features
Splice
Splice succeeds as the go-to hub for production assets but remains anchored in individual asset consumption rather than community remixing:
  • Home to over 5 million music makers
  • Subscription plans from $7.99/month aimed at EDM producers
  • Claims "150K sounds, 6K loops added weekly"
  • Lacks connection to wider cultural sampling conversations
Supporting Data:
  • Over 4M sample pack downloads weekly
  • Raised $57.3M to value company at $500M+
  • Browser/Desktop focused creator tools
  • Single service consumption model
WhoSampled's Crates
While loved by musicologists for discovering connections, the platform stops short of empowering fans to legally participate in sample clearance and media creation:
  • Web only experience limits portability
  • Lacks creative community engagement features
  • No self-service path from inspiration to cleared sample usage
Supporting Data:
  • 50K artists, 800K songs referenced in reverse sample lookup db
  • 2019 launch, no external funding disclosed
  • Mostly music super fans over casual creators
UX Survey & User Personas

Blaine Harbor Music Festival: An annual intensive camp for music students to study and perform

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Step 1: Discovery and Design Phase

  • Collaborate with the board of directors to understand their goals, requirements, and pain points.
  • Prototype the initial site layout using Adobe XD, considering user experience, visual design, and information architecture.
  • Establish a cohesive color palette, typography, sitemap, and page layouts that align with the festival's brand identity.

Step 2: Intake Form Development

  • Identify the primary concern of the board, which is the registration/application form for the jazz camp intensive.
  • Assess the previous site's issues and lack of payment acceptance functionality.
  • Opt for a SaaS integration solution and choose Jotform to build a user-friendly and efficient intake form.
  • Customize the form to meet the unique needs of the festival, ensuring a seamless registration process for students.
  • Integrate Jotform with the mailing list to capture participant data effectively.

Step 3: Design Approval and Development

  • Present the prototype and design to the board for sign-off and approval.
  • Incorporate feedback and iterate on the design to ensure alignment with their vision.
  • Begin development using Webflow, leveraging its flexible and responsive design capabilities.
  • Implement the approved design, including color palette, typography, and page layouts.
  • Collaborate with the board to iterate and refine the design based on their feedback.

Step 4: Payment Integration and Sandbox Testing

  • Sandbox the payment processor, Square, to ensure proper remittance handling.
  • Configure the payment processing functionality within the intake form, enabling secure payment collection from students.
  • Test the payment integration thoroughly to ensure a seamless and error-free experience for users.
  • Collaborate with the board to address any additional requirements or modifications to the payment process.

Step 5: Domain Transfer and Site Launch

  • Transfer the festival's domain from Squarespace to Google Domains for better control and management.
  • Attach the custom domain to the Webflow project, ensuring a seamless transition.
  • Perform final quality assurance checks to confirm site functionality, responsiveness, and design consistency.
  • Set the launch date for November 2022 to coincide with the festival's marketing and promotional activities.
  • Coordinate with the board to ensure a smooth site launch and proper communication to the festival's stakeholders.

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