Week 2: Lupton "Text" | Paterson

One of the websites that I check everyday for updates in the film and television industries is IMDb.com. At first glance, this site does not appear to have much user interaction, but once it is used as a reference tool, the user becomes more important. IMDb has user subscriptions [like IMDb Pro] that allow the readers to write their own reviews, update profiles, and have more access to information that the site would not provide to the average user. IMDb creates privileges for certain readers so they may feel that they have a more important role in these industries than other “regular” users.

The golden IMDb ticket stub is a great recognizable tool for the reader and provides a sense of familiarity that lets the user know they’ve come to the right place for information about movies. The black and gold color scheme looks professional, yet it’s not intimidating for the average “web surfer.” The entire site uses sans serif typefaces, which reinforces the modern feel.


The site itself has a very simple design that makes it very easy to navigate; this makes IMDb an easy site to search for information within the media industries. The accessibility of the different search options and the hierarchy and organization of results makes it a very readable and efficient site for those “impatient digital readers.” However, the placement of video advertisements in the middle of the site and banner ads along the margins can be distracting for the user who wants to get right down to searching.

The first time user of this site may become overwhelmed by the abundance of different information on the home page; however, because of the color and weight of its subject headers and the easily recognizable search bar at the top of the site, IMDb.com is easily adaptable. This is a site that is not overridden with design elements rather than typeface and logo, so it’s simple enough for the impatient, but user-friendly at the same time.

Our media culture today is always changing, forcing the “digital readers” to adapt more quickly. Because of those habits, we tend to get impatient with technology that does not meet our needs the fastest and most efficient. Sites like IMDb cannot be overly designed because the readers may get caught up in the design elements rather than what they had originally intended, thus making for a frustrated user. I think readers want to find content the fastest, so the design would have to be based on organization. Users will always return to the resources that they find the easiest and most interesting to read, which is why some prefer Yahoo over Google and vice versa. Because of this mindset, content must be displayed in a way that makes sense and is aesthetically pleasing.