Bringing British Film Design Into Focus: A Dynamic Digital Transformation for the BFDG
The British Film Designers Guild (BFDG) is a UK-based professional association dedicated to promoting excellence in film, television, and theatre design. With over 75 years of history, the BFDG fosters collaboration and community among Art Department professionals, offering networking, resources, and industry insights. The Guild also hosts the prestigious annual BFDG Production Design Awards, celebrating the vital role of production design in bringing stories to life on screen and stage.
The Goal
The British Film Designers Guild needed a website that better reflected its status as a leading voice in the UK film industry. Their existing site had become outdated—visually cluttered, hard to navigate, and disconnected from internal systems. The goal was to create a modern, professional online presence with a streamlined user experience, improved structure, and powerful behind-the-scenes functionality. This included integrating membership and event data via API, creating searchable and filterable archives, and offering useful tools like a bespoke rate card calculator—all designed to better serve members and industry partners alike.
Refreshed and Modern Website Design
We delivered a complete visual overhaul with a clean, modern design that simplifies the user interface and strengthens the Guild’s professional identity. The new look is streamlined, on-brand, and built to support both creative and functional needs.
Improved Site Structure for Better Usability
The entire website was restructured to enhance the user experience. Clearer navigation, logical content groupings, and improved page layouts make it easier for members, partners, and industry visitors to find what they need quickly and intuitively.
Custom API Integration
We developed a bespoke API connection between the BFDG membership platform and the website. This integration automatically syncs member profiles, business partners (for the directory), and upcoming events—ensuring data is always accurate and up to date.
Filterable Awards Archive
The awards archive was rebuilt with user-friendly filtering options, allowing visitors to explore past winners by year, category, and more. This celebrates the Guild’s legacy while making recognition easily accessible and searchable.
Searchable Resources Hub
We introduced a new Resources Hub featuring a wide range of industry content, including videos, podcasts, and articles. It’s fully searchable and organised for easy browsing—becoming a central knowledge base for members and aspiring designers alike.
Bespoke Rate Card Calculator
A custom-built Rate Card Calculator was added to provide members with a practical tool for estimating rates. Designed specifically for the film design industry, it supports fair negotiations and helps standardise expectations across projects.
The Results
The redesigned BFDG website delivers a smoother, more professional experience for members and visitors alike. The modern, clean design presents a professional image, while the improved site structure makes navigation intuitive for all users. Members benefit from a searchable Resources Hub, a custom rate card calculator, and automated syncing of profiles and events. The site as a whole features a cleaner design, improved navigation, and filterable archives, making it easier to access content, celebrate achievements, and represent the Guild at its best.
Inter Vivos has been essential to the Guild’s marketing. Over two years, their work has brought a beautiful new website and a sleek Awards microsite. Despite complex systems, they guided us clearly, making everything easy to understand. Their quick responses ensure we’re never waiting long for updates. We truly don’t know where we’d be without them
Bimla Jackson
Operations Manager
What’s next?
Moving forward, Inter Vivos will continue to work closely with the Guild to keep the website updated, develop new features, and ensure it reflects the ongoing achievements, events, and creative work of its members.