Aquarius Collection: online movie image library
- Services Used: content management, e-commerce, e-directories, web application development
- Technologies Used: ASP, JavaScript, MS SQL Server
- Web: www.aquariuscollection.com
- Site design: Caged Fish
Solution
Aquarius Collection wanted to create an online library of images taken from movies. Originally they had approximately 70,000 within their database, though this was to expand later. Each image contained information on which movie the image was taken from, and which actors were present in the shot.
Xibis' first step was to streamline the database design to speed up the queries and reduce the possibility of input error. The effects were quite staggering, reducing the time taken to query for a list of images with a particular actor from almost 30 seconds to below a 10th of a second.
The next stage was to build a web site around the new database. Each Aquarius's clients is referenced in the database and an unlimited number of client employees can log in with their unique username and password. Once logged in, the user is able to search by either actor or movie. If the user searches by actor, the next page will show the user a list of actors that matched the search string. Clicking on an actor name then shows the user a list of thumbnails, ten per page, of images containing the actor. The user could click for more information on the image, including a larger version, or add the image to their lightbox. At the bottom of the page, the user is shown a list of movies that the actor was in, allowing the user to modify their search to include a movie.
Once the user has selected a number of images that are of use to them by placing them into their lightbox, they can choose their final list of images and make the purchase. Each client has their own pricing structure, and the prices can vary based on the size of the print, e.g. ¼ page, ½ page and so on. Some clients have an account, while others must enter a credit card number. Once the order is complete the user can either download the images or order them on CD.
"We were most impressed with the turn-around time of the project, and also with how efficiently the software searches such a huge number of records. Xibis has again provided us with a very robust and efficient solution for our customer." Garry Aston, Caged Fish