VIP script subtitle theatre app

  1. Real-time web and mobile application built with modern technologies
  2. Targeting foreign tourists and people with impaired hearing abilities
  3. Support for numerous shows and different languages
  • Client: Vipnet is the first private mobile phone operator in Croatia known for its innovative business solutions.
  • Type: Resposnsive, real-time mobile and web app for smartphones and tablets
  • Industry: IT and Telecom, Arts and Humanities

We were happy to be main sponsor of this most-prestigious cultural event. Together with the young creative forces from UX Passion, we had the idea for and created the VIP Script application. Using this app on mobile devices, the theatre attendees were able to get, in real-time, subtitles for the event’s two live drama shows in English, as well as in contemporary Croatian.

Author imageMario Cvitkovic
Chief Marketing Officer, Vipnet

Problem

We were asked to create a real-time subtitling application for Dubrovnik Summer Festival; in particular two shows, Medea and Equinox, which were in high demand. As these shows are performed in Croatian, subtitles needed to be provided in English and contemporary Croatian.
Of course, the user experience had to be smooth, easy, real-time to use and work equally well on smartphones and tablets.

Solution

VIP script was envisioned and designed to break down the communication barrier, helping foreign tourists and hearing impaired people understand what is happening on the stage by feeding them real-time subtitles in two languages.

Based on reliable web technologies, such as HTML5, CSS and Java script, VIP script is a server-side, event-driven Node.js real-time web application. All of the subtitles are stored in a MongoDB database working in real-time. Design was responsive, accommodating whichever mobile device the user happened to point at the specified web addressduring the show.

Results

After the shows we received a number of emails, ideas and feedback. Both VIPnet and users were thrilled with the application. There was only one complaint: shows were presented at a coastal venue with a less than perfect internet connection, making it a bit difficult for users. We learnt from the situation and improvements are on their way.

Reception of our application was excellent and we hope that we’ll be able to keep working on it, expanding our database so that we can cover more shows and languages in our traditionally user-centric fashion.

Results

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