KinoGuru (Okko)

Role: Web Developer / Integrator

Stack:

• CMS: WordPress (custom build)
• Plugins: Custom plugins and modules
• Theme: Custom theme

Description:

A second large-scale media project for the Okko ecosystem — the Kinoguru film portal. This site is a full-fledged movie data aggregator and editorial magazine. Unique authorial content is organically combined with fully automatically imported data about movies, TV series, their posters, stills, and ratings.

Technical and Design Features:

Deep Cinematic Database API Integration: The core technical feature of the project. All data about films and TV series (posters, titles, ratings, directors, actors, descriptions, episode lists, and stills) is automatically pulled into the CMS via API. This eliminated the need for manual entry of hundreds of product cards and created the foundation for complex dynamic filtering.

Smart Lists and Advanced Filtering: Custom landing pages for "Top 100", "Best Movies of the 21st Century", etc., were implemented. Users can filter ratings by genre, country, year, and sort order (by order, by rating). All lists are generated on the fly from API data.

Dynamic Movie and Series Cards: Pages feature tabs for "Seasons", "Similar", "Stills" (with a gallery of 20+ images), and "Reviews". "Where to Watch" buttons (Okko, Ivi, START, Kion, More.tv) were implemented to redirect users to third-party platforms.

Unique "Noise/Grain" Design: A clean minimalist style with striking dark blue gradients (simulating film grain), especially noticeable on the 404 page and section headers. This gives the site a premium, cinematic look, differentiating it from standard templates.

Magazine Longread Formatting: Text materials (author reviews, news, collections) are typeset in the best traditions of long-form reading: large typography, table of contents system, social share buttons, and stylish "Read more" blocks to retain user attention.

Result:

The site became the ideal tool for movie buffs, combining a professional editorial team with automatic updates to a massive database. The API integration allows manipulation of thousands of films and series without administrator intervention, while the unique modern design and thoughtful UX interface ensure high engagement and return visits.