Build a streaming platform for an all-new, video-first mobile ’zine about Internet pop culture.

We worked with the People and Entertainment Weekly teams at Time Inc. to build a streaming platform for short videos covering Internet culture. The schedule was tight—just five months to turn an idea into a new brand.

Building platform-first

This wasn’t just a product, but a platform. We built a light content management system for syndicating video content, and a REST API for the web app to consume. We also built the tools for an advertising framework that’s non-obtrusive and tightly integrated into the experience. Instant enjoyed a successful public launch in 2016 at the nationally recognized video conference VidCon.

Video-first, second, and third

Video is where publishers are finding growth. We built a blazing-fast video platform that lives entirely on the web. The iPhone’s Safari browser restricts video playback to a takeover modal experience, and completely prevents autoplaying video. We built a custom video player that managed to circumvent the default iOS video experience to achieve inline autoplaying video on all mobile browsers.

Fast, fast, fast

The site looks great on any browser, and it’s fast everywhere. It boasts refreshingly little user interface—you’re just immersed in video. You can even sit back and watch it play. The video advances without input when a post finishes playback.