A system and corresponding method for bulge testing films (e.g. thin films, coatings, layers, etc.) is provided, as well as membrane structures for use in bulge testing and improved methods of manufacturing same so that resulting membrane structures have substantially identical known geometric and responsive characteristics. Arrayed membrane structures, and corresponding methods, are provided in certain embodiments which enable bulge testing of a film(s) over a relatively large surface area via a plurality of different freestanding membrane portions. Improved measurements of film bulging or deflection are obtained by measuring deflection of a center point of a film, relative to non-deflected peripheral points on the film being tested. Furthermore, membrane structures are adhered to mounting structure in an improved manner, and opaque coatings may be applied over top of film(s) to be bulge tested so that a corresponding optical transducer can more easily detect film deflection/bulging. In certain embodiments, a laser triangulation transducer is utilized to measure film deflection/bulging.