Age:
Our audience age demographic is identified to be around our own age, around; 16 - 28 years old. This age group is able to identify with our young female character, being able to relate and identify their own reaction to entrapment with her actions. This can relate to Animal Kingdom with Joshua ‘J’ Cody representing youth with the topic of drug, alcohol and criminal activity. Young people watching the film can feel that they identify with the young actor and their feelings towards the context of our film, similarly to our own film with the females’ panic and frustration at the entrapment.
Gender:
The majority of thriller films main audience are males. However, I still think women are able to identify with our young female actress and be able to relate to her. Psycho is similar, females being able to identify with Marian, and her determined mindset. Contrasting with Once Upon A Time In America with their male representation; the three males dressed in suits, similarly, our male character appearing ‘normal’ is relatable to many; witnessing a businessman returning home, but hiding this dangerous secret.
Mainly a male dominated audience, but can be identifiable to a woman.
Ethnicity:
Both of our actors in the film are white British, so it may be easiest for others of the same ethnicity to be able to identify with the film. In our short opening, it doesn’t include a diverse reflection of multiple ethnicities, but this is not a focus point in our film. I think gender is more of a focus than ethnicity in terms of our own production; the ethnicity of those involved doesn’t determine the characters intentions. In contrast to this, films like Pulp Fiction have a more diverse representation of multiple ethnicities and nationalities, this may allow more people to be able to identify with the characters and relate to the film. Our film could be seen to be most identifiable to British people, as shot in Britain, the location of the scenes will be most common for those who live in similar locations, associating the male character with this normal location, emphasising the juxtaposition with the entrapment truth.
Media Interests:
Our audience may already be aware of classic and modern thriller films. This may make the audience feel they have better knowledge and understanding of our films’ context if they can recognise the included inter-textual references of our film, referencing other thrillers. This enhances
Films like The Dark Night, Inception, Pulp Fiction, The Silence Of The Lambs, Kill Bill, The Third Man, Psycho, Once Upon A Time In America and Essex Boys are all well-known and popular thriller films; a few of these are referenced in our own film. This can be inspiration gained from a characters’ persona or even a single camera shot.
For example, Psycho=extreme close-up of the eye. Kill Bill 2=claustrophobic location. Essex Boys=back-lighting.
The audience recognising the intertextual references may be able to realise the elaborate symbolism of the chosen reference. Or even be able to anticipate the following scene, expecting something to occur.
Consumption of Popular Culture & Lifestyle:
We claimed that the main distribution would be at a mainstream cinema, this is due to young people needing an affordable price for the chance to watch a film. On average, as discussed in Question 3, mainstream cinemas provide a cheaper price than other cinemas. This links to our audiences’ lifestyle. Also, the film schedule will need to be able to work around their normal lifestyle, for example; the film being shown in the evenings to fit around education and work commitments.
The promotion of our film may also reflect our audiences lifestyle; with much more being accessible online with the power of social media, this may be a large aspect which will be focused on in the marketisation of our production. Relating it to the thriller Gone Girl; which had a large presence on social media with advertisements on websites, YouTube trailers and sneak-peeks, as well as twitter and Facebook pages promoting the film. This is something that we could definitely also apply to our own film, with the presence of platforms like netflix, love film and youtube being easily accessible to a larger audience, with many people now having an internet connection, using online packaging for films is even more common.
Other Media the Audience may enjoy:
TV Programmes like The Blacklist may also appeal to our audience because of them being based around a male businessman, something unsuspecting. Yet beneath the surface is a labyrinth of the dark and dangerous underworld of criminality. With the simple suit costume, nothing out of the ordinary, there are similarities between this character and our own male.
Films like Kill Bill may also appeal to our audience because of a determined female character, who has a gritty and strong attitude, where she confronts other males. Our female character continues to battle against her confinement, trying to fins a way to escape.
Issues we Explored:
In our own film we explored contemporary issues of moral danger. The decision to create a male character who appeals to be normal, yet under the surface is a dark and dangerous truth. We wanted to maintain an underlying issue of this subconscious panic and paranoia of the unknown. The mystery of this man, on what appears to be, him making his way home. Including the unconscious fear of the darkness and claustrophobic locations. Everyone having this innate fear of entrapment and not being able to escape from a situation.
Our film could be linked to real cases, similar to ‘real-life’ or ‘based on a true story’ films. Where the audience can experience the vicarious thrill of watching terrible, and possibly real, events from the safety of their cinema seats.
Thriller films like American Sniper, directed by Clint Eastwood, are based on ‘real-life events’ this can link to our own film through being able to link our content to real-life cases.
Our own film can be linked to the hostage case of Elisabeth Fritzl which emerged in 2008, the woman being concealed for 24 years by her father holding her hostage in his Austrian house.
1) You say : The majority of thriller films main audience are males. However, I still think women are able to identify with our young female actress and be able to relate to her…. I suggest you go to the IMDB and look up say Animal Kingdom, go to user comments, then user ratings and provide evidence for the demographic that found this film most appealing. Your paragraph tends to be too anecdotal.
ReplyDeleteI would strongly suggest that you present this question on Prezi with sections on each aspect of your potential target audience demographic. To include examples of audiences (IMDB) user ratings of films you have identified which would appeal to your target audience, and if possible screen shots from these films.
The examiners are not too keen on straight word documents and reward students who use the blog in a technically creative manner.
A competent response but avoid opinion and try to provide evidence. If you get stuck email me. And well done Emily for posting your drafts onto your blog, this is an indication of your brilliant commitment.