Audience profile

Based on my audience research questionnaire and focus group, I made a mood board of some of the things that my target audience would stereotypically like:

•Teenagers of both genders aged between 14-19

•Frequently watch films

•Range of hobbies: -

reading

sports

computer games

music

 TV

Internet

volunteering

socialising

skateboarding

fashion

make-up

travelling

arts and crafts

 watching films

 blogging

•Most preferred film genre (horror) and enjoy watching thriller films

Audience research-Focus group

After carrying out a general questionnaire to determine my target audience and their interests, I am going to hold a focus group specifically asking people aged between 14 and 19 on their opinions on an existing trailer similar to the product I want to produce. I managed to get 4 people in carry out my focus group (2 males, 2 females), the females did not want to be filmed so they have given me written feedback instead.

Film trailer shown: - The Ring

Questions asked:

1.     What impression do you get from this film trailer?

2.     Did the trailer interest you enough to watch the whole film?

3.     Which thriller film conventions did you notice from watching the trailer?

4.      Which conventions did you think was the most effective?

5.     Which conventions, if any did you dislike and why?

Summary of feedback from focus group video: (Blue representing males, Red representing females)

1.     Scary, traditional form of horror film, very quick and simple camera work and editing

2.     It didn’t really interest me because I tend to not enjoy horror films but if I did enjoy a good horror film then the trailer would entice me to watch it because it seemed pretty good

3.     Conventionally it was actually almost a typical horror film. Obviously its scary bits in the film that even makes the character scream. It was dark very low key lighting almost pitch black but not pitch black however it was very conventional and many horror films follow the same routine.

4.     Keeping the same style to show it is a horror film to entice people who enjoy horror films to thinking this will be a good horror film.

5. What i disliked with the conventions were that it has been done before, to typical and too conventional, too predicable.

1.     Showed the overall theme of the film without giving out the story away and kept the mystery

2.     I think it did interest me because it kept the element of mystery and persistent symbolism

3.     it kept you on your toes, suspense, tension and it kept a theme of foreboding throughout the whole thing like something is going to go bad. And I want to know how they fix it or not fix it 

4.     Light level and tension was probably the most effective, especially the use of the persistent symbolism

1. That the film is going to be scary, give a sense of impending doom

2. Yes, because I am curious what is going to happen

3. Low-key lighting

   Spooky character (dark hair)

   Music built up tension

   Canted angle

4. Low-key lighting

   Dramatic music

   Costume

5. Very similar to other films of the same genre but it also makes it clear to the audience that it is of that genre.

1. You can immediately tell that it is going to be scary / paranormal

2. Yes as I am curious about what will happen

3. Close up of the eyes

   Static television effect

   Low-key lighting

  Dramatic background music to build up tension

4. Close up of the eyes, tend to very conventional with thriller / horror films

Low-key lighting

Dramatic music to build up the tension

5. There is nothing I particularly dislike but it is very similar to thriller/ horror films that have been done before. It is not necessarily a bad thing as it makes it clear that the audience what genre the film is. 

From my focus group, I have found that the majority of the people within my target audience finds low-key lighting, dramatic non-diegetic background music, element of mystery and suspense with the persistent symbolism are effective conventions and that it is very important for make the genre of the film clear the audience through the trailer. As the trailer I showed within the focus group is similar to the style and genre I want to achieve with my own film trailer, all the feedback i received will be useful for when I start doing planning as I can include all the conventions the people who took part in my focus group thought was the most effective to make the end product as professional looking as possible.

Research into institutions and summary

Screen Gems on Prezi

 From researching the institutions that the institutions like to stick with genres they are comfortable in even though it does not necessarily affect the success of the films. Screen Gems tend to produce mainly horror, thriller mystery films wheres Fox Searchlight pictures produce more romance, comedy drama films, the two institutions have different target audiences as the genres they focus on appeal to different age groups. The fact that institutions like producing similar genres of films, it will help create the brand identity as they will be known for a specific genre which will help increase popularity if the institutions are well known for successful films similar to the one that will be released.

Package of products: Black Swan

From analysing a package of products, I found that they all link together with subtle elements such as the focus on the eyes, the feathers, the colour scheme of the black and white and the use of the same font within the film trailer and the DVD cover are used to form something similar to trademarks to make it more memorable. All the elements used within the film posters, DVD cover and the film trailer all help to make the audience immediately associate them with the film. This research will be useful for when I come to create my own film poster and film trailer as it shows the techniques such as consistency and the focus on significant objects/features to make it easily relatable to the film, as these techniques are used by existing successful producers if i followed the conventional things to brand the film I will be able to make my finished product look as professional as i can make it.

Audience research results

Audience research

View more PowerPoint from tsang7787

Ancillary product 2 research and summary

From analysing two film magazine covers i have found out the symbol of the cross is commonly used near or on cover-lines, they also like adjusting the colour scheme depending on the film they are featuring to suit the characters on the cover. Both of the magazine covers used sans serif font which signifies masculinity, this suggests that the films are mainly aimed at males. For Empire magazine there was very few cover-lines but on Film magazine there was an even amount on both sides, this suggests that Film magazine aims for a younger target audience that tend to judge a magazine how interesting the content will be. Similar to the film posters Empire uses a close up of the face and focus of the eyes in the centre of the magazine which again reflect the characters emotions and intentions. Both of the magazines had cover-lines/headlines across the bottom of their page it makes it most memorable as it is the last thing the reader sees according to the route of the eye.

Ancillary product 1 research and summary

From analysing the two film posters of the same genre I have found out that rhetorical questions are commonly used as tag lines to question the audience to get them thinking more about the film, both the woman in black and orphan focuses on the eyes of the character on the poster as they are said to be "windows to the soul" and also people say that you can peoples emotion and intentions from looking at the eyes. The two posters use different fonts, sans serif and serif to reflect the different time settings. The posters tend to be very dark or have a background colour that connotes the characteristics of the main characters. The title of the films tend to be at the bottom of the film poster, following the route of the eye it is the last thing seen and the most memorable to the viewers. Both of the film posters i analysed tend to focus on the faces of the character by using mid shots and close ups.

Audience Research

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.