Phase two Target Audience Research

1. Phase twoTargetAudienceResearch

2. What types of audiences are there to target? - A passive audience: It is believed that a passive audience can be linked with the cultivation theory. It is the focus on not how a behaviour is effected but how the societies view is created. It involves the fact that repeated exposure will effect how people view the real world. The may even become desensitised to violence A passive audience is most likely to be effected by the ‘Hypodermic Syringe needle theory.’ It is relatable as they all passively receive messages as well as the fact they will react in the same way when the media effects their thoughts and behaviour.

3. What types of audiences are there to target?-An active audience: This type of audience displays the fact that there are people who will receive and interpret media messages in different ways- the audience is neither passive nor homogenous. Though they actively engage with the media they see/hear, they do not just accept what they take in, the make their own opinion of what they have seen/heard- think is relatable with the uses and gratifications theory because they will take from it what they want not what they are supposed to be given.

4. AUDIENCE THEORYTheories behind why they are watched and the effect they leave: Glenn Sparks: PhD, professer, claims that people enjoy to watch horror movies because of the feeling the receive after they have watched it. He found that the excitation transfer process occurs and that when people watch horror films their heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increases. After the film is then over, physiological arousal likes which the audience is then not aware of. The positive emotions that you experience during- having a good time with your friends- are then intensified according to Glenn.  He also said that because you have had such a good time during the film you do not focus on the fear and so you come back for more. But he said that if you experience was negative, you may not and so because your lingering arousal heightens any emotions you experience, the negative feelings may sway you to not watch a horror movie in the future.

5. AUDIENCE THEORYTheories behind why they are watched and the effect they leave: Other reasons why people may watch horror movies (Glenn Sparks view): • Different 'wiring': this is where some people enjoy high levels of physiological arousal. It has been said that around 10% of the population enjoy the adrenaline rush from watching a horror movie. But, it also explains why the other 90% may not, it may mean that some individuals may find it harder to screen out any unwanted stimuli in their environment, these same individuals may be more likely to have 'intense physiological reactions to horror films'. • Novelty : novelty comes across in the sense that people enjoy to watch horror movies because they're novel. It may be that they enjoy it because it is not 'something you see every day', as well as this, you don't see visual effects in your day to day like and so people get enamoured with effects and like to figure them out. But, negative emotions can too trump novelty, if we experience high levels of shock or fright, then watching a horror movie is not worth the mental stress.  Individuals might “suffer lingering emotional fallout if something in the environment reminds them of a scene,”. Morover, other's may avoid horror movies because it is too 'close to home' and so they may feel it will bring a bad experience back. • Gender socialisation: this type of research presents the idea that men actually enjoy scary movies more because it is a social thing for men to be brave and enjoy threatening things. It is said that they derive social gratification from not allowing a horror movie to scare the and so they would feel as if they have mastered something. Not only this, but men may use this opportunity so seek physical closeness with a woman as they are often more frightened and so the man would be there to protect them. 'In one study males liked a horror movie more when they saw it with a female who was scared, and females liked the movie more when they saw it with a male who wasn’t scared.' • Even more other!: People who are 'highly empathetic' may not like horror movies at all and that most people who do just enjoy the rush of fear all whilst feeling safe. Anything to just get their minds off reality.

6. Graph analysis from questionnaire Though it presents that females where higher in terms of who prefers to watch horror movies, I may still attempt to target both purely because it was close between them and that with the use of Laure Mulvey's male gaze theory, I am sure that I will be able to appeal to both genders. However, it also tells me that I will be able to appeal to the more emotional side of women by using perhaps one main character which may also make a male audience feel like they can relate if perhaps they have younger siblings.

7. Graph analysis from questionnaire By asking this question, I am able to cater to the most popular age range by making my characters of a similar age thus allowing the audience to relate more. As the youngest age range was the most popular, It means that I will need to ensure my horror movie trailer is modern and up to date with what society prefers in the present due to how much it has progressed and changed the way directors now make their horror movie trailers. With the younger generation preferring horror than the older, it allows me to bring more 'teenage ideas' than maturing my mind in order to cater for an audience that may be over 30 and so allowing my natural creativity to come in .

8. Graph analysis from questionnaire Though I was sure I wanted to pick the genre horror, I wanted to confirm that it was a popular genre people liked to watch. However, it came to my attention that people do prefer comedy movies too and so it gave me the idea that I could in fact add some comedy to my horror trailer and not pick the genre horror but the sub genre which is comedy horror. I saw that this may be effective because I will attract double the amount of audience. But I will still be brainstorming other ideas around the sub genres of horror before I make any final decisions.

9. Graph analysis from questionnaire This question was able to tell me which way would be most appealing when it came to distributing my trailer. It allowed me to know that the television is still the main way people come across trailers and so I know that making a longer trailer will have a better effect as well as knowing the more people will see it. It also told me that the two step flow effect of telling another person is still alive and effective! But seeing a trailer in a cinema still is another way people view them. So from this, I am able to edit my trailer to be longer than a teaser trailer and more clearer because it will be a bigger success on the television than positing a link on to a social networking site for example Facebook. However, social networking sites will only be more effect when marketing the trailer in terms of 'creating a hype for it'. 

10. Graph analysis from questionnaire From the results of this answer, it is understandable that an audience what ever the sub genre of horror may be will want to hear music that is well known and intense. I have also seen how society has developed as 10 years ago, the music would not have been as important because horror was still new and fresh with ideas, because horror now has limited creative story lines, it has now come to my understanding that good editing will be essential if I want my audience to remain engaged. They now look for something different and as society progresses it is important that directors cater to this need in order to keep their audience entertained.

11. Graph analysis from questionnaire This question was important to the extent it would tell me what I needed to include within the trailer to make sure my audience remained engaged. It also allowed me to know which areas I needed to make stronger and other areas which I necessarily did not need to concentrate as much on. From the results, I can see the that story line and the music are crucial for an audience when watching the trailer. It tells me that they expect the narrative to be a story that will capture them but with music that will help them remain in the emotion that is created. I also found out that people do want effective editing as having a lack of it may ruin the viewing experience.

12. Graph analysis from questionnaire This question was extremely important due to the fact though a lot of horror movies have some suspense within their trailer, there is a lack of enigma because a lot of the narrative shown. It is said that 70% people prefer the trailer to include a lot of the story, but it is important that there is still the strong element of an enigma which was proven rightly so due to the results of my question which had a 85% vote for it.