Research and Planning: Sound

For my research and planning I looked into sound effect to match the genre of different types of films and how then audience will be able to recognize the genre of a film just by listening to the music.

For my research I did a short video on the program Garage Band with my partner Steph. We were given a genre to create a type of video that the other people in the group would be able to guess what type of genre it was. Our genre was Western which we were given, so we added all sounds which we though would match the genre of a western, which were:

• Barn opening
• Footsteps
• Barn closing
• Horse footsteps
• Campfire music

We also went around the college and recorded some sounds which with match the genre of our teaser trailer. the sounds were sounds that you would hear in the background of the trailer:

• Radio
• Door Closing
• Footsteps
• Crowds
• Traffic
  

Research and Planning: My Preferred Audience

I conducted this questionnaire to gather information about who is going to be my target audience, from this I have found out what audience I need to aim my teaser trailer at. From my research I have found out that I have to aim my trailer between the ages of 17-25 (approx). The trailer is going to be of a horror genre and is going to be 60 seconds long, which is enough time to grab the audiences attention without giving too much of the plot away. I conducted my questionnaire and found out that people don't like to much of the plot to be included and they like to see lots of fast cutting and editing to be used and also has to have lots of long shots to show the screaming. I also found that they would like to see a new idea of a horror to be included and not just a stereotype storyline. From my results I also found that people don't want to see the ending because it will spoil the whole film.


The psychographics of my audience are students in college who are doing there a-levels. My social economic groups that will be viewing my trailer will be grouping E as they are students (may have part time jobs) who are in education still and the other social groups probably wont be interested in watching my trailer.

Research and Planning: Audience Feedback results

To get some feedback for my research and planning to see what types of genres people like more and how they think a teaser trailer should be I followed out a questionnaire and handed it out to people in the media groups. From these results I found out this:

I firstly found out whether the person filling out the questionnaire was male or female

The second question was to find out the age of the person

Then I started to ask questions about the teaser trailer, I firstly asked the people what was their favourite genre

 

4. why is that you favourite genre compared to the others?

Other

• I like love stories with a lot of laughs
• Interesting and funny

Comedy

• Funny to watch, enjoyable
• Funny and entertaining
• Makes me laugh
• Like to laugh

Horror

• Because it's unpredictable story
• Because i like to be scared
• I like being scared
• I like to be scared

Action

• Interesting
• They tend to be more violent and keep you watching rather than dance
• Keeps me gripped

5. What would you expect from a teaser trailer?

• Film title, showing dates, bits and bobs of the plot
• A lot of information about the film but not that much that it gives it away
• Highlights from the film
• A gripping opening with effects
• Best parts of the film put together
• Something eye catching, that either makes me laugh or scared is usually the best
• To see the gooey bits of the film
• High action, plenty of laughs or screams, depends on the genre
• A lot of scenes and some for of plot

6. What would you expect to see in a horror genre film?

• Plenty of screaming,
• Running about being chased
• Scary scenes
• High action, scary
• Scary things happening
• Things that make you jump
• Alot of unexplained scenes
• Unpredictable ending

7. What is about the teaser trailer which makes you want to go and watch the film?

• Parts of the plot if it seems interesting and the genre is
• The clips shown and effects of the trailer
• Shoes the best bits of the film
• Leaving a suspense
• Grips you more, wants to know what happens
• They usually show the best parts of the film thar usually makes me want to see them
• Good bits of the trailer
• High action, a new idea
• If it interests me

8. Do you think the age certificates have any impact on the people who want to watch the film?

• Not on me, but for some the may find the film interesting but not allowed to watch it even if it was really scary
• Yes, as most Horror films are15 and above so that the age is respectable
• Yes
• No
• Yes because it test the strength og the genre being used
• Yes, because if it was a U, unless it was a well known film I wouldnt watch it
• Yes I think the lower it is, the film wont be as good
• Yes - horror for 18
• Yes

9. Do you think that the teaser trailers should be long we than 1 minute to engage you more into the film?

• Can be but I dont mind a 1 minute teaser trailer
• No
• No 1 minute is enough without giving away the film
• 2 minutes tops
• I think they should be 1-2 minutes
• No as 1 minute leaves you wanting to see more so you will go see it
• I think between 1 and 2 minutes
• No - 1 minute is enough
• Maybe, sometimes they can drag

10. Do the certificates of film change our views on it impacts on you going to watch the film?

• No
• Yes
• No, if a film looks good then I will go and watch it
• No
• Sometimes
• Yes as the higher the certificate says on a horror makes me want to see it more
• Depends what genre it is
• Yes and no -  of its a good idea then no
• Yes

With us doing these questionnaires, we have now discussed in our group what we need to do for our teaser trailer:

• It has to be about 1 minute long
• Leave it so the audience will want to see the film

Research and Planning : Media Audience Theories

I did some research on the media audience theories and looked into the five different ones:

• Hypodermic Syringe Model - This model of communication referred to as the 'Magic Bullet'. It is something from the media which has a direct and powerful effect on its audience meaning, the message which is trying to get across is directly received.

• Cultivation Theory - This is a social theory which examined the long term effects of television and how the bringing up of audiences, shapes peoples attitudes after interaction with the messages and values of television.

• Desensitization Theory - There is a link between violence in the media and violence in real life. The more audiences are exposed to something they watch on the television the less the effect is has on something in real life.

• Copycat Model - Is when the audience goes and copies the ideas which the see from the media, either a film, television program or video game

• Uses and Gratification Theory - This is when we use the parts of the media which we need and want to use and discard the other parts that we don't need