Audience Profiling

Audience demographics are ways different audiences can be grouped by class, race, gender, age, tastes or preferences.

Audience theories are how different audience behave and why they read or understand texts differently. Mostly concerned with whether media controls or influences us, the affects the media have on groups such as young people and children.

Media audiences are the audience of music, film, Tv and consumers of newspapers magazines and the web. It could be the 14 million watching an episode of Eastenders, the many radio listeners of the same station, or the 200 watching the same film in the cinema.

Socio-demographic groupings can be harsh and out dated as they group large numbers of people from the same class regardless of whether they have the same interests and preferences. However newspaper, magazine and radio stations often use them, when selling space to advertisers.

Psychographics or audience profiling is the study of the lifestyles, habits, opinions, values and attitudes of consumers. Manufactures use this process to understand which adverts people will respond to and which media products will be successful.  For example the Four C’s category, put under varied category names and are based on Abraham Manslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Cultural Consumer Characteristics (the Four C’s)

Mainstreamers	The largest group and are concerned witch security, will choose comfortable brands such as Kellogg’s and will consume mainstream media texts such as My Family.
Aspirers	These are groups of consumers trying to improve themselves, consuming high end brands names such as, Gucci Channel and Prada.  They believe that their status is secured by this conspicuous consumption.
Succeeders	Believe they are powerful in control and secure, though they may not be.  Buying brands such as Audi to reinforce this feeling.
Reformers	You will find buying brands such as Innocent, Fair Trade, Ecover all associated with ‘caring and responsible’. They will consume the eco-friendly brands and live sustainable healthy lives.
The individual	An addition to the four basic groups, highly media literate, buys the product image, not the product and expects high-end advertising.

As our film is aimed at teenagers aged fifteen and above, I have devised a short questionnaire, using demographic profiling to give out to a group of candidates from my target audience.  As I am conducting this survey in a school, i have specified that it is optional to give all information, but no information will be distributed.

Audience profiling

For your own comfort is optional to give any personal information away, however any information that you do give will be confidential and will not be distributed.

Name?

Age?

Gender?

Place of residence?

Previous place of evidence (if applicable)?

Occupation

Are you in GCSE, A level, Vocational or Higher Education?

If so what subjects are you studying?

Are you employed? Part-time or full- time?

What is your job?

How much do you earn?

Interests

Do you have any Hobbies or interests?

What are your likes and dislikes, within these categories, music, fashion, magazines, food?

Films

Name your worst and favourite film?

What, where and when was the last film you watched?

Audience Theories

Hypodermic Needle Model

This theory was the first attempt to explain how mass audiences might react to the mass media. Started in the 1920s, the Hypodermic Needle Model suggests that audiences passively receive information from the media and get manipulated into believing what they see is true without being given a chance to question. This theory is largely rejected, however younger and also more venerable people are supposed to be more susceptible to this.

Two Step Flow

Individuals, who pay close attention to the mass media and their messages, then pass on their own interpretations as well as the actual media content.

Reception Theory

Reception theory argues that contextual factors, more than textual ones, influence the way the spectator views the film or television program. Contextual factors include elements of the viewer's identity as well as circumstances of exhibition, the spectator's preconceived notions concerning the film or television program's genre and production, and even broad social, historical, and political issues. In short, reception theory places the viewer in context, taking into account all of the various factors that might influence how she or he will read and create meaning from the text. The Film ‘Hurt Locker’ will be more controversial towards servicemen, women and families, where on the other hand ‘United 93’ and’ 9/11’ will be more difficult for those who experienced the terrorist attack on the twin towers.

Cultivation Theory

The Cultivation theory says that the overuse of television is creating a homogeneous and fearful populace.  Those who watch four or more hours a day are labelled heavy television viewers and those who view less than four hours per day, are light viewers.  Heavy viewers are exposed to media showing us the same views over long periods of time, which leads t stereotyped opinions within society. Always watching the same broadcasts or reading the same newspapers may lead to these stereotyped views. The film ‘This is England’ is often labelled as being a huge exaggeration of stereotypes today, and as re-enforcing people’s opinions of groups within society.

http://www.damaris.org/content/content.php?type=5&id=539

Copycat theory

This refers to the publicity about violent murders or suicides shown in the media which could result in imitation.  However it has been shown that most of the persons who do mimic crimes seen in the media have in most cases prior criminal records, prior severe mental health problems or histories of violence. Re-enacting scenes, from films as well as costumes can also be a problem amongst groups and peers, for example after the release of  ‘Clockwork Orange’, there was huge controversy after a rise in copycat crimes.
http://www.visual-memory.co.uk/amk/doc/0012.html

Desensitisation Theory
This theory argues that the more we watch shocking and violent images and information, the less sensitive we become to it in real life.


Uses and gratifications theory
Uses and gratification theory suggests that media users play an active role in choosing and using the media.  That we seek out a media source that best fulfils their needs, the viewer is not a sitting target, but we interpret things as what we want to see. Uses and gratifications assume that the user has alternate choices to satisfy their need.  In reaction to the Film ‘Crash’ some local authorities banned viewing, for example Westminster London, however Camden, only a few miles away showings continued. This demonstrates the public making its own choices about how to respond to controversial films.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/crash-faces-ban-from-west-end-1351586.html#


Media studies 2.0
Is the theory that the internet is used as a parallel universe housing online communities, social networking sites, blogging, and other interactive uses of information technology are changing the way people communicate and understand their world, social media is changing society, for example ’Facebook’, ‘Twitter’, other social networking sites, and any other films and programmes available over the internet, and not going through regulations.

Mise en Scene

Mise en scene (French for ‘put in the picture/scene’): the arrangement by a filmmaker of everything that is to be included in a shot or frame. Mise-en-scene is everything in the shot, it includes; setting, props, decor, lighting, actors, characters, positioning, and other technical elements. It helps establish the setting, class, and genre and can tell us a lot about the characters in the scene. For example, if we are shown a shot of a character in their bedroom, we can tell form the colour palette, if they are ‘girly’, ‘sophisticated’ or ‘emo’. And from posters, magazines, photos and clothes around the room we can tell what their hobbies and interests maybe.

Costume

The main characters are identified as late teens in the exposition and development shots, they are wearing casual clothes, both boys with stereotypical low slung trousers and ‘hoodies’, one is also wearing a cap referred to as a ‘flat peak’. The female character in our trailer is wearing long black boots and a leather jacket, each outfit is intended to give off a trendy but in no way innocent look, which relates to the concept of them intending to go to an illegal rave. As you can see in these photographs the characters clothes are not suitable for their surroundings which adds to their vulnerability in the situation.




Lighting

Within the trailer the use of lighting is key in order to create atmosphere, the setting throughout the is outside, which coincides with our use of natural lighting, throughout the trailer parallel to the build of tension, the light will fade. And immediately cuts to create a cliffhanger on a back shot of two characters trapped, after a door suddenly slams on them.
We also used a torch and candles to create atmosphere. Unfortunetly the camera as we tried to film darker scene the picture on the camera became less focused, if we had more professional lighting and a equipment we would be able to overcome this in the future.

Actors

Throughout the trailer you only see three teen actors, however the protagonist is insinuated through hand held camera shots from his point of view.

Make up

As we do not have any harsh un-natural lighting in our trailer, the use of Make up is limited to natural colours worn by the one female character, we have left it like this to keep a realistic style.

Props

As are main setting is very simple we have used props, and lighting and sound largely to create the tension and horror within our trailer.  We have used candles to create an eerie atmosphere, as well as shots of an axe to put a sense of fear and horror in the minds of our viewers.

Setting

Generally, are trailer is set in an eerie dark forest to create atmosphere and tension, the facts that the character are lost in the middle of nowhere enforces their venerability, the sitting is basic but gives us a lot to work on with camera angles and props whilst not ending up with a shots that looks crammed and confusing. However our opening acquisition shot is of a basic culder sack road familiar to the characters and relatable for the viewers it introduces the trailer with a calm sense of equilibrium.    

Narrative

Esposition

• ·       This is the films narrative that will introduce setting and characters.
• ·       Usually presents the viewer with a situation, calm, safe or at least predictable for the characters involved.
• ·       It will identify not only the information given, but how it is presented to the viewer.
• ·       The film might present a setting which appears tranquil. It may create positive mood through mise-en-scene and may show characters involved in the day to day workings of normal life.
• ·       It will establish equilibrium (safe, calm, predictable situation) of your exposition scene, created through dialogue? Setting? Mise-en-scene? And sound elements?

Good exposition = subtle hints – films

Bad exposition = obvious, often spoken introduction of character and their story – soaps

Development

• ·       Story line is developed, new characters are introduced.
• ·       Consider why? How? Characters are presented. What is the impact of new information given in section?
• ·       Character introduced conflicting with main character, (example - argument) characters may present disruptive force within remainder of film.
• ·       Problematic info given in section regarding main protagonist, may introduce flaw in central character and/or impact later actions.
• ·       Story develops in relation to circumstances –may add, change, existing tension.

Complication

• ·       Presented with complicating event, affecting the lives of main characters.
• ·       Identify how your central character responds to complication, role of any disruptive characters within complication; response viewer might have to complicating elements.
• ·       Consider how complication factor is shown, whether it’s parallel in a scene showing the planning of the disruptive character or introduced to the audience via a point of view shot, let us experience the complication as if we were the main character.
• ·       Don’t forget that camera work and editing; along with mise-en-scene and sound contribute to our understanding of narrative factors within the film.

Climax

• ·       Dramatic tension is at its height and we uncover the mystery of the story or have our questions about the film’s story answered.
• ·       Identify the means by which the answers to the film’s narrative questions are given.
• ·       Protagonist has a revelatory conversation with another character?
• ·       Character that has previously been given a position within the film as trustworthy.
• ·       Answers given in action sequence, protagonist eventually kills the character who has provided the threat and complication within the story?
• ·       Narrative ‘answers’ do not have to come in the form of information, they may be events which halt the complication factors within a film.

Resolution

• ·       End of a film hold its resolution: the sequence where stability is re-established and a form of calm has been restored.
• ·       Resolution part of a film provides a new situation of calm for both characters and audience. Presents situations where chaos and drama which existed throughout much of the film are gone, what is left is not the same situation, but a new clam.
• ·       May present calm through mise-en-scene, colours and setting associated with peace and safety
• ·       Discuss evidence expectations of resolved endings. If viewers are given resolution, with a sense of expectations being met.

Vladimir Propp

Vladimir Propp added to the Russian formalist approach, the study of narrative structure. Broke down the structures of Russian fairtayles, and concluded that all the characters where/could be based on only seven character types, in the 100 tales he analysed.

1.     Villain

2.     Donor-prepare vilian or hero

3.     (Magical) Helper

4.     Princess or/and Father – give task to hero

5.     Dispatcher –highlights problem, sends hero off

6.     Hero

7.     False Hero – tries to take credit off hero

Our Trailer Narrative structure

  

      The narrative of a film is the plot in its five basic stages, exposition development, complication, climax and resolution. Following this format when creating your film will help keep continuity.

      As we are creating a film trailer, not a whole film, our exposition is brief and only shows short clips of the narrative structure, giving the basic idea of the plot. Whilst enticing viewers but not giving away the whole story.

Firstly we combined the exposition and development due to a limited time frame for our trailer, introducing are characters and setting in just one clip of them loading the car which develops into a close up of a text showing a message about an illegal rave that night. This does not give away too much information but a basic theory, for viewers to go on. The clips are neutral in terms of events (a day to day stetting for the characters), this is created through natural lighting and mise-en-scene, for example everyday clothing, without any raised tones or unusual topics of speech, and day-to-day music, diegetic from a radio in the background.

     


As we are filming the trailer we have held back much of the development information, for example through representation of characters and their impact. In addition we have avioded showing the main character, as well as gives clues that something may disrupt the calm, or add to the upcoming complication. 

      

The clip of two of the characters briefly insinuates the 
complication, affecting the lives of the characters, but does not show if it is affecting the main antagonist. However we have shown this as disruptive for the characters, using tone, language, body language and expression, as well as complimenting music. As we are producing only the trailer we do not show how the main character responds to the complication, only how they react. We have not shown this scene parallel to any others as the complication is not caused by anyone, but is the cause of the following events.

Dramatic tension is important to show in our trailer, without showing too much of the climax, we do not want to show the answers to the narrative story. However we do insinuate the presence of a killer through the filming of trap a small house and camera angles from the view of what could be the antagonist. We use still images to create a sense of psychologically disturbance and confusion at the location. Dramatic tension is at its height and we uncover the mystery of the story or have our questions about the film’s story answered to an adequate degree to keep the audience inerested. 

    
As we are creating a trailer we do not want to include the resolution (ending of the film) re-establishing equilibrium and restoring the calm, but want to leave a cliff-hanger.  Normally the film would be left in a new calm instead of the chaos and drama that has existed throughout, this would be shown by music and mise-en-scene, associated with peace and safety.

Redone Storyboard

After creating our first storyboard and then going on to produce an animatic we realised we had to make some changes to our plot and its scenes in order to create a better piece, we decided to create a second developed and more accurate storyboard.

Represenation

There are four areas of production to understand for our analysis:

Camera:

Shots, Angle, Movement, Composition

Editing:

Cutting, Other transitions

Sound:

Non musical, Musical

 Mise-en-scene:

Production Design, Lighting and Colour Design

After watching this presentation by Stuart Hall, I started to understand these higher level theories of representation; the way in which meaning is given to things depicted and/or the different ways the same image can be represented through angles, lighting etc.

http://longroadproductionevaluation.blogspot.com/2010/05/represenation.html

He also suggests that there are three different positions that the reader of a text can occupy when trying to interpret a text.

Preferred Reading – the reader fully accepts the text codes.

Negotiated Reading – partly shares the texts code and broadly accepts the preferred reading.

Oppositional Reading – reader, whose social situation places them in a directly oppositional relation.

Roland Barthes theories concentrated on a discussion of how myth operates in society and he discussed this in the context of denotation and connotation.

Denotation – the literal, ‘obvious’ or ‘commonsense’ meaning of an image.

Connotation – is used to refer the social-cultural and ‘personal’ associations (ideological, emotional etc.) of the image. These are typically related to the interpreter’s class, age, gender, ethnicity and and so on> Images are more open to interpretation – in their connotations than their denotations.

Example: a character wearing a Manchester united shirt.

Denotation – what the character is wearing

Connotation – the character is a fan of Manchester United football team.

Semiotics is from the Greek word’ Semion’ meaning ‘sign’. Semiotics or ‘Semiology’, is the study of signs and meanings. For the purposes of such study a sign is any physical object with a meaning.

The three areas of study are:

-the sign, picture, object or sound e.g the Christian Cross

-the system auto which signs are organised e.g Christianity

-the culture within which these signs operate e.g the Western Culture

Saussure was a structuralist and his work developed many ideas associated with semiotic. According to this view, the place of a sign with the overall system gives meaning. Others such as Pierce believe that the creation of meaning from signs is a continual process and is subject to change. From this perspective humans interpret signs and act accordingly.

For Saussure signs have two parts:

Signifier – the actual image, physical, appearance or sound.

Signified – the idea or ideas the sign refers to.