Evaluation Question 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

A thriller’s typical audience is usually appealing to both sexes and ages 15 and over. Our film’s violent nature, psychological issues and mature themes could be too much and emotionally demanding of the younger viewers however is apparent to be intellectually challenging for the older audience. Our film being presented with the 18+ certificate, we wanted to work towards appealing to the young adults (18-25) of both genders. Taking the interests of our target audience into account we needed to consider the editing, mise-en-scène, cinematography etc.

One of the key elements to attracting our audience is relatable character(s). Pulling the audience in with characters they could develop connections and empathise with grasps their attention and maintains their interest for the entirety of the film. Our product lists extremes of each typical teenage stereotype. The group consists of characters who are socially awkward; extroverts; ethnic minorities etc. Having a variety of personalities for the viewers to identify with draws in a wider audience. This also gives the audience emotional involvement acting as an incentive to watch until the end to see what becomes of the character(s). 

In addition to this, mise-en-scène is also an important attribute to consider when it comes to thrillers as it adds depth and mood to the film. Props such as bladed weapons, dangerous objects etc. often make an appearance in psychological thrillers as the exhilaration created by the gore element appeals to our target audience. We challenge this convention with the use of ordinary, everyday objects (we used shot glasses, a spade etc) being utilised with malicious intent. Spatial awareness is key in generating an atmosphere of uneasiness and discomfort. We considered this in our film and created an open space with limited objects/furniture which appears quite uncomfortable contradicting the idea of a home – a place where you should feel comfortable. In this shot, the use of negative space around our characters is a reflection of their antagonistic personas as they appear quite aloof and unapproachable. We also used an extreme close up of the antagonist’s (bottom half) face; this creates a feeling of uneasiness and gives the audience a view from the victim’s perspective. Their body language and outfit choice also communicates this to the audience. 

Another key element to draw in our audience is the editing, as this is essential to setting the overall tone of our film. It’s also a significant component in the openings of films as it helps the audience to determine the genre. Sticking to conventional editing traditions of thrillers, such as jump cuts, we produced a product that would appeal to people (young adults) who enjoy excitement and thrill. This is quintessential of young adults who are attracted to elements that capture and maintain their interest. Our target audience are drawn to products that are new and are usually compelled to explore ideas that are unorthodox so we also introduced elements that aren't conventional of this genre, such as the split-screen and reversed gender dominance.