Audience Focus Group Pitch Feedback

WWW:

• Had a Powerpoint presentation.
• Good reference to psychographics.
• Fluent presentation.

EBI:

• Explain characters roles and how they fit more.

Audience Research and Planning

Target Audience

Our target audience for our production would be people aged 16 to 35. This is because people within that age range enjoy a good quality programme that has the ability to scare them, but make them want to view more. They would like to try new things and they value difference, they also would also select products for their high quality and have good social awareness, as well as good independent judgements. Therefore, our target audience would fall under Young and Rubicam’s Psychographic groups of Explorers, & Reformers.

The Demographic groups suggest that are in our target audience are people classified in group D, and E. This is because students, casual workers, and skilled/unskilled workers would be most appealed by the horror/thriller genre.

The type of programmes our target audience currently watch are programmes such as, Sherlock, The Walking Dead, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Charmed. They would also be appealed to films such as Hostage, Disturbia, Final Destination, etc. These programmes and films are highly successful and are good quality; this would therefore be the media products our target audience would be attracted to. They are also Thriller/Horror productions which is the same as our production, therefore our target audience would be appealed to the programme that we are going to produce.



Audience Focus Group Pitch

Existing Product Research (Final Destination 2)

Final Destination 2:

In Final Destination, there is a variety of Mise en scene used. The costumes used in the clip are crucial in informing the audience of who the characters are. The costume the first character introduced is wearing an American police costume. There is then a biker wearing a complete leather biking suit. There are people in a car wearing colourful clothing. The costumes help the audience identify what each character is, such as the people wearing colourful bright clothing; we can identify that they are teenagers, and the person wearing the police outfit is a policeman. Lighting in the clip is minimally used as the scene is taking place on an American highway during the day, therefore the only lighting used is the daylight. This is interesting as the audience relate horror and gore with night time as it is dark, however the scene is well lit and is at daytime; this shows that the producers want the audience to be able to see what is happening in the scene clearly and is not for the faint hearted.

Makeup is used effectively in the production to show the audience what people look like. The policeman is wearing makeup that shows his skin as bright and clear; in turn this connotes that he is a good person. Makeup is also used on the two teenage girls as in the scene there is blood on their face; this helps the audience realise the intensity of their crash and see that they were hurt in the process. Where the makeup was most effective was when the man was burning alive when he was trapped in his car; there was blood and severe burn marks on his skin to show the audience how badly burnt he was and to illustrate the amount of pain he is going through.

In the scene there were many props used, all of which played a significant part in building a cataclysmic event. The main prop which also created dramatic irony in the scene was the large logs of wood. The logs of wood were the cause of the continuous, disastrous events. There was also other props such as the coffee, which directed the policemans attention away from the road while the logs started to fall off the truck, and the water bottle which fell under the brake pedal of the lady’s car, which in turn prevented allowing her to stop.

Sound was used in a variety of ways to illustrate the erratic events that were occurring. Majority of the sound used was diegetic sound as the sound that was in the scene was dramatic and loud enough to create a tense feeling in the audience. There was diegetic sound of tyres screeching, people screaming, fires blazing, logs pounding the floor, etc. There was also a non-diegetic sound of a dramatic theme tune playing which is effective as the audience notice that the events have stopped and the person being shown when the tune is playing is stunned and shocked from what she has witnessed.

Cinematography was used effectively to shock the audience. There were close ups of the characters faces to show their expressions as they were facing death; this was effective as the audience was able to see what the people in the scene were feeling like. Point of view shots were also frequently used, which created a sense of fear in the audience as they were able to see what the characters were witnessing before they were about to die. Panning was used to track the vehicles before they were about to become involved in the accidents also.

The editing of the scene was good at building up action. Continuity editing was used to show that the events were taking place in the order in which they were shown. There were straight cuts throughout the scene; when the action scene built up the cuts were fast and interchanging between events that were occurring simultaneously; this was excellent in building up shock and suspense in the audience as the fast cuts showed how fast the events were taking place which also made the audience felt at unease as many people were dying all so fast.

Audience:

Final Destination 2 is one of the films of a film franchise. It is about a girl who foresees people dying and starts to save their lives, however, the survivors mysteriously begin dying.
The target audience of Final Destination 2 are late teenagers to young adults, therefore being 16 to 25 year olds. This target audience would watch this movie as people who are younger would not be able to cope with the blood and gore and people who are older would not be attracted by the narrative. However the target audience stated would like to be kept shocked and discomforted by the extreme series of events that take place.

Existing Product Research (Disturbia)

Disturbia:

Mise en scene was incorporated in a variety of ways in the clip. The costumes used in the clip are normal everyday costumes that we associate with the character types. The teenagers costume is wearing a blue t-shirt with shorts; this is effective as every young teenage boy would wear shorts and a blue t-shirt, therefore this creates a realistic view of what teenage boys are like. The man’s costume, who is the villain, is wearing a stripy shirt, and blue jeans; this is also a good choice of clothing as the villain is trying to hide his true identity which is a serial killer, by disguising himself in ordinary clothes. The costume the mother is wearing a white top with a dark brown cardigan and is also wearing a ring; this suggests that she is dressed casually and is a good person as she is wearing a ring and is wearing white.

Lighting in the clip was used effectively as the producers used the light from outside the house, which was the natural light. This created a natural look and portrayed a natural effect in the clip which allowed the audience to see that the characters are in a home and the lighting is good and allows the characters to be seen clearly.

In the scene makeup was used to show the characters expressions and character types to the audience; this is shown as the villain’s makeup shows he has tired dark eyes and has shadowy eyes which portrays that he is evil. The teenager’s makeup shows that he has a white pale face which helps show the audience that he is frightened and he is young. The mother also has clear white skin that illustrates a healthy person that is good.

In the clip, props played a large part to create a horror atmosphere. The main prop was the large knife. This prop was very effective as the producers wanted the audience to feel like the home was an ordinary home and that the knife would have normally been there. It also created tension and suspense as shots of the prop were shown frequently in the clip and teased the audience to thinking that something will happen.

The cinematography in the clip is very cleverly chosen in order to create a dramatic horror scene. A medium shot of the boy reaching in the fridge is very effective as all we see is the boy and the fridge, therefore the audience knows that somebody is going to be behind the fridge, this is called dramatic irony. Shot reverse shots are used when the teenager and villain are talking to each other; this is used effectively as it allows the audience to see how tense their conversation is and how the boy is distancing himself from the villain. There is also a close up of the knife, which creates a suspense and horror as the audience don’t know what is going to happen next.

The sound in the clip are used to help inflict the sense of horror into the audience. When the fridge closes and the man was standing there, a diegetic sound of a thriller music was added. This helped to portray a sense of shock in the audience to reflect how the boy was feeling. There was also non-diegetic sound in the clip of when the knife was scraping the worktop; this sound made the audience think that something was going to happen and it informed the audience that the young boy is very scared as he rapidly picked the knife up. It also shows that the man who was standing there is the villain. When the boys mother left the room leaving the young boy alone with the villain, diegetic sound was added as a spooky evil song was playing. This made the audience feel uneasy as they know that the villain is alone with a young boy and something bad could happen.

Editing was used to create tension and suspense in the clip. There were straight cuts throughout the scene, which allowed a climax to build up as when the young boy first discovered that the villain was standing behind the fridge, the straight cuts had speeded up which made the scene more intense. However when the mum was present in

the room the straight cuts were more slow. Also, when the young boy was exchanging a conversation with the villain, the straight cuts were faster; this helped the audience notice that the teenager wa anxious and uncomfortable in his presence. There was also a focus on the boy when he was in the fridge and then when the villain is shown the camera focuses on him; this is very cleverly produced as this makes the audience concentrate and place their attention of the boy and onto the man.

Audience

Disturbia is a Film that was released in 2007 about a teenager who believes his neighbour is a serial killer, however the teen is under house arrest and cannot convince the police that his neighbour is a serial killer. This film has a target audience of 16 to 40 year olds. This is because the main characters in the film are of similar age to the target audience, which allows the audience to relate and feel the same way as the characters do. People watch this film and enjoy it as they like the suspense the movie builds and want to watch more to see how the young boy saves the day.

Existing Product Research (The Walking Dead)

The Walking Dead:

The walking dead cleverly incorporates a variety of Mise en scene.  The costumes used on all the characters are dirty, this suggests that they are in a time where there are no changes of clothes and that is not their main priority as there are other things going on. It also suggests that they are living rough. The costume colours used are interesting as they are khaki, brown, camouflage colours; the colours which people would normally wear in a jungle. This shows that they may be hiding from something and that they are trying to survive as if they were in a jungle. The lighting varies between the different settings and scenes. The producers use the lighting effectively to show the woman lying on the floor as there is only a top lighting of her face; therefore this allows the audience to focus on her emotions which portray that she is badly hurt. The makeup used in this allows the audience to identify what the characters are going through; the woman lying on the floor has sweat on her face which shows that she may be about to die. Also, makeup has been used on the man at the beginning as he has dirt on his face which also shows the audience that he has been trying to survive and has been through something previously. The props in the opening sequence are well chosen; there is a walkie talkie, and a crutch. The walkie talkie is effective as the man is alone at the beginning but it suggests that he is trying to find his friends and that he has support, it also shows that he is not alone and there are others. The crutch is also effective as it allows the audience to notice that what is going on is very dangerous and people get injured severely. The crutch used is also an old crutch, and not a new common crutch, this suggests that even the man is injured; they all take and use what they can find.

Cinematography has been used effectively to create an atmosphere and allow the audience to identify what the characters are going through. At the beginning there is a crane shot going down from the scenery to the man alone in a field that is knelt down. There are close ups of the characters face at the beginning to show their facial expressions, this is effective as they create tension because they look worried and distressed which then creates the same emotions through the audience. A medium shot of the car is shown so that we can see all the characters inside the vehicle. There is also a point of view shot of the road when the person is driving the car which helps the audience see what the driving is witnessing and going through. Panning is also used to show what the characters reactions are to what they're seeing, however the audience does not know what they are seeing which creates an enigma code.

The editing is used effectively as at the beginning of the clip there is a fast straight cut of the back of the man on the radio to his face and then to a lady in a dark room. This helps create a sense of tension as the lady looks in danger and looks hurt, however we can only see her face. This is effective as her whole body is unseen which creates an enigma code of what is wrong with her as she looks hurt. There is continuity editing as the scenes are all in order. There is a fade out then a fade in to another scene which shows that that occurred later on in the day, this is effective in allowing the audience to be able to identify that it is later

Audience:

The Walking Dead is an American horror TV series about a small group of people who are living in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. Its target audience would be those who are aged 16 to 40 years old. This is because it is a horror and would not appeal to people who are younger than 16, or older than 40. It is also for explorers who like to seek adventure like the characters within the TV series who are also in an adventure. Due to the blood and gore, people are attracted by this programme as they like to be frightened and placed on the edge of their seats as they would want to know what happens next due to the characters going through a time where any risk could cost them their lives, as there are vicious zombies lurking the streets.

Existing Product Research (Sherlock)

Sherlock:

In the opening minute of Sherlock, the aspects of Film Language have been incorporated effectively. Mise en scene, Cinematography, Sound, and Editing were all used.

The actors in the opening scene were introduced in a way in which suspense is built in the audience.The first character introduced is a little boy whose costume is a tracksuit bottom and a jumper; this suggests that the boy may not be very wealthy and looks poor. He is also holding a bag whilst he’s running, which creates an enigma code as the audience begin to question what’s in the bag, why is he running, and whether he stole the bag. Also, the colour of the bag is black which connotes evil and portrays that something bad might be in the bag. When the second character is introduced, we barely get to see who they are and what they look like, however we see that their skin is pale in colour and that they are falling down some hill. Another enigma code is introduced as we don’t know who the person is, what they look like, and what happened to them which caused them to fall down. The next character introduced in the opening sequence is off an old lady who is holding a dog; the costume he is wearing is a hat, a jacket, a shirt, a jumper, trousers, and a ring. The type of clothes he is wearing suggests to the audience that he is a farmer and due to him wearing a wedding ring, it connotes that he is a good guy. Then at the end of the opening sequence the last character is introduced who is the young boy grown up; we know this as the camera zoomed into his face as a young boy and zoomed out of the young mans face. The costume he’s wearing is a dark grey jacket and a chequered scarf; this shows that he is wealthy and has a made a change from his childhood where he looked poor.   Lighting is used effectively, as natural light from the sun is used. This allows the audience to see where the characters are and relate to what they’re going through. When the shots of the other character falling down the hill are shown the lights are used to create a dazzled effect. This allows the audience to see how the character feels as the shots are dark and the lighting changes and spins like the person when he is falling down the hill. Also, at the beginning there is little lighting as the trees are covering the sunlight, and when the little boy is running away it gets lighter. This suggests that he is getting away from danger.

There was little make up used in the opening scene as the producers wanted the actors to look as real as possible. This was effective as the audience felt like the event really happened.

The props used in the opening sequence are good in creating suspense in the audience. The black bag which the young boy is running with creates an enigma code as we don’t know what’s in the black bag. The audience then wants to view on as they want to know what it is thats in the bag.

There was a wide range of Cinematography used in the opening sequence. A Long shot of a tree was first shown which then panned across to see a young boy running. A steadicam was used throughout the scene of the young boy running. This was very effective as it showed the pace at which the young boy was running and where he is. It also created tension in the audience as the camera was shaking due to the steadicam shot which allowed the character to implement how he feels and how he is frantically running, on the audience. Close ups of the characters faces are used to show their facial expressions. The close ups allow the audience identify what the characters are going through as the young boy was worried, the old lady looked curious, and the young man at the end looked anxious. There was also a point of view shot of the dog going closer to the young boys face. At the end of the opening sequence there was a crane shot as the camera had zoomed out and lifted up.

There was a lot of editing in the opening sequence. There was continuity editing as all the shots were in order. There were fast straight cuts between each shot to show the young boy running and the action. There was also a wipe when the young boy is screaming and then there was a shot of the young man. This was effective as the audience were then able to see that the young boy has become the young man and is all grown up.

Sound in Sherlock is very crucial in the opening sequence. Diegetic sound was used as we could hear the young boy gasping for air. The sound was loud and his breaths were fast; this portrayed how much he was running and how fast he was running. There was also the diegetic sound of the crows caw, and crows connote death; there was also the sound of the man screaming whilst falling down the hill. At the end of the sequence there was a non-diegetic sound of a dramatic soundtrack.

Audience:

Sherlock is a British TV crime drama based on the Sherlock Holmes detective stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Sherlock’s target audience is ranged from 16 to 35 years old as it is about a detective who investigates crime scenes based in a modern London whereas the original narrative is based in a 1900’s London. The TV programme has violence and crime.

People that watch Sherlock have to wait a long time until the next series as there are only 3 episodes in each series. This allows the audience to become engaged and build suspense as they would want to know that happens next.