.png)
Genre continued and target audience
Genre openings, their target audiences and marketing
techniques used to attract that audience—
What is a target audience?
A target audience is the age group/ type of people a film is
aimed at.
Horror-
The target audience for horror is usually from the age of
either 15 or 18 onwards. In order to attract this target audience, poster such
as the ones bellow, were used. The use of dark colours and a dramatic, harsh
looking font clearly define the genre. Then, in the poster on the left, they
call it ‘the monster movie’ and, in the one on the right, they show the
werewolf, which narrows down the target audience by implying and demonstrating how
scary the film is.
American Werewolf in London:
It
begins with landscape shots of dark, misty countryside. This mixed with the
contrastingly upbeat (although topical) music, gives a sense of foreboding.
This is prolonged through the credits until you see a car driving down the
long, winding road. This unbalanced ratio between space and people implies
isolation. The scene then cuts, quickly, to a man running through the forest.
He is clearly panicked (which is emphasized and represented in the staccato,
violin music), but then reaches a hospital bed with himself in, being attended
to by a nurse. His face then changes into an aggressive ‘mask’. This is
foreshadowing for what will proceed to happen to him.
Sci-fi-
The target audience for sci-fi depends greatly on the plot
and content, they can be aimed at all ages. In this case, it was a U rating. In
order to attract this audience they used posters to advertise. They were
usually set in space or with lots of stars in the background, in order to
introduce the genre, and had an indication (with the tile itself and the presence
of weapons in the majority of posters) that the only issue a younger age group
may have with the film is violence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHfLyMAHrQE (up to 2:36)
It begins with an explanation of the prior circumstances to
the film. It introduces the two sides to the battle and lets the audience know
who to invest themselves in. The first
non-textual image we see is of two spaceships, one shooting the other, then two
robots. This instantly sets the genre and demonstrates the plot the audience
were informed of at the start.
Comedy-
The target audience for comedy, like sci-fi, depends greatly
on the plot and content, they can be aimed at all ages. In this case, it was a PG.
They conveyed this in their advertisement in their trailer and posters. In the
trailer, it begins by introducing the setting as a police department in San
Fransokyo. In a series of comic scenes both running from the villain and
reporting it to the police officer at the station, we are introduced to Baymax.
Baymax is, in particular, what makes the film so funny, and attracts a wide
audience as both kids (more specifically) and adults alike enjoy his humour.
Trailer:
The posters also illustrate who the target
audience is, as the vibrant colours and exciting super hero costumes suggest it
is mainly directed at younger ages.
We
first see a fight scene between two robots. They fight until one is destroyed
and the owner of the winner cheers. Hiro then nervously approaches, saying he’s
never participated in a robot fight before and producing a small, seemingly
defenceless robot. Once Hiro produces enough money, they fight. Hiro quickly
loses but pays more to continue playing. Hiro’s robot’s face changes to a red,
angry one and he easily beats the opposing robot. His face the switches back to
the happy, yellow face. This demonstration of Hiro’s intelligence hints at the
direction the plot takes in Hiro going to a very advanced school and creating
incredible inventions that both save the day and create the problem.
Romance-
The target audience for romance is often, again depending on
plot and content, from teenage years onwards. In this case it was PG-13. This was
demonstrated in their means of advertisement. In the trailer, it begins with
the same dialogue as it does at the start of the film, introducing the genre,
as do the posters, and Hazel’s character. There is then a sequence that
essentially gives a synopsis of the film, allowing the audience to decide
whether or not it’s a film they’d want to watch.
Trailer:
(Up to 00:24)
It begins with a montage of footage of Hazel and Augustus’ relationship, with a voice over saying: ‘You have a choice in this world, I believe, about how to tell sad stories. On the one hand, you can sugar coat the way they do in movies and romance novels. Where villains are vanquished, and heroes are born and beautiful people learn beautiful lessons... and nothing is too messed up that can't be fixed with an apology and a Peter Gabriel song. I like that way as much as the next girl, believe me. It's just not the truth. This is the truth. Sorry.’ It then fades to black as the title appears. This demonstrates Hazel’s cynical, yet realistic, views on love and conventional happy endings and implies there is a tragic ending to the film.
Teen-
The target audience for teen, as specified in the genre
name, is from the age of about 12 to around 25+. In this case it was a 12A. This
is shown in the trailer as it’s colourful, upbeat, funny (as are the posters)
and the fact that the setting is a university also directs it mainly at
teenagers.
Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3GfsNuzLmI
Pitch Perfect:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6A6lc-0KaA
The opening sequence consists of us following the soundwave
(as per the title, indicating the pitch) to some upbeat music we hear playing.
It then becomes apparent, as we see her sitting on a bench with headphones on,
that it is Becca who is playing/listening to/making the music. This introduces
the musical nature of the film to the audience, and demonstrates Becca’s
aptitude for creating/ mixing music.
Action-
The target audience for action can be from around 12 or 15
onwards as, depending on the content it can interest a wide range of ages.
However, in this case, it is a PG-13. The trailer starts with scenes of
panicked evacuation, then proceeds to show the protagonist’s daily routine as
one of the last human survivors from an infectious illness. The constant danger
and fear he experiences (that the posters reinforce) suggests it is a film for
an older audience.
Trailer:
I Am Legend:
We see various shots of a city, abandoned and overgrown with
plants. This indicates, to the audience, that something catastrophic happened
in order to cause such an outcome for such a long period of time. It then cuts
to a sports car driving down the road. The man inside has a gun. This implies
there is a danger, presumably the one that caused the lack of people. As he drives,
puts the window down for his dog to lean out of. The dog smells something and
soon after a heard of deer run past. The man chases them in his car, attempting
to shoot one, until they escape, running through a barricade of abandoned cars.
This demonstrates the need to survive and find food.
Crime-
The target audience for crime probably ranges from 12
onwards as, like the action genre, it can appeal to many ages depending on the
content. This particular film is a PG-13. This is conveyed by the trailer,
consisting of explosions, jumping out a window, violent (and humorous) fight
scenes and solving crimes. This action-packed and mysterious nature is also
displayed in the posters with a grey, misty scene and Sherlock and Watson
holding guns.
Trailer:
Sherlock Holmes:
The idents at the start set the tone and era as the logos
appear on damp, dirty cobble stones and the music conveys an air of mystery. We
then see two men in a horse drawn cart. They’re wearing Victorian clothing and
are readying the guns they hold. This introduces both the (more specific) era
and the presence of danger. We then see a man running, assumedly from the two
men (however, we later find out that the man running is Sherlock Holmes). He then
kicks open a door and runs in.
0 comments: