Proposal
This is my proposal for my research to find out what my target market (16-20 year olds) expects when they watch a film in the thriller genre.
What I Want to Find Out
1. The audiences’ expectations of an independent and mainstream thriller film.
2. Their definition of what a thriller film is.
3. Their viewing habits.
4. Types of music they think are effective in thrillers.
5. What they expect from a thriller film once they have seen a poster or flyer advertising the film
How I’m Going to find This Out
1. Screening of an independent and a mainstream thriller film trailer and ask questions afterwards.
2. Ask them to write down a few lines of what their definition of a thriller film is
3. Ask a survey.
4. Sound screening and then ask a poll at the end.
5. Show them a flyer or poster and note down their reactions; what they like and what they don’t like, etc.
What I Expect to Find Out
1. If they prefer independent or mainstream films.
2. Their definition of the thriller genre.
3. How, where, when, and who they are with when they watch thriller films.
4. Music that adds suspense is more effective than others.
5. How they react to advertising of a film and if the advert makes them want to see a film or not.
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Screening Questionnaire
Watch this trailer then fill in the questions below:
1. Will there be CGI used in parts of the film?
2. Do you expect to see A-List actors in the film at any point?
3. Do you recognize any of the music from the trailer?
4. Would you go a see this film in the cinema?
5. Would you buy this film on DVD or video?
Definition of a Thriller Question
Answer the question below:
What is your definition of a thriller film?
Viewing Habits Survey
Answer the questions below:
1. Name 3 thriller films you have seen.
2. Where did you watch these thriller films?
3. When did you watch these thriller films?
4. Who did you watch these thriller films with?
5. Why did you watch these thriller films?
6. Name 3 things you expect from a thriller film?
Sound Poll
Listen to the music and sounds on this clip of a film and then answer the following questions:
1. How does this music and sounds on this clip make you feel?
2. What do you think will happen next?
3. Is this the kind of music or sounds you expect in a thriller?
4. Do the music or sounds remind you of anything?
Poster/Flyer Question
Look at the poster/flyer and then answer the question:
After seeing the poster/flyer for the film how does it make you feel, would you go and see it in the cinema, would you buy it on DVD?
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This is the data I have collected from the questionnaires, surveys and polls that I have asked my target market.
Screening Questionnaire
Definition of a Thriller Question
Viewing Habits Survey
Sound Poll
Poster/Flyer Question
My target for this survey was to find out whether my target audience prefer mainstream or independent films and also what they believe makes up a thriller film, whether mainstream or independent. The clip I asked them to watch was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the questions were to find out if my target market can judge what is going to happen later on in the film. The results have shown me that my target market know that this isn’t a mainstream film as they don’t expect to see CGI or A list actors throughout the film. Although they do know about the film as one person knew one of the main actors and another person knew where the film originated from. No one knew the music used in the trailer either which shows again that it is an independent film. 3 out of 5 of my target market would go and see this film in the cinema which tells me that they like the aspect of uncertainty which is woven into The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Finally, most of my target market wouldn’t actually buy this film on DVD even if they had seen it in the cinema. This could possibly tell us that my target market prefer to see films in the cinema rather than on DVD and it wouldn’t be a wise idea for our thriller to go straight onto DVD as the market our thriller is aimed at wouldn’t actually buy it.
This question was to establish what my target market expects will be in a thriller film and we asked it so we would know what to include our thriller. The main thing that my target market expects from a thriller film in general is tension and suspense. This is something we will, have to include in our thriller film opening sequence otherwise our target market won’t want to watch our film. Another aspect that they believe makes up thriller films is questions that are answered towards the end of the film or not answered at all which leaves the audience thinking about the film wondering what the answer to that question might have been or what it could have meant for the rest of the film.
The viewing habits of our target market are very important as if we distribute of show our film in a way that doesn’t appeal to our target market they won’t watch the film. Most of the thriller films our target market have seen they have watched at home, like Rear Window and Memento, as these are classic thrillers that aren’t showing at cinemas so they have had to have been watched at home on DVD or video. There are some films that our target market has watched that have been at the cinema as these have been modern; they are films such as Se7en and Inception. How and when our target market watch our thriller films are a great influence as to how our film would be distributed and released. If our target market only watched thriller films at home on DVD then it might make sense for our film to have a straight to DVD release but if our target market prefers to go to the cinema then it would make sense to release our film in cinemas. The reasons our target market gave for watching these thriller films ranged from simply liking the genre to interesting plots to recommendations from friends. So our thriller film is going to have to have used the forms and conventions of thriller films, have an interesting plot and be a film that people will talk about after they have seen the trailer or been to see the film. The main things they expect from a thriller film is the most important part of this survey as it tells us directly what our target market want in our thriller film. The thing that was mentioned the most was unexpected twists/ surprises as this will create the suspense as the audience won’t know what is happening if something is unexpected.
With this question, I want to find out what sort of music our target market would find most effective and would appeal to them the most. The clip I asked them to listen to was music that was played during the chase scene in The Third Man. Our target market felt relaxed and concentrated while they were listening to the opening music and sounds of this clip but they commented on the fact that it sounds too light hearted and jolly to be associated with a thriller film. Although later on in the clip they said it made them feel uneasy and depressed and it created suspense. The music and sounds used in a thriller are often a clue to what might happen next and our target market all made guesses along the same lines that the man being chased gets shot, which is true. They made comments about the music and sounds on the clip, such as the music isn’t something they would associate with thrillers because of the lightness of it even though it creates tension and suspense and that they expect bolder sounds that are more dramatic and loud. The things the music and sounds remind them of are comedies or foreign television programmes. This might be because of the jolliness of it but I agree it does have a foreign sound to it and this is most likely because it was filmed in Austria
For the final part of my audience research I asked our target market to look at a recent thriller film poster and tell me what they feel when they see the poster, would they see the film, would they buy the film, etc. As it was a recent film people had actually been to see the film in the cinema. They felt curious and wanted to see more when they looked at the poster as it doesn’t give much information about the film which was a large part of making them want to go and see it. It also reminded them of The Day After Tomorrow which they had seen previously seen so would make them want to watch it. Although, one person who I survey didn’t think that they poster reflected the content of the film even though it hints at the darkness and fantasy elements. Most of my target market would buy it on DVD either because they had seen it in the cinema and liked it or hadn’t had a chance to see it in the cinema but still wanted to see it, but they wouldn’t buy it just based on what they poster looks like. For our thriller, this means we will have to have an interesting film poster which will intrigue our audience but still leave some mystery for when they go and watch the film in the cinema or on DVD.
2 comments:
Well done. This is a clear proposal though I wonder how the answers to 3. will inform your own film. The questionnaire and questions for interviews needs to be posted and also your write up of findings was due last Friday.
You have written this up carefully and although some of the graphs are not particularly useful, the way you have thought about your findings is excellent. You have considered the type of film you need to make in order to attract your target audience and you have made some insightful comments about the expectations of different age groups, the type of film that would attract them to the cinema and what kind of thriller you need to make for a mainstream release. Well done Vickii.
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