Evaluation: Question 5

Question 5:

How would you attract your audience?

We used questions asked in a video interview to help gather some information about what they

would like to see included in the final video. We used this research to help add in some key elements

 that would make the thriller more appealing to the audience. We used our video interviews to find out what the audience expected.

We used some recognisable elements of thriller films in our piece. We set the “story” as being a victim being stalked but the antagonist is hidden from the audience until the moment when you realise it is too late. We used the detective genre so the story unravels as the characters find out clues, which grips the viewer and draws them  into it as they are enticed into seeing what happens next. In order to grip the audience through this  detective style we have made sure the opening is set in an isolated area with no one around for miles, to give a lonely feel to the piece. (1)

 For certain shots we used lots of out of focus shots so the audience is forced to take in details like a detective would, which helps them to experience the narrative ( for example in screen 2, the barbed wire is highlighted to show a sense of danger). 

We used the monotonous sounds in the soundtrack to give a sense of isolation as well as building up tension to draw the viewer in more. We also used authentic and realistic props and other mise en scene to draw the audience in. For example the strobe in the car window gives the impression that the car is really a police car, the dark and damp location of the body is a realistic dumping ground and the paranoid behaviour of the victim in the café mirrors a man under extreme stress. All of these factors help to give a sense of authenticity and subsequently all the viewer to immerse themselves in the plot.

We used a mixture of soundtracks to give help to appeal to the target market. The low monotonous sounds, again, give a sense of isolation and  help to engage the viewer in this gritty and dark world  that we have set up. The music helps to enforce feels of uncertainty and the disturbing atmosphere. The music that works with the titles helps to resemble the stylised feel of a film similiar to Reservoir Dogs and this helps to cement the film as a stylised cop thriller.

We used steady, high quality cameras to help capture the footage and because of this it gives a very professional air to the production. This will make them more appealing to the audience as they will find the piece much more convincing.

We then interviewed people about what they thought of our media piece and they gave very

positive feedback. They felt that the camera angles were used to a successful standard and we had

 lots of comments about the use of focus shots and how they helped to add mystery. We toned the

 piece to be rated as a 15, as we decided to use suspense and things that were suggested instead of

 intense violence and blood, as we wanted to set the film in a gritty, lonely world, but not one which

 relishes violence. An age certificate of 15 helps to open up the market a bit more, as it allows

slightly younger teens to view it but also tells people it is not graphic enough to discourage older,

 more sensitive viewers. Overall feedback was positive on our thriller opening. People seemed pleased and engaged when we showed them it in our thriller interview.