Understanding audiences
- 3. DEMOGRAPHICS • Demographics: “The statistical data of a population, especially those showing average age, income, education, etc.” – dictionary.com • When any media product is planned, one of the main concerns is always “Does this have an audience?”. Without one, no money will be made off of the product. So, as a precaution, audience research must be done. This can be done through questionnaires, focus groups or comparisons to other media products. • Producers want to know the income bracket, age, gender, race and location of their audience. One way to describe audiences is to use a letter code to show their income.
- 4. INCOME BRACKET Class Career A Top management, bankers, lawyers, doctors and other highly salaried professionals B Middle management, teachers, many “creatives” eg graphic designers etc C1 Office supervisors, junior managers, nurses, specialist clerical staff etc C2 Skilled workers, tradespersons (white collar) D Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers (blue collar) E Unemployed, students, pensioners, casual workers.
- 7. INTRODUCTION TO TV SERIES • Star Trek is a TV show created in 1966 by Gene Roddenberry. It showed the journeys of a group of space explorers on the star ship Enterprise and on alien planets. The show explored philosophical ideals and paralleled There were 5 TV series in total. • The Original Series • The Next Generation • Deep Space Nine • Voyager • Enterprise
- 8. WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE STAR TREK? • Social/Political Commentary • Groundbreaking (first interracial kiss on US television, ethnically varied cast) • Inspiration for technologies (tablets, flip phones, desktops)
- 9. INTRODUCTION TO FILM SERIES • Alongside the TV series, there were feature films that were released. There were 6 that were based on the original series, 4 that were based upon The Next Generation and 2 films that rebooted the series. Number Title Release date Director Cast 1 Star Trek: The Motion Picture December 7, 1979 Robert Wise The Original Series 2 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan June 4, 1982 Nicholas Meyer 3 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock June 1, 1984 Leonard Nimoy 4 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home November 26, 1986 5 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier June 9, 1989 William Shatner 6 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country December 6, 1991 Nicholas Meyer 7 Star Trek Generations November 18, 1994 David Carson The Next Generation 8 Star Trek: First Contact November 22, 1996 Jonathan Frakes 9 Star Trek: Insurrection December 11, 1998 10 Star Trek: Nemesis December 13, 2002 Stuart Baird 11 Star Trek May 8, 2009 J. J. Abrams Reboot films 12 Star Trek Into Darkness May 16, 2013
- 10. FAN RECEPTION TO REBOOT FILMS • Fan reactions to the 1st reboot film were pretty positive with fans and critics praising the relationships between the characters, action, CGI, makeup that’s faithful to the original show and so on. • Fan reactions in particular to the 2nd reboot film, Star Trek Into Darkness were overwhelmingly negative. At a Las-Vegas convention, it was voted the worst out of all 12 Star Trek films and Galaxy Quest, a film that satirized the TV show. The film was booed at mention of it and one fan got on the stage, took the microphone and said that the reboot films shouldn’t even be considered on this list. I simply couldn’t list everything that’s wrong with this. Rank Film 1 II: The Wrath of Khan 2 First Contact 3 VI: The Undiscovered Country 4 IV: The Voyage Home 5 The Search For Spock 6 Star Trek (2009) 7 Galaxy Quest 8 Generations 9 The Motion Picture 10 Nemesis 11 Insurrection 12 V: The Final Frontier 13 Into Darkness
- 11. MARKETING THE REBOOTS • The challenge with creating a new Star Trek movie would be making it appealing to the masses, yet still retaining everything that made it appealing to Trek fans in the first place. • Fan service in the form of memorable quotes, locations, character(s/istics) etc would be suitable to retain the interest of old fans. • Promotional material served to strip away the sci-fi elements while focusing on the new, younger cast and action to attract a new audience.
- 13. This is a shot of Kirk in a bar fight. It may be appealing to fans of the TV show, as Kirk is partially known for getting into fistfights often with his enemies. This informs the viewer that this will go into Kirk’s origin, as a student at Starfleet academy. It could be pleasing to fans, as they may’ve wanted to know what Starfleet was for Kirk. This is a shot of three characters being sent down to the surface of a planet. This indicates a focus on intense setpieces. This is a shot of the Enterprise being attacked by a ship. This will appeal to those that enjoyed the spacecraft battles of the TV series.
- 14. This is a shot of a structure in low orbit, firing a laser down onto a planet. This makes it seem like the threat is great which makes it appealing to general audiences. This is a shot of a massive arctic plain. It highlights the effort that’s going into the CGI, as this scene was filmed in California. This is a shot of a spaceship coming out of a black hole, right in front of a sun. This, coupled with the orchestral score, emphasises the scale of the threat and makes it seem more epic, and thus draws in the audience. This is a shot of a planet being devoured by a black hole at the centre. It makes the danger look like it’s on a grand scale.
- 15. This is a shot of Spock embracing Uhura. Because Spock is half-Vulcan, a race which doesn’t feel emotion, this retconning may displease fans of the TV show. This is a shot of Sulu fighting a Klingon. This highlights the focus on action, presenting one-on-one fights instead of ship-to-ship battles. This is a shot of the Enterprise approaching Nero’s ship. Nero’s ship seems to be much more intimidating than the Enterprise, which may make the odds seem hopeless for the protagonists. This is a shot of Spock’s mother observing a laser piercing the clouds. Despite the trailer not making it clear that is Spock’s mother, it still works because it makes it seem like Nero will hurt the innocent.
- 16. This is a shot of the Enterprise coming out of light speed into a debris field from the view of the bridge. This can please fans because it looks quite faithful to the bridge for The Original Series. This is a shot of George Kirk being thrust forward on the Enterprise bridge. This presents an alternate version of James Kirk’s father which could please fans of the TV show. This shot of Simon Pegg as Montgomery Scott indicates that the film may not just have a focus on grandiose action, that it could also have some comic relief. This is a shot of Kirk being chased by a creature in the snow. This can appeal to the general audience, as it provides a sense of excitement and danger.
- 17. FANDOM • There are two terms that are used to describe the fan base of Star Trek, Trekkie, the original word created by Gene Roddenberry, and Trekker, the term that the fans created for themselves because at the time, “Trekkie” was typically used as an insult. • Trekkies are stereotyped as overweight, socially awkward people who become ecstatic over any reference to Star Trek. This has a negative effect on those who may consider beginning to watch the show as it may put them off it.
- 20. Thriller conventions • Can, and does frequently take place in constricted locations. • Protagonists tend to be unprepared for the situation so it’s easier to relate to the protagonist. • Tracking to inform the audience of who they should be interested in • POV Shots to immerse the audience in the film • Slow panning shots to maintain mystery and/or tension • Close-up shots to convey character emotions • Usually uses dim lighting to convey mystery and maintain the audience’s fear
- 21. Action film conventions • Usually takes place in multiple locations (usually urban areas) • Protagonists usually muscle-bound men • Racing against time • Quick-cut editing to convey urgency or tension • Star Power: Particular actors known for action films cast, highlighted in posters and trailers • Big budget for special effects (True Lies cost $115 million to produce)
- 22. Thriller Iconography Knives have connotations of pain, death and brutality. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho immortalized this as a weapon synonymous with keeping audiences scared. Silhouettes and shadows create mystery for the audience because it indicates that the protagonist is being watched by someone/thing. Woods are often used for thrillers as they make the audience feel as if they are lost. The woods also have connotations of isolation and vulnerability. Street lights at night are used in thrillers to emphasise the fact the protagonist is surrounded by darkness. Using confined spaces makes the audience feel as if they are trapped. The protagonist starts to breathe heavily and wonder how they can escape.
- 24. Action Iconography Explosions are synonymous with action films as they are exciting for the audience. The effect is increased when the character walks away from an explosion, as it makes the protagonist seem much cooler to the audience. Car chases are one of the most exciting sequences that are created in action films. Bullitt is considered to have the first car chase, The French Connection increased the tension by having cars drive against traffic and the Watchowski Brothers discovered that tension can be increased by having characters on top of cars while they’re moving in The Matrix Revolutions. Spy gadgets such as the underwater car in The Spy Who Loved Me immerse the audience in the idea being a secret agent. Guns are one of the most integral parts of action movies and are usually absolutely essential to creating action scenes. They are even used in “gun-fu”, a sophisticated form of close-quarters gunplay. This is used in The Matrix trilogy. Muscle-bound protagonists are very commonplace in action films. They are the ultimate image of masculinity and it draws immerses men into that character. It makes the audience want to be them. The 80’s were the golden age of action movies and most big blockbusters such as Predator had muscle-bound actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Jean Claude Van Damme in them. Hand-to-hand fighting is very common in Asian action films. Kung-fu in particular is popular amongst that industry. Bruce Lee is a legendary martial arts actor who appeared in 33 movies prior to his death at 32. Jackie Chan was a martial arts superstar in the west in the 2000s.
- 28. Notable Thriller directors • Alfred Hitchcock (Rear Window, Psycho, Vertigo) • Marin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, The Departed) • Steven Spielberg (Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Minority Report)
- 29. Notable Action directors • Michael Bay (Armageddon, Bad Boys II, Transformers) • John McTiernan (Die Hard, Predator, The Hunt for Red October) • John Woo (Hard Boiled, Mission Impossible II, Hard Target)
- 30. These words are the first thing you see in the trailer, giving the scientific reasons why space is a scary place. This sentence simply serves to put a fine point on the previous information. It does create a slight bit of suspense because it’s on a black background. The first bit of sound in the trailer is an explosion caused by some debris hitting a space station. Despite the fact that there’s no sound in space, it still scares the audience. Dr Stone, the astronaut on the arm is repeatedly asking “What do I do?” She has been horrified by all of this. In the background, another part of the station explodes, leaving very little for her to get to in case she survives this. The debris has caused the station to start spinning, and there is someone caught on an arm. They are practically fixated to it, preventing them from getting off. If they were to get off somehow, they’d probably be flung off into space, so they have to stay on. Suddenly, another piece of debris hits the arm, sending the arm spinning around on it’s own. The astronaut on it is terrified as you can briefly hear her scream. There is now a lot more debris around, which could foreshadow more collisions.
- 31. The viewpoint now stays in front of Dr Stone who is still spinning on the arm. You can see the Earth in her visor which may give the audience a sense of how much she misses it. The viewpoint now shifts down to Dr Stone’s clasp. Another astronaut keeps telling her to detach otherwise she will die. The intense background music continues to heighten. Keep in mind that everything since the first explosion has been done over one consistent shot. This highlights Alfonso Cuaron’s ability as a director. Dr Stone detaches and you hear her voice echo for a split-second. She begins to tumble into complete darkness, which may make the audience question if she will be able to come back. This part of the trailer pulsates along with Dr Stone’s terrified panting. There is no additional sound currently in the background which adds tension.
- 32. This shot also promotes the potential for great cinematography that really takes advantage of the amazing CGI alongside all of the tension, as this is set in space. You see Dr Stone colliding with some equipment that she’s trying to grab onto so she can briefly be safe. It quickly goes wrong so the audience’s relief is turned into worry. One of the following shots shows Dr Stone simply spinning in space. There is light on some parts of her spacesuit, but otherwise she has been submerged into darkness. She has been contacted, but is still scared out of her mind. The juxtaposition of this shot and Dr Stone saying “I had a daughter” makes her seem more human instead of something that millions aspire to be. The fact that she’s not wearing the spacesuit makes her seem more vulnerable to the explosion inside the space station. One of the following shots shows Dr Stone simply spinning in space. There is light on some parts of her spacesuit, but otherwise she has been submerged into darkness. She has been contacted, but is still scared out of her mind. George Clooney’s character, Matt Kowalski is holding a rope for dear life. You can see the utter darkness behind him. If he lets go, he will start drifting into space. The darkness creates fear of space, the ultimate threat in this film, despite how quickly this shot is shown.
- 33. The pieces of debris travelling quickly while ignited may suggest that they’ve begun to fall through the atmosphere. Could Dr Stone have gotten into one of these and on the way home? And if so, can she survive the heat? You can see that one of the astronauts is simply hanging from some wires. They can do very little to help themselves other than hope that these wires will pull them back. It shows how easily you can slip away from any kind of foundation in space. The destruction that the debris causes in this scene is catastrophic and goes to show just how well the CGI is used in this film. It may make some people want to see it simply for the eye candy. This portrait of Dr Stone and her family gives both her and the audience something to lose; a reason to survive all of these catastrophes. You can see that that one of the astronauts is holding onto a structure, and the motion blur makes it very clear that both it and her are moving very fast. It’s a very raw kind of thrill in comparison to simply watching the space station get utterly destroyed. The first-person POV shot here suggests the immersion that this film may present the audience with. It may make some people want to see this movie in 3D.
- 34. The first shot is a helicopter flying over the camera. The voice-over artist says “They hunted him down…”, suggesting that whichever force is hunting the protagonist is a powerful one. “They hunted his friends…” is used with this shot of someone running a salesman over and crashing through a window, which suggests that they are ruthless. “…and they took the only thing he’d kill for.” is used with this shot of a small girl strapped to a chair with a man in dressed in dark colours standing over her. This gives both the protagonist and the audience something to lose. The use of darkness in the background compliments the rest of the shot, making it seem more dangerous. There is a sequence of three shots of the protagonist gearing up and preparing to fight for his daughter. His face is concealed throughout most of this sequence, adding suspense. This particular trope is extremely common in most action movies, not just ones created in the 80’s. However, their popularity has dwindled.
- 35. The juxtaposition of the protagonist’s rival saying “He’ll do what he’s told.” and this shot of him running from a group of soldiers while the buildings around them explode suggest that either he’ll have to fight for the wrong side or it works as irony. This woman in the car saying “Will you please tell me what’s going on now?!” hints at the idea of Schwarzenegger having a sidekick/love interest in this movie. It also suggests that the film will have a touch of comedy, despite the possibility of the protagonist losing a daughter. This shot of the protagonist firing a gun works to promote Schwarzenegger as an actor; you can see him firing the gun, but not who he’s firing it at. If you saw his enemies being hit it would make the protagonist seem more like a merciless killer, but the camera focuses on Schwarzenegger. The juxtaposition of this the protagonist telling an air hostess not to bother this man because he’s “dead tired” after hitting him in the face with his elbow. This keeps up the tradition of puns in 80’s action movies. These days you’re more likely to hear them in throwbacks like The Expendables. Now there is another shot that promotes Schwarzenegger, this time without his combat jacket. This is juxtaposed with him crashing through a window, so despite his proficiency as a killer, he may be facing a truly deadly force. This is a shot of the protagonist’s sidekick/love interest firing a rpg in the wrong direction. This indicates that there will still be a focus on comedy in the film.
- 36. This is a shot of the protagonist hanging onto the back of an airplane while it’s taking off a runway. It indicates that he will do whatever he can to find and rescue his daughter. It maintains a steely glare while he hangs on. He is utterly unfazed while he tries to find his daughter. This is a shot of the protagonist holding an enemy by the ankle over a cliff. This scene contained one of the most iconic lines: “Remember when I said I’d kill you last? Yeah, yeah that’s right! I lied.” This indicates once again that he will do whatever he can to save his daughter, and that he will kill whatever stands in his way. One of the most prominent tropes in a “Damsel In Distress” action movie. This is a shot of the protagonist holding a metal plate to defend himself from his rival’s attack. This time, he is bare-chested. This indicates that despite his proficiency as a ruthless killing machine, there are those who can kill him, making the audience worry about his wellbeing and that of his daughter.
- 38. The British Board of Film Classification
- 39. Who are the BBFC? • The BBFC is an independent body which has classified films since 1912 and home video media since 1984 within the UK. • They sometimes rate video games but only in circumstances where they depict human sexual activity, human genital organs or gory acts of violence.
- 40. Symbol Name Description Universal Nothing unsuitable for anyone. Parental Guidance All ages admitted, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. 12A Cinemas only. Unsuitable for very young people. If aged 12, must be accompanied by an adult aged at least 18. 12 Home media only since 2002. Nobody younger than age 12 can rent or buy home video of this rating. 15 Only those aged over 15 are admitted to watch/buy this film, be it at home or in the cinema. 18 Only adults allowed. Nobody younger than age 18 can buy/watch this film, be it in the cinema or at home. BBFC Rating System
- 41. How the BBFC affects genre Thriller • The focus on thrillers is threat instead of violence. A 15 rating is warranted if disturbing scenes are frequent or sustained. • An 18 rating tends to be warranted if said threat is sadistic or sexualised. Action • Depending on the type of action film, the rating may be relaxed. Lack of blood, for example can lower a film’s rating. This doesn’t work to the advantage of superhero films like The Wolverine because he spends most of the film cutting people, yet there’s no blood. FOX have decided not to have any because they couldn’t have a 12 rating and the movie wouldn’t make as much money because it would reach a limited audience. • On the other hand, macho action films like The Transporter series and The Expendables can easily have a 18 rating because that’s it’s key demographic. B movies such as Machete and Sharknado have gory sequences.
- 42. The Advertising Standards Authority
- 43. Who are the ASA • The ASA is the UK’s regulator of advertising in all forms of media. • It was originally founded in 1962 after the Advertising Association established the Committee of Advertising Practice. To draft the CAP Code. (British Code of Advertising Practise)
- 44. How the ASA affects genre Thriller • Trailers for films that carry a 15 or 18 certificate are not allowed to be broadcast around programmes that are targeted at under 16s which means that more thriller trailers can be shown around then, but they’ll probably be directed at adults watching television at those times, and even then, you’re more likely to see an advert for blockbuster at that time. Action • Trailers for films that carry a 15 or 18 certificate are not allowed to be broadcast around programmes that are targeted at under 16s, which means that if any action film trailers are being shown then, they’re probably for action comedies or superhero films, so those are more likely to get money.
- 46. Thriller poster analysis The complete and utter darkness on the left side of the poster presents the main threat of the movie: Space. No oxygen, no air pressure, nothing to carry sound, no friction to stop you from tumbling through it and utterly dark. The words “Don’t let go” are small so they don’t downplay the threat of space by taking up most of the poster. It simply works as a tagline as the movie presents the idea that if you’re not holding on to anything in space, you’re effectively dead. You can see that this is from the point of view of one of the astronauts. This may encourage people to see this movie in 3D. POV shots are used often in thrillers in order to keep suspense. The light from the sun obscures any immediate threat, yet it’s made very clear that there is one. This emphasises the idea that life is impossible in space. You can see debris flying at high speed however, so you know that something is going to create this tension.
- 47. Action poster analysisThis references to a line in the trailer “Remember when I said I’ll kill you last? Yeah, yeah that’s right! I lied. This was a favourite amongst fans of the film and is very prominent in marketing material. This poster was released when the movie was being released on home video, which means that it will be marketed to those who like the film. Arnold Schwarzenegger was a megastar when this film was released; just his surname is enough to make fans excited enough to see most films. In order to easily appeal to fans, a picture of John Matrix in his combat attire was used to recall memories of the most memorable section of the film, the finale.