Essay

Explain the methods you used to attract your audience in your AS coursework?

We researched the thriller genre and looked at the stereotypical viewer of the genre. By researching their; ages, interests and hobbies through surveys and online statistics we were able to target our audience by adapting the film perfectly to the specific audiences interests. Research was key in helping us create our thriller as it gave us a solid base to build on and gave us ideas on how to draw the audience in. We set up an online questionnaire asking relevant questions such as what they enjoy about thriller films, and what they look for in thriller films. This questionnaire was helpful as it gave us an indication on what the audience were looking for and it made it easier to attract our audience.

We spent a lot of time researching the conventions of a thriller, this was because we wanted to make sure we perfectly executed the genre, and we knew that our target audience would be looking for the conventions of thrillers. Conventions such as blood helped draw in our audience as it is exciting and implies the image of death. We used vast amounts of fake blood, with the use of close ups and different camera angles we were able to exploit the blood and make it stand out which would have helped attract in the audience. Props such as blood are key in helping attract an audience. Other props such as the tools we used were also useful; the tools maybe seen as an obvious prop to use but we decided that it would help attract our target audience and would lead the audience into thinking what the character handling the tools has done with them. This method in making the audience wonder about what may have happened with the tools would create curiosity within the audience and would make them want to find out what has happened.  We chose not to use other props such as guns which may have led to the classic assassin idea because we decided we didn’t want to fall exactly into all of the obvious thriller conventions, and we believed that the tools with blood on them were just effective.

Exploiting the different camera angles is key helping attracting the audience in, camera angles show the audience what is happening in the scene and they are were able to build up a visual image in their head about what is going to happen or has happened in the thriller. We chose to use a variety of shots; we used an establishment shot to open with as this gave the audience an idea of where the thriller is set and what is in the scene. We used effective close ups on the key parts in the opening of our thriller, such as the props with blood on them. Whilst the main character was cleaning his tools we chose to use an over the shoulder shot, this created the impression that we were spying on the character and it would have created some tension which helps attract the audience’s attention.  When we filmed the main character walking into the building, we used an establishment shot, in this shot you could see a bare foot sticking out from underneath of a sheet, this is another example of us helping the audience build up a visual image in their mind. The bare foot would have helped attract the audience.

We edited non-digetic music into our opening, as it gave the thriller added tension and helped set the scene. The music can be key in helping attract an audience’s attention as the type of music can imply something is about to happen or has happened, this is why we chose to use music. We decided to include the digetic sounds such as the noise of the tools as well as the music as we thought it added a more realistic effect. We wanted to make sure that we were not over doing the blood everywhere however I think we probably used a bit too much blood as it began to look too fake and gory and the audience may have been sceptical about the quality of the film, as this was just the opening.

Editing plays a huge part in thrillers. We spent vast amounts of time looking at the different fonts to use for the opening credits; we surveyed people on the title and fonts to use. As we believed that the fonts are widely noticed by the audience and can help attract the audience.  We also chose to have quite low key lighting as it creates a dark and gloomy effect and can set the scene.

I think we did well in targeting key areas that we wanted to exploit to help draw the audience in such as using the props with blood, and the costume of the main character. The bloody apron worn by the character would have also helped the audience build up the visual image. However I think we could have targeted other conventions that could have helped attract a wider audience such as maybe having another character in the opening scene or adding other props such as guns.