Audience essay - improved

It is essential to consider audience when creating media products. My production group created a drama film opening called 'Impact' centred around a teenage girl struggling with her mental health. Our target audience was mainly female teenagers between the ages 13-18, however we were aware it could be aimed at males as well.
Due to the age of our audience, we have a fairly passive audience. Passive audiences can be viewed in the sense that they believe everything they see and accept it, rather than questioning it. So, viewers watching my film opening believe our messages about depression as it is all that is given to them. However, we wanted to empower our audience so we gave them opportunities to become an active audience.

I wanted to communicate the difficulties of mental health and how teenagers should be kind to one another as no one knows what each other is going through. We would hope this has an instant affect on our target audience as stated by the hypodermic and effects model. The effects model displays this view in the example of the Bobo doll experiment by Bandura. In relation to my film opening 'Impact' there is a section in which text messages are used to bully the main character Sophia such as 'No one likes you'. This sends a message to the teenagers watching that bullying is a immoral thing to do and causes harm to the victims. As in a different setting teens may not see the effect of their actions on others.
Another theory called cultivation theory is similar to the hypodermic/effects model but argues that over time the audience is gradually controlled to accept what they see as either good or bad. An example of this would be that we tried to convey the message that teenage life is tough and they should be supporting each other. So my film opening gives the audience greater insight into the lives of their peers, and an opportunity to identify with the characters feelings gradually as they watch the film or as they think about and discuss it with others.

From my film opening 'Impact' my target audience will get a greater insight into teenage struggles, they can choose to openly find out more things that the film opening doesn't teach them (what they don't passively know). They can use my film opening to learn more about depression and be more sympathetic to those suffering from the condition. In relation to the uses and gratifications theory which states 'we openly find things out ourselves, we don't know passively know', viewers can personally identify with the characters. For example teenage girls might watch 'Impact' and identify with Sophia, thinking it's okay to feel sad because Sophia does. Another factor of the theory is that viewers watch films to get information, for educational purposes, so from my film opening they would be educated about mental health. Active audiences watch films for entertainment to try and relate. Another element of the uses and gratification model is social interaction, audiences watch films to be able to discuss it with their peers or friends. For example my film opening gives the target audience of teenagers an opportunity to discuss their issues with their family/ friends as they have someone to relate to. They also have a safe space to feel sad and emotional about their problems. Teenagers would therefore buy my film opening to be able discuss it with each other. Another way in which i have enabled people to be apart of my film is by using typical conventions of a drama film i.e. wearing casual clothes - that can be easily related to by my target audience.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs can be applied to my film opening as it provides belonging to the audience of teenagers and provide their parents with mechanisms through which they can gain insight into the feelings and lives of their children. Also to provide teenagers with greater opportunities for support as their parents will understand them further. Due to the topic of depression being relatable for many people, and it helping people to talk about the topic and learn more. My film opening will help parents to be more helpful and supportive towards their children.

I think my production was successful in attracting our audience of teenagers, mainly females as the film opening is relatable to the lives of teenagers. Due to the typical school setting and the situations that may occur at school. My production group created a film poster and many other media texts to attract our audience.


I still don't think i have enough examples - but am struggling to think of any more!! Also i can't find anything on Schadenfreude ??