Research on Media Institutions and Target Audience

Research into Media Institutions

Film is a tough market for 'the beginners' who are newly introduced to the film business. These 'beginners' are closer to becoming Independent film companies who are capable of distributing and producing their own films cheaply. It is about knowing who you want to please and bringing in an original idea to the table. To never look back at how films are at risk of limited release, but how it's going to acheive at reaching the audience. Most of the time, subsidiary film studios will churn out the same concept and narrative to very ill-minded Parent Companies whose only belief is that they know that any film idea they receive will be an overnight success.

Independent films are recognisable to major film studios if their film consists of acheiveable content and style that the film communicates. However, failure is a consequence these film makers are willing to accept, many independent films end up being released at local film festivals before distribution and have no release anywhere else like cinemas or DVD/Blu-ray. The content Digital cameras are very cheap and compact to use, and at the same time, these cameras produce video in high-definition for a more clear and accurate look to the film. Fortunately, many independent film productions can rival a major films studios film if it has similiar funding and distribution techniques.

Founded in 1934, Hammer Films is a perfect example of a successful British Indepedent production company responsible for prevailing in creating similar products to what I've made. During the 1950s and 70s was when they were at their peak. They've specialised in the horror genre producing some of the best thriller/horror films that dominated the market for many years. One of their best work was Dracula, a 1968 film that became a huge box office success. It was so prosperous that there was a demand for a second film, The Revenge of Frankenstein. Although, the U.S subsidiary film studio Warner Brothers was mostly responsible for bringing them a helping hand in distribution and production that eventually they gathered financial success.

The Walt Disney Company

Nevertheless, the entire film industry is completely dominated by the Hollywood studios with the money to generate all the success from a little help of the conglomerate (parent company). For instance, the biggest and most successful parent company of all is Disney who owns these subsidiary companies. When the conglomerate’s film company releases a new film, the conglomerate will put forward their marketing campaign and take action to set their goals for promoting the film using these subsidiary small companies who specialise in creating many media texts i.e. book publishing, magazines, radio broadcasts or television programs.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Touchstone is one of many American Major Film studios onwed by the ever-growing conglomerate, The Walt Disney Company. Established in 1984, Touchstone, they are known to release Thriller and action films or maybe both. Because they are owned by a conglomerate, their films are an instant hit at the Box-Office. They are famous for producing Thriller films such as; Enemy Of The State and Con Air. as Touchstone Films,

The most efficient and less time consuming way of promoting the film without any synergy assistance is to use viral marketing. The Internet is probably the greatest source of information, but also a useful marketing tool for creating trends on twitter to create word-of-mouth. Beside the fact that the Internet has enabled film companies to make the world aware of their work, the Internet plays host to torrent websites streaming movies on the web illegally. The popular demand for watching movies for free on the Internet has led cinemas to lose business with cinemagoers. The closest link to why this tormenting of movies is occurring is due to the fact that people don’t have the time to schedule a good period for the cinema, they’ll be able to find the time to watch movies in their free time in the quickest manner.

Different products perfected by companies have a small piece of the target audience, interlinking with other companies who create products aimed at the same audience. This is constantly experienced by the Parent Company hierarchy. The film companies who create cross-media convergence within the company chain will try to sell their film to the next level.  These companies that converge establish plans to find products that the film’s target audience will be attracted to. For example, Christopher Nolan’s Batman series targets an audience of comic-book lovers. Aware of their fandoms, Warner Brothers converged with media companies to use their media outlets to contribute to the film’s overall success. In this case, the fans of the cape-crusader will probably adore the game published by EA, a Warner Brothers branch.

Target Audience Research

Secondary Research

The World Wide Web

Film companies will try to convince a niche audience to come and watch their film that they would love to watch. The company’s prime aim is to edit the suitable parts from the film that the target audience will look forward to most into a trailer. These trailers will be shown to everyone, thus, the trailer catches the eye of a demographic of people who are interested.

Companies will ensure that the trailer will be shown on T.V, as goes to the social central of the world, the Internet. The Internet will attract a larger audience from their initial targeted audience from the T.V. The key features in the trailer will include a complex and artistic title, a series of clips used frequently to show some of the character’s dialogue; it could be humorous (comedy) or frightened (thriller). The most epic and stimulating films will often use tense music that grows till the end of the trailer. This feeling of tension creates fulfillment for the audience and to find out what will happen in the movie.  From these typical codes in film trailers, audiences can instantly categorise the genre of the film when they consume the media text.

Primary Research

This is a questionnaire for the target audience to fill out.

   
 1)   What other genre would you like in a hybrid film that already contains a thriller element?

2)   Name two films you have seen recently?

3)   Did you like/dislike these two films you watched recently?

4)   What features do you expect in a thriller film?

5)   What Genre do you prefer? And Why?

6)   What makes a perfect film opening? And Why?

7)   What format do you watch most of your films on (i.e. Mobile Phones, Laptops etc)?

8)   Do you like films with Enigma Codes (A thrilling twist that leaves the audience questioning)?

9)   What threat do you prefer to watch in a thriller film (i.e. Aliens, Ghosts or supernatural occurrences)?
10) What is your favourite film of all time?