The document discusses audience feedback received during the development of a media production project. It summarizes that feedback was received through social media, peers, and teacher reviews, which helped improve elements like the logical ordering of blog posts and selection of appropriate sounds. While some feedback, like for posters, did not work out, most suggestions were implemented, such as a glowing bracelet idea. The document reflects on how gaining a wider variety of ongoing audience perspectives and more specific feedback questions could further enhance future projects.
2. MyTarget Audience
First of all my target audience will be of the 15+ age range as I have previously identified this as
an appropriate age and rating for my film trailer based on existing examples and classification
definitions. It is also appropriate due to the hypodermic needle theory. This theory suggests that
when we view media products ideas and beliefs are inject into our minds. This has caused
various problems before in society e.g. The James Bulger case where young people have viewed
media texts and have had negative ideologies placed in their mind. It will also be mainly aimed
at the female population due to a wider variety of female audiences that watch horror films as
opposed to males.
According to the uses and gratifications theory there are many reasons why my target audience
will use my product. First of all they could be using it for escapism in order to escape everyday
norm, to build a personal relationship with the characters, to create their own personal identity
based upon the characters or for surveillance. For the product I have produced I think that my
target audience will use my trailer mainly for escapism or for surveillance. This is because they
could just be watching it to get of doing work as they may be on the computer and go to
YouTube and decide to watch my trailer as a distraction. They may also use it for surveillance to
find out when the film will be released, who the actors are in it etc.
3. When watching my trailer my audience will have many expectations which are important for me to
fulfill in order to make my product successful with my target audience. First of all as it is a horror trailer
there will be various conventional elements which they will expect to see throughout my trailer. For
example they will expect to see blood and various weapons e.g. knives in order to meet the conventions
of the genre. I have met this expectation as in my trailer there is blood on the main characters face, in
the bath and the main character also has a large kitchen knife prop. They will also expect music which is
eerie and builds up the tension in the trailer to make them more excited to see the film. This again
conforms to conventions of the horror genre as well as meeting audience expectations.
By meeting my audience expectations and being conventional there is a greater chance of my product
being successful. If my target audience’s expectations are met then this will fulfill my audience’s
pleasures as they will get pleasure from predicting the elements of the trailer. They will also gain some
pleasure from the conventions which I have followed e.g. the tense music and jumps. This is because it
should hopefully make them scared and keep them in suspense throughout the trailer and also make
them more willing to go and see the full film, even though a full film has no been made in this instance.
If I didn’t stick to conventions or fulfil audience expectations this could have the opposite effect. This is
because if I don’t conform to audience expectations then this will mean that I am unable to provide
audience pleasures and they may feel let down by the trailer and my company for not fulfilling their
needs. If I don’t conform to conventions this could also mean that I am unable to specify the genre
correctly and the audience may not understand some of the trailer. Therefore it is important that I
didn’t include too many unconventional elements, too many over the top effects etc. so it would still
appeal to my target audience.
Audience Expectations
4. The Feedback
Throughout the planning and production process of my work I managed to gain various
pieces of audience feedback. First of all when I was creating drafts for things like my
posters I got audience feedback through the social media site Facebook. I decided to
use this forum as it has my target audience on it and also allowed to reach my audience
quickly and easily. I managed to get valuable feedback which I could use. However when
actually creating my poster the ideas I had didn’t work and had to be adjusted slightly so
the poster didn’t meet the audience feedback. I also got feedback when creating drafts
for my magazines. I did this via blogger and asked my peers in my media studies class
what they thought would be the best title and font. I gained valuable feedback from this
and was able to follow it and have an appropriate magazine title. Throughout the
creation of my advanced portfolio I have also received various progress reviews from
Miss as well as in class feedback.
5. Response to Feedback
From the my audience feedback I gained many valuable responses which meant that I was able
to improve and develop my work throughout the process of my advanced portfolio. For example
from my progress reviews there were various pieces of feedback provided which enabled me to
improve all areas of my advanced portfolio. For example putting posts in a logical order. This
feedback meant that I was then able to go back through my blog and put my work into a logical
order to demonstrate my journey through this process and made it easier when trying to find
work. I also have verbal feedback on my production work which helped me greatly. For example
when trying to find a sound miss and several members of the class gave their opinions on which
sounds went better with my work. This meant my work was developing with each persons
feedback and I was able to find an effective, appropriate sound. I also gained feedback through
Facebook however although this gave me good responses to develop my work the original ideas
didn’t work that well. Feedback I received also helped me to develop my skills for example the
glowing bracelet. The idea came up in verbal feedback and meant I was able to include this
improvement which also helped me further develop my technical skills. I made these changes in
order to make a product that would be successful with my target market in the end so by
adapting my work to these suggestions I gives my product more of a chance with my target
market. I also believe these changes have been successful due to further feedback on the
finished product via Facebook and class discussions. This is because people did find it creepy so I
have achieved this aim for my product as well as people stating they would like to see the film
after watching my trailer.
6. What I would do differently
Based on the audience feedback I have received and developed my products on there
are still various things which I will do differently if I was to do this project again. For
example I would try to get a wider variety of audience feedback throughout the whole
process so that I am constantly monitoring my product against the target market and
will be able to see the future success it could have. I would also act more on audience
feedback for example with the posters, they are nothing like the drafts I posted as the
idea didn’t work afterwards and I was able to adapt it to look better than the drafts e.g.
the background. I would also make sure I ask for very specific feedback e.g. ‘please say
what's good, what could be improved and any other feedback you think may be useful’
instead of the simple ‘please feel free to give any useful feedback’ to get a better
response in order to help develop my work more. Overall although I gained many
valuable pieces of feedback and have adapted and developed my product to this
feedback in order to attract and address my target audience I could have achieved more
valuable feedback with these changes.
