Audience theory

Without an audience there isn’t much point in producing a text, so we can start this thorny topic by saying that the audience is crucial. If the text appeals to the audience then it is a successful text. If the audience doesn’t respond, then the text has failed. Nobody makes any money and actors and media people are all thrown out into the snow to starve with their entire families, dogs, cats and Filofaxes. Audience has a massive impact on everything nowadays, for everything i.e sports matches, tv, and general life. Audience is needed and pays a vital role in the process and progress of the aspects i've just listed.

Audience reception theory has come to be widely used as a way of characterizing the wave of audience research which occurred within communications and cultural studies. This falls into categories which Stuart Hall Encoding theory created and they are:

-        Opposite reading – People oppose to the general idea.

-        Negotiated reading – Understand the thing however may find it offensive or informal.

-        Aberrant – Just don’t understand the context.

This links to Panic which is caused by mass media (the radio for instance)

All media texts are constructs, meaning that they are third person and not 100% true or reliable. This is why there is always drama and commotion caused by media texts, they are good to read however not always 100%.

There is also the hypodermic needle syringe theory a contains passive media and also the syringe theory is named that also because it’s like the message is like a drug.

T-Mobile advert shows some hints of active audience and viral advertising. The advert itself is effective in a way that it brings thoughts and meanings as it’s a good example of audience reception. It has a powerful meaning and has been conveyed in a good manor.

For my media film I have chosen to do a film noire Detective film filled with action and thrill. A film very similar to mine is the film The Maltese Falcon, which is Detective based with the typical Femme Fetale seeing the Detective about her problem. So to explore this further; below is an image showing a YOUGOV profiler of The Maltese Falcons;so on this it shows the kind of age group which The Maltese Falcon is mostly watched by, which is 60+ and since it's an old film this fact is backed up, also it shows the social grade of the people who watch it, quite a high grade. Then it also shows the top regions of who watches it, and in this case is Central Scotland, South Coast and North East. There is further detail about the profiles of people who watch it the most, such as lifestyle, personality, brands, entertainment, online and media. These will narrow it down even more to who watches and the kind of person they are. However this profiler is not all accurate, because my film is very similar to the Maltese Falcon however my age group is lower, it is 25-40 so it is targeted for young adults to middle aged people. Also the social grade will be lower than ABC1.

Uses and gratification theory

Firstly, 

The uses and gratification theory of the horror genre and a horror film comes under categories. And these theories come under:

-        Exploring (scenarios)

-        Thrills of the film.

-        Socialisation with friends, getting together and watching the film at a friend’s house

-        The idea of being scared and how it gives of a thrill.

-        Adrenaline rush

-        Fear of the other – Different to others, can be represented upon : 1. Age

   2. Class and Status

   3. Gender

   4. Sexuality etc.

Most of the theories on media explained about the effects media had on people. It is the theory which explains of how people use media for their need and gratification. In other words we can say this theory states what people do with media rather than what media does to people. Also this theory is contradictory to the magic bullet theory which states the audience is passive. According to uses and gratification theory, it is not so people make use of the media for their specific needs. This theory can be said to have a user/audience-centered approach .Even for communication (say inter-personal) people refer to the media for the topic they discuss with themselves. They gain more knowledge and that is knowledge is got by using media for reference. There are several needs and gratification for people they are categorized into different categories.

• Cognitive needs
• Affective needs
• Personal Integrative needs
• Social Integrative needs
• Tension free needs

Cognitive needs:
People use media for acquiring knowledge, information etc., Among the audience some of them have intellectual needs to acquire knowledge this is not common to all only certain people have their need, each person have a different need for e.g. quiz programs on TV, in order to acquire knowledge and information you will watch news to satisfy the need, search engines in the internet, they make use of these to gain more knowledge. Particularly for the internet search engine they can browse for any topic under the run with no time restriction.

Affective needs:
It includes all kinds of emotions, pleasure and other moods of the people. People use media like television to satisfy their emotional needs
The best example is people watch serials and if there is any emotional or sad scene means people used to cry.

Personal Integrative needs:
This is the self-esteem need. People use media to reassure their status, gain credibility and stabilize. so people watch TV and assure themselves that they have a status in society for e.g. people get to improve their status by watching media advertisements like jewelry ad , furniture’s ad and buy products, so the people change their life style and media helps them to do so.

Social Integrative needs:
It encompasses the need to socialize with family, friends and relations in the society. For social interaction now a days people do not seems to have social gathering in weekend, instead they do such social interaction using media like the social networking sites like my space, facebook, orkut etc to satisfy their need.
Another example is you may not watch the particular serial regularly but because your friend watching, you also start watching so that you have common topics for discussion.

Tension free needs:
People sometimes use the media as a means of escapism and to relieve from tension
For e.g. People tend to relax watching TV, listening to radio and for satisfying their need for entertainment there by relaxing from all the tension, people watch films, films on TV etc
Note: The needs are individual in nature, and how u satisfies the need is individualistic.
E.g.: That’s why some watch news to relax and some get more tension by watching news, Program is same but people use it for different needs.
Taking TV today, most people watch reality shows because

• It is more realistic
• For entertainment
• Interesting
• New concepts (different from other programs)
• In a way you can participate
• Controversy, people crying
• Sensationalism

The above reason is why we watch and how we use not because it’s popular.

Criticism of Uses and gratification theory :

• The uses and gratification theory does not consider the power of media

• More audience-centered

• Positive point of the uses and gratification theory is it focuses attention on individuals in the mass communication process.

In my opinion my film will under the tension free needs category because it has a target age group of 25-40 and I feel as if people who are in that age category are the ones who tend to relax watching TV (especially on weekends) they listen to the radio a lot (going to and from work) and use their spare time to relax as much as they can. They will find the film entertaining, interesting sensational and controversial.

Location Recces

For the first scene of my film i had an idea of creating my own office at home however i tried filming with that idea and it wasn't too healthy, so then i came up with a conclusion of filming my film at a teacher's office at College, i felt this was the best step forward because it proved to be beneficial; this is because my film is a film noire so this meant that i could catch some shade onto my film to make it seem more realistic and on top of my black and white effect it already has. This improved my film in my opinion because it understands the codes and conventions of film noire as to my original idea.

For 2/4 scene of my film i had the same general idea as the first part of my film which was to film in a teachers office, being because it helps me understands the codes and conventions (shadows and realism of the office) as compared to filming in my own home. Also there were more props which were available at my currant location and I had lot more room, meaning that I could move everything around to fit the scene.

For the 3/4 part of the film i decided to use the location of the Teachers office because firstly, it is showing I understand continuity from one scene to another because three quarters of my film is all filmed in the same room so it conveys continuity, as well as codes and conventions of a film noire due to shadows and other little components. I felt this best suited this scene and it all slots in well with my film.

Lastly, the last part of my film was filmed in at Town at the Churches and this scene implies the danger the Detective is facing just from visiting the location which the letter tells me to, i felt this was suitable into my context because i was trying to imply danger in my last scene as much as possible, and i feel as if i succeeded looking back on the film. Also there is significant implifications of the codes and conventions of a film noire shown in the last scene with my continuity as well as the shadow effect from trees and buildings.

Role Allocation, Production Schedule and Casting

Role Allocation:

Director: Fortune Sibanda

Producer: Fortune Sibanda

Music/sound producer: Fortune Sibanda

Script writer: Fortune Sibanda

Editor: Fortune Sibanda

Cameraman: Calan Boucke.

Actor(s): Fortune Sibanda, Calan Boucke and Harriet Watson

I will have most of the jobs for my film, I have Calan Boucke occasionally helping me with the film but I am doing most of the work including editing and the producing of my film. This is because I’m working on my own for the project. I have included my progress on another Blog.

Casting: There will be 3 characters in the film, which will be myself, Calan Boucke and Harriet Watson; Harriet will have be an actress acting as Jannette, which is the Femme Fetale for the film, she will have an important job in the film as she has certain codes and conventions to follow. Jannette will wear a fury brown coat alongside a handbag and the coat implies her well-being and power. Calan won't be seen in the film (apart from his shadow) in the film as he is the killer in the last scene of the film. His job will be vital in the film because he has a certain way in which he has to conduct himself to show the realism of the film. Calan will wear a suit and his suit will be coated by a long coat which he will wear however will not be seen. Lastly I will play a vital role in the film because I'm the Detective, so I certainly have codes and conventions to follow to fulfill the best I can in the film, I will have to act powerful, and strong throughout as well as showing emotions towards the Femme Fetale. I will be wearing a suit, with shoes, a tie and a hat.

Below I will list all the times and dates in which I will do my filming and editing. This job should take no longer than a month (if needed).

The schedule is as followed:

-       Monday 6^th October: Film ¼ of the film, the first 35 seconds of the film and edit it. Location: Landau office.

-       Thursday 9^th October: Film the 2/4 of the film which will take me up to 1:10secs and edit up to my progress. Location: Landau Office.

-       Friday 17^th October: Film ¾ of the film which will take me up to roughly around 1:40 seconds of my film and edit up to my progress. Location: Town hall/graveyards.

-       Monday 3^rd November: Film the last part of my film and jump straight onto the editing. Location: Town Church.

-       Thursday 6^th November: Carry on with the editing of my film.

-       Friday 7^th November: Finish of my editing on this date including adding all the effects and sound effects.

1/4 of the filming will include my opening credits and company logo, followed by the detective in his office and in this scene will also include a phone call from Jannette the lady who he helps out.

2/4 of the film will include the scene where Jannette (client) comes into my office and I speak to her about her problem and the situation which has gone on. This part will show the half mark of my opening sequence.

3/4 of the film will be the scene where Jannette shows me the letter which she recieved through the post which tells her to go to a certain location at a certain time. This is shortly followed by the scene where I am in the town hall waiting at the location which the letter told me to go to.

4/4 This is the final scene, without giving away too much detail, i can confirm that this scene is explosive and takes a massive turn around in the video and conveys a plot-twist. This is the final piece to the opening scene.