PLANNING: CHARACTERS, SOCIAL GROUPS & STEREOTYPES

I used Mark Dixon's Media Theory for A Level to research stereotypes and discovered that they are universally deployed by the media. 

Stuart Hall states the 4 reasons why stereotypes are helpful and used in the media:

• To help audiences understand the characters. Stereotypes act as a visual shortcut for the audience as they can instantly decode a character through the use of their body language, costume, etc. 
• To help audiences build character relatability. Audience empathy, sympathy, and antipathy are achieved quicker when stereotypes are used so it emotionally connects the audience faster. 
• To signpost audiences. Stereotypes help audiences gain a sense of the potential direction of the story. For example, the princess will find love, the hero will defeat evil, etc.
• To reinforce genre expectation. All genres contain stock characters and audiences may be attracted to a movie due to these characters.

Stuart Hall on Stereotyping:

Hall expresses how stereotypes can be very useful in the film industry as they increase the visibility of key groups. as stereotypes usually depict groups by referencing a few key negative features - behaviors, physical appearances, for example, having a blonde play a 'dumb' character would help get the character trait across to the audience as they would be familiar with this stereotype.  

Stereotyping can be very negative and dangerous, as it creates ‘groups’ who are identified through negative features and their ‘otherness’, together with the implication that the negative traits are ‘natural’ qualities. So for example, the stereotype that blondes are dumb. This leads to what Hall calls ‘power circularity’, that is, the groups with power get to create the stereotypes and exclude other groups from the elite list.

We researched and analysed the type of characters, settings, and wardrobes that were collectively and similarly used in the type of genre of thriller and horror movies. We also looked at our target audience to see our age group which deemed to be 14 - 25. We analysed the different social groups and stereotypes that we wanted to include in our product so that they were recognisable to audiences. 

I used Pinterest in order to create a mood board and find various pictures that represented these social groups that we came up with; stalkers, sporty teenage girls, darkrooms, and woods. Then I created various boards so the themes were clear and we could clearly create them in our film opening. 

RESEARCH: AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

 I have used Google Forms to created and distribute my audience questionnaire to send out to a wide range of age groups and genders who have different tastes in films, in order to further find a perfect target audience. It is easily accessible and has a simple and modern layout to allow the receiver to have a clear understanding of the questions and answer them clearly. The completed questionnaire allows me to collect a diverse set of data from the participants and therefore tells me about their film preferences. I can then use this information to find patterns between age groups and gender with favorable film genres. This will then allow me to market and distribute my film to my target audience in the way they are most likely to react to and make them want to watch my film. To do this, I asked them these questions:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5gw3XixXF8-2-Z-ehrFVnztca7H8vaLLH_EZ4zSk7wovibg/viewform 

What's your age?

- 20 and under

- 21 to 35

- 35 and over

What gender are you?

- Male

- Female

- Prefer not to say

- Other

What genre of film do you prefer? 

- Action

- Thriller

- Horror

- Romcom

Do you like mystery in a film?

- Yes

- No

- Maybe

Do you tend to watch the trailer before deciding whether to watch a film?

- Yes

- No

- Sometimes

What platforms do you use to find out about films? 

- Cinema

- Social Media

- Website

- Television

How do you prefer to watch films?

- Distributing service (Netflix, Amazon Prime, NowTV)

- Cinema 

- Both

Are you influenced by any of the following?

- Reviews

- Recommendations

- Social Media

- Interviews

- Trailers

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfK9Zh1Bx9bwSwLWuerRVu-ggCqJpicDGbKeVVgZKY51MiV7g/viewform?usp=sf_link 

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https://prezi.com/view/EBfUewVaVPfkvcpIduP3/ 

AUDIENCE THEORY

 

Audience theory from charlottecoppellotti

PLANNING: AUDIENCE PROFILE

 

PLANNING: MY TARGET AUDIENCE

When planning my project, and coming up with an opening sequence, it is important for me to understand what type of audience the sequence is aimed at, and how to market my project to them. Understanding my target audience allows me to create a product in which they will enjoy. I researched my target audience to understand what type of things they like and what kind of people they are, this included age, gender, ethnicity, and social class. This research will allow me to find an appropriate and effective way to reach my product to my target audience. I will show how I collected my research by answering questions.

1. Who is my primary target audience?

British females and males aged 15-34 who enjoy suspenseful, thriller movies.

2. What kind of films and television are they likely to prefer?

My target audience is likely to prefer films and television series that keep them on edge, with many suspenseful scenes and lots of plot twists that are revealed throughout the production. Some common themes from my research are obsessive stalking from the protagonist and dramatic irony, where the audience is exposed to more information than the antagonist. A television program that would fit this description is Nexflix's YOU, where a young male bookstore owner forms a crush on a young girl, however, the innocent crush becomes something even more sinister when she becomes his obsession, using social media and the internet, he uses every tool at his disposal to become close to her, even going so far as to remove any obstacle -including people - that stands in his way of getting to her.

3. What platforms do they choose to watch films and where are they likely to see information about films?

My target audience is most likely going to want to watch a movie in a niche market cinema such as Everyman or Oden, as they can experience the true quality a big screen and surround sound system. However, as my target audience is on the younger side, they will also enjoy experiencing movies online, using streaming websites like Netflix, Amazon or Sky and they may start to use other streaming services like Disney+.

4. What brands do they prefer?

5. What makes my film stand out from the competition?

To create a shock factor for the audience, as they may relate to the antagonist and create a sense of paranoia onto who may be watching them.  

6 . Why should my audience watch my film? 

My audience should watch my film as it focuses on a different type of storyline. The film focuses on a young schoolgirl who gets increasingly terrified by a stalker. My project will create eager and on edge emotions from the audience as they are grabbed into the suspense of the film.

Reaserch Title Sequences

 Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark (2019)

Title Animation Studio: IAMSTATIC

Creative Directors: Ron Gervais, Dave Greene

Production Company: IAMSTATIC

Executive Producer: Andria Minott

Art Direction / Animation: Steven Hollman, Ron Gervais, Dave Greene, Chris Crozier

Modeling: Chris Crozier, Dave Greene,

Compositors: Steven Hollman, Ron Gervais, Dave Greene

Cinematography: Roman Osin

Film Editing: Patrick Larsgaard

Casting: Rich Delia

Production Design: David Brisbin

Art Direction: Brandt Gordon

Set Decoration: Patricia Larman

Costume Design: Ruth Myers

Ratched (2020)

Production Company: Division

Directors: Heidi Berg & Felix Soletic

Director of Photography: Vladan Janković

Live Action Producers: Adam Baxter / Urška Vardijan

Production Designer: Miha Knific

—

Post Production

Design Studio: Elastic

Creative Directors: Heidi Berg & Felix Soletic

Editor: Doron Dor

Typographer: Benjamin Woodlock

Designers: James Levy, Carlo Sa, Pete Sickbert-Bennett

Animator: Sam Sparks, Trix Taylor, Laura Reedy

CG Lead: Caleb Ollivant

2D Compositor: Chris Russo, Krystal Chinn

Lighting: Scott Nishiki, Andy Wilkoff

Modeling: Michael Dupree, Jordan Gonzales

Storyboards: Arien Walizadeh, Lance Slaton

Editorial Support: Rachel Fowler

Online Editor: Andrew Young

Producers: Michael Ross, Paul Makowski

Associate Producer: Megan Rodriguez

Executive Producer: Luke Colson

Head of Production: Kate Berry

Managing Director: Jennifer Sofio Hall

Special Thanks: Milena Milicevic

Series Music by: Mac Quayle

RESEARCH: SCOOP IT!

 

In order to research and get ideas for my own project, I created my own SCOOP IT! account to collect various film trailers and openings that are based around the genre of horror/thriller. My group wanted to steer away from the supernatural aspects of some horror films and instead focus on the slow suspense that comes with these films. I researched films that were based around psychopaths and murders to help brainstorm ideas for my own project. 

Digital Storytelling

In class, we watch the FutureLearn video about Digital Storytelling. The video was by Frank Ash who is the creative consultant for the BBC. To create this research project, I used Comic Life.

From this FutureLearn video, I learnt that storylines from films are designed to specifically be directed to an audience's emotions. A story plot should be able to fit into one sentence; this is called a TOP LINE. Suspense and anticipation are used in order to grab the audience's attention and get them invested in the story plot. Films are made for a specific target audience. 

I will use this research to help me in my own project, I will focus on the audience's that enjoy the slow suspense that comes with Horror/Thriller films, this will be the target audience. 

TREATMENT:

In our own project, the story is set around the main character Sarah, a girl whose life is brutally interrupted by her stalker. Who makes themselves apparent in Sarah's life whilst continuously taking and producing pictures of her. Sarah is a prominent player in her Lacrosse team and is excelling at her new position in a photography company as an assistant. A mysterious figure continues to appear as Sarah and her share various encounters which develop into meetings and even one on one exchanges. The distinctive features on her hand, such as a ring and a birthmark are constantly shown without her face being revealed to identify the stalker. Slowly Sarah begins to realise an unsettling presence in her life and she becomes warier of her surroundings. Although she doesn’t pin-point a person, she sees a camera flash from outside her bedroom window. Sarah begins to discover various pictures of herself with constructive comments written at the bottom. Finally, towards the end, Sarah is using the developing room and a picture which she has previously received is lying in the tray as the door opens and footsteps are heard. 

TOP LINE: A mysterious figure is quietly stalking Sarah's everyday activities, the motive of jealously quickly turns to an unhealthy obsession.

BIG QUESTION: Will she ever discover her stalker's identity?

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Made with Visme Presentation Maker

RESEARCH: FILM DISTRIBUTION

On the Film Distributors’ association (FDA) website I watched a presentation on how distributors work to create a successful marketing campaign for each film, by Kezia Williams – head of theatrical distribution at Pathe. It was also explained by Chris Besseling, Director of Marketing at Pathe, that distributors market a film's USP (Unique Selling Point) such as its star cast, its provenance, its awards, and good reviews to bring positive attention to the film.

I decided to research the film THE TURNING, a 2020 American horror film directed by Floria Sigismondi and written by Carey W. Hayes and Chad Hayes. It is a modern adaptation of the 1898 ghost story The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.

The story follows Kate Mandell, who takes a job as a nanny for two young orphans at an isolated Gothic mansion in the Maine countryside. She soon learns that the children -- Miles and Flora -- are emotionally distant and unstable. When strange events start to plague Kate and the siblings, she begins to suspect that the estate's dark corridors are home to a malevolent entity.

I researched all the different aspects of a marketing campaign and ways of distributing this film. This consisted of film posters; the film website; film trailers; social media such as Facebook; Twitter and Instagram as well as news articles; interviews; award ceremonies and cross-promotion.  

Entertainment One UK has released the sinister new UK quad poster and spine-chilling trailer for DreamWorks Pictures’ upcoming supernatural horror, THE TURNING, out in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 24th January 2020. The film stars: Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard, Brooklynn Prince, and Joely Richardson.

Other alternative posters were created that were digitally and hand drawn. The first poster shows the characters involved standing by the window. Outside the window the weather is gloomy and dark, which craetes an eerie atmosphere for the film, the dark fade around the edge of the poster also adds to this. This catches the eye as the bold red curtains, clothes and title contrasts against the dark fade. This would collect a target audience because at first glance it is clear that this film's genre is horror/thriller, and so that target audience would be attracted to this. By closer look, you can see the eyes of the characters are completely white, and their facial expressions are very solom, which also adds the the sinister mood. 

The second poster shows an ariel shot of one of the main characters which the film follows. The character is shown to be upsidown and hanging over the mansion the film is based in. There is the same dark fade around the outside the edge of the poser and the little light shown onto the character and house is the signiture bold red colour. The two other main character's faces can be seen at the bottom of the poster, either side of the upsidedown woman. Their faces are ghost-like as their is no real defined details on their face, creating a supernatural atmosphere, perfect for the target audience. The facial expression of the characters are eerie and scared, with the character's eyes completely black, which is similar to the first poster.

As the posters have similar themes such as the colour red, the blocked eyes and the facial expressions, it makes it creates an image for the film, and when the target audience sees these posters they associate a theme for the film, which encourages them to go see the film and promoting it to other people. 

The Turning had its world premiere at Los Angeles Film Festival on January 23, 2020. 

The Turning was theatrically released on January 24, 2020, domestically and in select international territories. Universal Pictures had originally scheduled the film for February 22, 2019. In September 2018, the film was moved back, with DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World being slated in its place.

The trailer was released on the 9th of October 2019, by Universal Pictures. The trailer has 10,431,825 views. 

For even more promotion, the cast of the movie, featured on the BuzzFeed Celeb youtube channel.