Target Audience

Target Audience

I wrote a questionnaire, and gave it to 34 people. I calculated my results and put them into a bar chart. (I wrote 9 questions, the questions are written below).

1) Are you male or female?
Response: 17 people who took part in the questionnaire were Male and the other 17 were Female.

2) How old are you?
Response: 8 people from the age of 12-15 and 16-19, took part in the questionnaire, and 6 people from the age of 20-23, 24-27, 27+ took part as well.

3) What types of film do you commonly watch?
Response : From the age group of 12-15, all 8 people, commonly watched thriller films, from the age group 16-19, only 6 people out of 8 watched thriller films. The other 2 people often watch horror. From the age group of 20-23, 4 people out of 6 people often watched romance, the other two people often watched comedy. From the age group 24-27, 3 people out of 6 watched action films, the other 3 watched comedy. From the age group of 28+ 3 people out of 6, watched action the other 3 watched comedy. No one watched Sci-Fi films.

Most people from the age of 12-15 and 16-19, often watched thriller films. This shows that thriller films are popular amongst teenagers. It was mostly popular in the category of aged 12-15, everyone watched thriller films.

4) What is your favourite genre film?
Response: From the age group of 12-15, 6 out of 8 people favourite genre was thriller, the other two people liked horror. From the age group of 16-19, 6 out of 8 people favourite genre was thriller the other tow liked comedy. From the age group of 20-23, 4 people liked action, the other two liked horror. 5 people out of 6, aged from 24-27 liked Romance, One of them liked Comedy. 4 people out of 6, aged from 28+ liked action films, the other two like romance. No one liked Sci-Fi films.

I noticed the older you were the less you liked thriller films. Again thriller films are more liked by 12-15 than 16-19.

5) Do you like thriller genre films?
Response: All 8 people from the age of 12-15 and 16-19 liked thriller films. All 6 people, from the age group of 20-23 liked thriller films. Only 4 people out of 6, aged 24-27 liked thriller films, the other two people did not like thriller films. All 6 people from 28 and above did not like thriller films.

Most ages liked thriller films, apart from two people aged between 24-27, no one aged 28+ liked thriller films. I may consider aiming my film to people aged 15, as the thriller genre is very popular amongst them, and they often watch it as well.

6) What type of thriller sub-genre do you prefer?
Response: Aged 12-15, 1/8 people liked psychological thriller, 7/8 liked crime thriller.
Aged 16-19, 6/8 people liked people liked crime thriller, 2/8 liked religious thriller.
Aged 20-23, 4/6 people liked religious thriller, 2/6 liked medical thriller.
Aged 24-27, 3/6 people liked action thriller, the other 3/6 people liked techno thriller.
Aged 28+, 5/6 people liked crime thriller, 1/6 liked action thriller.

Most people from ages 12-15 and 16-19, liked crime thriller, fortunately most of my initial ideas were a part of that sub-genre.

7) What typical conventions do you expect from a thriller film?
Response:Aged 12-15, 4/8 people expected fast pace action, the other 4/8 expected car chases.
Aged 16-19, 6/8 people expected car chases, 2/8 expected fast pace action.
Aged 20-23, 4/6 people expected SFX, 2/6 expected dramatic irony.
Aged 24-27, 3/6 people expected SFX, other 3/6 people expected an obvious antagonist.
Aged 28+, 2/6 expected an obvious antagonist, 4/6 expected dramatic irony.

I learnt teenagers, , expected fast pace action and car chases, I would want my thriller film to be fast pace and involve cars, so I can appeal to this audience.

8) What would engage you in a thriller?
Response:Aged 12-15, 6/8 said the storyline would engage them, 2/8 were engaged by music.
Aged 16-19, 6/8 said the storyline would engage them, 2/8 were engaged by music.
Aged 20-23, 4/6 said the actors/acting would engage them in a thriller, 2/6 were engaged by mystery.
Aged 24-27, 3/6 people were engaged by enigmas, the other 3/6 people were engaged by the mystery.
Aged 28+, 2/6 people were engaged by the actors/acting, 4/6 people were engaged by the enigmas.

Most teenagers, (12-15, 16-19), were engaged by the storyline and music, I think my storyline is different and unique. Everyone expects that Sara is a normal girl, but they are in for a surprise. This will add suspense to the film and will attract them to my thriller film. I would make sure the music is flows with the scenes.

9) What would appeal to you in a thriller?
Response: Aged 12-15, 4/8 were appealed by the storyline, the other 4/8 people were appealed by the suspense the thriller created.
16-19, 4/8 were appealed by the storyline, the other 4/8 people were appealed by the suspense the thriller created.
20-23, 4/6 people were appealed by the cliff hangers, 2/6 were appealed by the crime.
24-27, 3/6 people were appealed by the non-diegetic and diegetic sounds, the other 3/6 were appealed by the crime.
28+, 4/6 people were appealed by the cliff hangers, 2/6 were appealed by the sounds.

Again most teenagers (12-15, 16-19), thought the storyline would appeal to them and the suspense created. I would make sure suspense is created through the mis-en-scene. I would make sure you can not see the full face of the gangster, this will add suspense by making the audience question his identity, who is he? This will be mysterious, also I will edit some scenes in black and white, this will create a dark atmosphere in the film.


The British Board of Film association rate British films. My film is aimed at an audience who like thriller movies. It would target people from 15 to 18, but I would precisely aim it at the certificate audience of 15. I would limit the sexual scenes and inappropriate language. There still would be a lot of violence. I have decided to aim my film at this audience, from the results of the questionnaire the thriller genre is mostly popular around them. If my film is shown on television, I will make sure it is on after the watershed (9:00pm), as I do not want young children to be affected by the violence scenes.

This focus group helped my group understand what an audience wants from a thriller. Their opinions on why not, or why they like thriller films. The males enjoyed a thriller with explosions, fast pace music and car chases. The girls rarely watch thriller films. They were more interested in social realism. There were no microphones available, as students were using them, therefore there is a buzzing sound in the background, but you can clearly hear their responses to the questions.

From this focus group I learnt that thriller films are more popular to males than females. The SFX attracts males to the genre. They especially like conspiracy films - The Manchurian candidate. The girls also like conspiracy films, Aicha really likes Alfred Hitchcock films. I also learnt that some people may find the thriller genre confusing, Jaye was not sure if the last film she watched was a thriller. This has showed me that I need to include most thriller conventions, so it is obvious to the audience that my film is a thriller film.