A summary of the results of my documentary questionnaire

1. ANALYSIS OF
QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS
After sharing my questionnaire via social media, I received 45 responses
and was able to analyse the results from the survey in order to make a
better educated decision on how to go on to plan and make my
documentary.

2. Most of the respondents I got were aged
between 16 and 25, therefore I should
endeavour to make my documentary
suitable for a younger, age group.
However, as someone from that age group, I also
understand that I lot of people my age can still be very
mature and very willing to engage in very 'adult'
subjects/topics. 93% of respondents said they watched
documentaries fairly or not very regularly, which
surprised me as I thought they would be more popular.

3. I had assumed that most people would be inclined to watch a
documentary purely because it was of that genre, however
these survey responses taught me that my documentary would
have to have something more unique and enticing for the
audience. 97% of respondents said they would watch a
documentary because they were interested in the topic,
therefore I know I must make my piece about a subject that
would interest people, and also be about something that
possibly hasn't been covered in another documentary before,
thus making it more attractive and subsequently successful.

4. The majority of respondents said they would watch
documentaries on TV, therefore I should make my
documentary suitable for mainstream broadcasting. The four
most important features of documentaries were voted
entertaining, informing, educating and bringing attention to a
certain subject, so I must ensure that my documentary
combines these 4 attributes perfectly, so that my audience can
be completely satisfied
Almost 98% of respondents said they would watch a
documentary if it was on a controversial subject, therefore
broadening the subjects I could cover in my documentary.
Also a documentary on an arguably controversial subject
could attract more attention and increase popularity.

5. When looking at the most important features of documentaries
all of the answers scored pretty closely, therefore I know I must
make sure all of the following are included in my documentary:
Interviews, real life footage, reconstructive footage, voice over,
music, continuity, portraying a clear message and images/stills.
Over half of the respondents preferred interviews with those
personally effected by the issues in the documentary, and over
a quarter wanted to see interviews with experts, therefore I
must endeavour to include these in my documentary.

6. IDENTIFYING AND TARGETING MY INTENDED DEMOGRAPHIC
I conducted my survey in order to identify a potential audience
and as they majority of my respondents were aged between 16
and 25 and therefore I thought that would be a suitable target
audience. The topic I have chosen to centre my documentary
around, mental health, is something which heavily affects this
age group and therefore my documentary would likely interest
them. The younger demographic can be easily targeted through
social media and the internet as they are notoriously always
browsing and keeping up to date with social networking sites