1. Audiences & Products
Natalie Lynch

2. Task 1

3. Passive Consumption
Passive consumption is where the audience members just accept the media product / message and
doesn’t question it. They don’t interact with it by doing things such as creating content and they
aren’t able to influence production. When media outlets are making a film, they want the story to
be believable in which will create the audience to get into a state where they just accept the whole
concept and storyline and don’t think anything of it. This can be an advantage for some media
outlets because many of the less or unofficial media outlets exaggerate and use false information
within real news stories in order to keep the readers engaged and more interested in the story. Due
to passive consumption, this information is taken straight in by the reader / viewer
and not thought about actively when read, therefore is believed straight away.

4. Hypodermic Needle Model
Definition This model suggests that media messages and mass media have a powerful and immediate effect upon the
audience and the messages are directly received and accepted. The Hypodermic Needle Model implies a passive audience,
one that doesn’t allow for application of thinking to the messages that is received. Different theories that are more complex
have been developed. These take into account the audiences ability to make judgements based on their own experiences and
opinions, therefore meaning this model has been largely disproved of. Some ideas which are similar are still present in media
effects theories, particularly studying children and their own ability to interpret and interact with certain media messages.
Strengths
- The mass media can directly impact a larger group in a positive way in which they could carry out positive actions in order
to benefit them and other people.
- This model can also be beneficial as people will gain exposure to educational content which can be very important.
Weaknesses
- This theory can have an effect on larger audiences as it has the potential to impose a false perception upon a big audience.
- Weaknesses can include people gaining acknowledgement of hate journalism against certain groups and will instantly
believe it.
Example An example for this model can be seen nearly every day on social media sites, particularly Facebook. This is where
fake news pages will share and create news articles that aren’t necessarily true and people who see them will automatically
believe it straight away, although it’s not from a recognised and legitimate news source. From this, people will share the
article, therefore leading others to believe in it as well, without reading any further into it and the source it has come from.
People may also pass on the particular story through word of mouth too.

5. Active Consumption
Active audiences apply their own thoughts, ideas and experiences in reaction to different media
messages. It is where they interact with the media product, creating content and influencing the
production of that specific franchise.
An example of active consumption is the Second Screen Theory. This is where viewers will be
watching a particular programme on one screen and will also be following it on a second screen –
such as a mobile phone or computer. Audience members will usually do this in order to enhance
their viewing, including viewing statistics, looking at content that runs alongside each programme /
episode or just talking about it with their friends.
Audience Participation is another example of active consumption as audiences nowadays have a
large access to apps which allows them to interact with different media platforms – usually TV
programmes and shows. This lets the viewers either play alongside the contestants if it’s a game
show (eg. The Chase), or cast a vote if the programme is a reality TV or talent show (eg. Britain’s Got
Talent or Love Island).

6. Uses and Gratifications Theory
Definition This theory tries to explain why people consume different types of media and what they get from it. This is done
by looking into how an audience will spend time and energy finding media which will meet their needs. It assumes that the
audience takes an active role when interpreting media and then integrating it into their own lives. There have been different
categories developed from theorists (Harold Lasswell, Bulmer & Katz and Denis McQuail) and that try to explain why people
use media.
Strengths
- Theorists take into consideration that media use and it’s meanings are complicated.
- It indicates what individuals can do with a mass media product and how it can reflect upon them.
- It allows make their own meanings from the content from the media without being forced to think in a certain way.
Weaknesses
- It is purely based on an individual’s personal media use and not why certain groups may use specific media outlet.
- Sometimes, despite the wide range of choices available to users, they still have no control over the media and what it
produces.
Example Denis McQuail (1987) came up with the theory that people use media for four different reasons - information,
personal identity, integration & social interaction and entertainment. For example, information means that people will use
media to seek advice on practical matters or they may just have a general curiosity or interest in the subject matter. They may
also use it to find reinforcement for personal values in their self identity and appearance as well as being able to identify with
others that are valued in the media. Other purposes of using media is that the audience member will be able to gain insight
into the circumstances of others and may potentially find a basis for conversation and social interaction. Media may be used
in order to relax and escape from problems.

7. Reception Theory
Reception Theory looks at how audiences receive and interpret the media they consume. It is made
up of two parts – encoding and decoding.
Encoding is where the producer of a media product fills the product with a message they they wish
to get out to the consumers of that particular product. This is done through props, locations,
costumes, camera angles, editing and sound etc. Newspapers are a good example of this as they use
headlines and image captions worded specifically to create emotion for the reader and encode their
ideas within this in the paper.
Decoding is where the consumer of the media decodes the message from the producer themselves.
It allows lots of room for interpretation as the whole process relies on the consumers previous
experience and is influenced heavily by this. Songs and their lyrics are a good example of this. The
music and lyrics are created by a writer in order to try and convey a meaning to the audience. When
listening to the song the person is then able to interpret it however they want and gain a meaning
from it.

8. Reception Theory
A potential encoded message
An encoded message for this could be that Harry Potter
is in a battle and is a heroic character that is coming out
as the winner. This is indicated by the characters stance
and how it is emphasised by the slightly low camera
angle looking up at him. Harry’s clothes are casual and
replicate clothes that would be worn as part of his every
day life, it doesn’t have much relevance.
A potential decoded message
An decoded message for this could be that Harry is a
violent character, indicated by the expression on his face
as well as the blood that has been placed on the poster
around him, however regular audiences of this film know
that this is not the case and he isn’t a violent character
normally. Also, Harry’s clothes being casual and
something that would be worn every day indicate that
the battle he is fighting has been continuous throughout
his every day life.

9. Reception Theory
Preferred reading This is where the reader understands the message
and agrees with it.
- The colour red indicates a lot of danger within the movie as it is
primarily used for most of the features on the poster. Showing binary
opposites with using a hint of the colour blue indicates there’s a conflict
within the film basing around one character in particular.
Negotiated reading This is where the reader generally accepts the
preferred reading however sometimes modifies it so that it reflects
their own position, experiences and interests.
- Certain viewers will accept the preferred reading in that there’s a
battle between two teams, however if they have watched the films
before, they know that some of the characters that are on the same
side / viewed in the same colour as the villains are actually good so may
be biased to believe who is good and bad before actually watching the
film. They may also change their view of the poster due to their
personal interests in the characters and whether they like / dislike them.
Oppositional reading This is where the reader has an alternative and
opposite view.
- The character shown the largest on the poster is a male, highlighting
that there’s not equality between the male and female protagonist
characters and could foreshadow the outcome of the film.

10. Spectatorship
Definition This theory looks into how audiences respond to films or media products based on their
individual psychological make up. There are four main characteristics that are involved within this,
these being;
Social Self – where a person will create meaning for something in similar ways to other individuals.
Cultural Self – where someone will make links to other cultural references in order to give meaning
to something.
Private Self – memories of personal experiences are taken into consideration as someone may be
affected by a film and find significance from something different to others.
Desiring Self – this is usually where someone’s sexual self creates a response to the content.
Example An example for this is that someone may decide to watch Jurassic Park if they have an
interest in dinosaurs and therefore are more likely to respond positively to content based around
this. Linking to this, someone may choose to watch one of the newer Jurassic Park films if they’ve
grown up watching the original film, as this will bring back memories of being younger and watching
the film then.

11. Framework for Interpretation
• List 2 very different frameworks for interpretation;
1
Age - 18
Gender - Male
Social status/Class - ABC1
Ethnicity - White British
Sexuality - Homosexual
Education - GCSE / A Levels / BTEC
2
Age - 36
Gender - Female
Social status/Class – ABC1
Ethnicity - White British
Sexuality - Heterosexual
Education – O Levels (GCSE) / Degree

12. Framework for Interpretation
• Discuss how each may react to a film of your choice based on their framework
• 2 Fast 2 Furious
1
This person, although male, didn’t enjoy
the film much as they aren’t at all
interested in the subject of cars, however
did enjoy the action side of it and thought
this aspect was exciting. They found it
struggle to relate to the characters as they
appear as stereotypical men and come
from a different background. Apart from
all this, they thought the CGI and special
effects were good but not always
believable at times.
2
This person enjoyed the film as it was action
packed and exciting. They couldn’t relate to
the characters again however knew people
from the same social class and therefore
had encountered similar people. They
thought the storyline was good and kept
them interested throughout. A main stand
out feature for this person was the music as
it was old school hip hop and rap which was
popular when they were growing up.

13. Task 2

14. Case Study
• Select a genre (or film franchise) that you like and provide some
contextual background information.
• What is the genre/franchise, what are the key films, who are the key
directors/actors/studios/etc, how successful/unsuccessful was it, how
was it critically received, when were the films made, etc.
• Go over as many slides as necessary

15. The Hunger Games (film series)
The Hunger Games Franchise is a series of sci-fi / adventure films consisting of
four different films – The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
(2013), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) and The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015). Hollywood studios began looking into adapting the
story / concept into a film after the Suzanne Collins’ novel was released in
September 2008. The inspiration for the books came from Suzanne Collins’
channel surfing between coverage of the Iraq war and a reality TV show. She
said "Those two things kind of fused together. Sort of a combination of young
people being killed and the nation watching it on TV.” Her ideas for the books
were also heavily influenced by her interest in Greek Mythology and her
favourite story of Theseus and the Minotaur.
The filming for the complete first movie took place in North Carolina including
the following cities; Asheville, Barnardsville, Black Mountain, Cedar Mountain,
Charlotte, Concord, Hildebran and Shelby. All of the Games scenes were filmed
on location. The filming for the other films didn’t necessarily stay in the same
locations and moved to places such as Atlanta, Hawaii and even Paris.
Colour Force and Lionsgate collaborated between them on all four of the films.
It was announced in November 2012 that they would split the last novel into
two films, similar to the last of the Harry Potter and Twilight films.

16. Directors, Producers and Actors
Gary Ross directed the first Hunger Games film, however Lionsgate announced
that he would not be returning to direct the sequel. In April 2012, it was
announced that Francis Lawrence would be brought in to direct the sequel, and
later announced that he would direct the rest of the franchise.
As executive producers, Suzanne Collins and Louise Rosner fulfilled this role
between them on the first two films alongside co-producers Diana Alvarez,
Martin Cohen, Louis Phillips, Bryan Unkeless, and Aldric La'auli Porter.
Between October 2010 and May 2011, scripts were sent out to actors and
castings took place. The first role to be fulfilled was the main protagonist of the
films, Katniss Everdeen. Actresses such as Hailee Steinfeld and Chloe Grace
Moretz were mentioned most alongside Jennifer Lawrence, who was given this
main role. Casting for Katniss’ fellow tribute, Peeta Mellark, and her best friend,
Gale Hawthorne began later on in May, and it was reported in the beginning of
April that Josh Hutcherson had been cast as Peeta and Liam Hemsworth cast as
Gale.

17. How successful was it?
The Hunger Games franchise is one of the most successful franchises in recent history. In all time, The Hunger Games
is the 18th highest-grossing franchise worldwide. The first three films grossed over $2.3 billion worldwide and the last
film grossed $653,428,261 worldwide. The film series as a whole is the third most-grossing film series based on young
adult books, following after the Harry Potter series and The Twilight Saga. The budget for the film series was $495
million, so therefore these figures comparing to what was made in the Box Office proves a huge success for the film.
Although the series is complete, Lionsgate has stated that they’re investigating sequel and prequel opportunities for
the film, due to the success of all the others. The series also brings across a bold message, and empowers women,
which is a huge message in society today. By having the main protagonist be a female, it attracted a lot of fans which
all gave an input into the success of the films.
Critically, the majority of the reviews were positive however some were mixed and others negative. A lot of the
positive reviews mentioned Jennifer Lawrence and how she was a powerful lead role, fulfilling the idea of the main
character beautifully. The more negative reviews focused on how the ideas for the film are worn out and the real
sense of risk throughout the films has been carefully ironed out so isn’t necessarily as exciting and detailed as it could
be.

18. Task 3

19. Your Interaction with Media
• Talk about why you like that film/genre and your relationship with it and
how audiences have responded to it, you cover the following:
• How audience engagement relates to the key theories you have outlined in section 1
• Outline and investigate all the different ways in which you and the wider audience
might respond and interact with the film (we’ve covered this at length with the
screenings for Star Wars related material).
1. Active spectatorship, fandom and preferred readings (how do audiences make
active responses to your genre)
2. Frameworks of interpretation, intertextuality and media literacy (consider the
effects of the film on other films/tv/etc and the way this is done, i.e. parody,
pastiche, homage, etc)
3. Social networking, conditions of reception and pre- and post- viewing experience
(how the audience interacts and responds as part of a community)
• Go over as many slides as necessary

20. The Hunger Games and the Adventure / Sci-fi
Genres
The two main genres that this series of films falls into is adventure and sci-fi. It falls into the
adventure genre as the main character, Katniss is taken away from her home into a situation that is
unfamiliar to her, giving the sense of adventure due to the unknown future that is revealed
throughout the plot. This keeps the viewers attention as no one knows what’s going to happen next
and so creates gripping scenes within the films.
The sci-fi genre is given due to the story being set in the future. It features different social
arrangements and events as well as including new technology that is not necessarily noticeable as
to what it is. This allows for the creators to make images exactly how they want and to create a
specific feeling within each scene.
The Hunger Games is similar to films such as Divergent and The Maze Runner, which are similar in
style but also fall partly into the dystopian fiction genre. “A dystopia is a society characterized by a
focus on that which is contrary to the author's ethos, such as mass poverty, public mistrust and
suspicion, a police state or oppression.” The Hunger Games shows exactly this throughout all three
films and portrays it in a sensitive but truthful way.

21. Social Media and Online
Social media has allowed fans to express their opinions on the films and also share content between
themselves. By interacting with others on social media, it demonstrates the Uses and Gratifications
Theory. Within this, it links to information, as people will use social media in order to find out more
about the films and ideas if they just have a general interest. More commonly, viewers will turn to
social media in order to seek out what others, especially those who are viewed in the media think,
so that they can reinforce these upon themselves as they believe this will lead to a boosted personal
identity. Large social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all have pages
dedicated to the franchise. These are generally created by fans, although occasionally some official
pages are created in order to share new content or get reviews from the viewers. The Hypodermic
Needle model can be used as an example here as some sources from mass media platforms can
influence the opinions and views of larger audiences. This can either be positive or negative but
allows for audiences to make perceptions of their own based on what they have read online.
Becoming more popular in recent years, YouTube has allowed for fans to share their own video and
music content that they’ve created from watching the film. It may include their own ideas of
alternate stories or recreations of trailers or scenes.

22. Fan Art
Some fans from the film franchise use the opportunity to create
fan art which either replicates what they see or put their own
twist on it. It comes in many forms from things such as films and
fake trailers, to recreated art pieces either physically or digitally.
Again, they use social media as a way of sharing their work in
order to gain recognition.
I think that this series of films has been so successful as it breaks the normal stereotypes of male and female
characters. By having the main character as a female protagonist which shows characteristics usually portrayed
by a man in these kind of films will have attracted more of an audience as it’s something different to what is
usually seen in this genre of film. Also, I believe that due to the film having a diverse cast which throughout the
story shows a range of different ethnicities and backgrounds, it allows more members of the audience to relate
and it creates more of a deeper meaning to the storyline.
Audience Relationship