Survey Analysis

1. Survey Analysis
G324 Advanced Portfolio
I constructed a survey in order to gather knowledge who my key
demographic is primarily made up of, and what they
expect/demand. This survey is vital in the final stages of my
research leading into planning as it will have a huge impact on the
stylistic characteristics of my final production.
As in any media production – the demands and expectations of
my key demographic is what has the greatest impact on my final
construction, and balances success.
(Survey Made On SurveyMonkey.com)

2. Question 1
This question is practically mandatory for the typical survey
as I must develop a persona for my target audience, and so
need some of the basic information of which are needed to
develop a demographic.
If I was to ask more of these personal questions, then I could
also develop a sociographic – but for this trailer I believe
that the narrative doesn’t hold enough culturally specific
aspects to appeal to a specific sociographic.

3. Question 1: Findings

4. Question 1: Conclusion
This question is not one of which will draw a conclusion that
will impact my planning and production, but it gives a
profile to my audience. I intentionally gave this survey to a
vastly younger range of individuals as the style and
consistencies in neo noir films are mainly attracted by a
younger audience. So I felt as though sticking to the generic
conventions would take me one step further to
professionalism.
I also asked a select few individuals from a slightly older age
group as a basis for comparison. The impact of this will be
made clear in the rest of the survey.

5. Question 2
Question 2 is to develop an idea around the individual’s general
knowledge around the genre of neo noir. By asking for an
identification of genre, the individual taking the survey will have to
utilise their knowledge of films. This will demonstrate whether the
production of my trailer should hold simply generic conventions of
neo noir, or have sub-genres of which more people might know.
With this question, I did not expect all answers to be correct (The
Dark Knight, Gone Girl, The Usual Suspects, Drive) but I hoped that
people would have a general assumption that ‘neo noir’ is a dark
genre, and so guess with the films that are typically ‘dark’ (e.g. The
Inbetweeners is clearly not a dark film, but most people know that
Batman is).

6. Question 2: Findings

7. Question 2: Conclusion
As I had hoped, the higher percentage of people did answer this
question with a respectable level of accuracy. The Dark Knight was
voted as neo noir but all but 3 of the participants, whereas The
Inbetweeners Movie gathered 0 votes. This demonstrates that
people may not know the name ‘neo noir’, but the genre is broad
enough to appeal to those who don’t even know of it.
This demonstrates to me how in my planning/production I need to
use the genre of neo noir very generally. The only generic code that
everyone knows of the genre is a dark, slightly intimidating mise en
scene. The Dark Knight was assumed as neo noir due to its famous
dark portrayal of its characters, and so to appeal my target
audience, I need to stick to this vastly recognised generic approach.

8. Question 3
Question 3 is to categorise participants as modern or traditional
consumers of films. When constructing this question, I categorised
each answer as the following: Major Multiplex – preference of major
film, Independent Cinemas – Independent films, Streaming platforms
– Passive consumers of push media, Pyshical Copies – Not avid film
viewer, Films on TV – Push media consumers, No films – Not consumer
at all.
Simply, this question is to orientate the distribution of my film (trailer)
around the correct demographic.

9. Question 3: Findings

10. Question 3: Conclusion
There were two clear front running answers for this question – Major
Cinemas (41.67%) and physical copies (33.33%). These two answers
are part of the typical distribution process for a major film release.
This confirms that the typical film audience look for confirmation of a
good film in the backbone of the way it is released –some films are
successful simply due to their release. Their rating don’t correspond
with their box office success.
This answer demonstrates how I must construct a major film trailer, as
my target audience look for assurance in quality through the stature
of the release (independent films rarely get put in multiplex
cinemas).

11. Question 4
Question 4 allows for me to develop an idea around the
importance of the final products I am creating. By
acknowledging the influence of the trailer, poster and
magazine front cover of which I am creating I will develop a
knowledge around how generically specific they must be.
If the questions are answered miscellaneously, then maybe I
must include aspects of other methods of marketing in my
production, such as interviews in magazines, social media
interactivity in the poster or product placements in the
magazine in a more discreet manner.

12. Question 4: Findings

13. Question 4: Conclusion
Film trailers was the answer most chosen in this question (6.38). This
demonstrates the importance of my trailer’s visual and conceptual appeal
as that trailer is the leading factor in whether my audience choose to
watch the film or not. Additionally, the ‘own choice/preference’ answer
was second most chosen (5.23). This implies that I need to leave the trailer
open for discussion (best achieved by simple cliff hanger) as effects such
as the ‘water cooler effect’ are most likely to impact personal decisions as
they come from word of mouth, something of which people take more
personally than a marketing method that has been pushed upon their
consumption.
The lowest chosen answer was ‘placements in magazines’. As I am
constructing a magazine front cover , this denotes how I must make the
front cover visually impactful upon the wandering eye, as my target
audience don’t often choose to consume film magazines, but would be
best persuaded to do so if the magazine was to grab their attention.

14. Question 5
Question 5 allows me to primarily analyse the leading factors of a real life film
poster in terms of visuality. I chose each of the 4 posters for a specific reason,
each holding unique compositional elements:
- Run All Night: Use of protagonist and supporting lead characters (also using
image of names – Liam Neeson), also a very compact and ‘busy’ poster.
- Brick: Use of bold primary colour and contrast to black dominant cover
image, lack of detail on poster.
- The Samaritan: Use of intriguing props (gun) and clear character
emotion/connection (character embracing one another)
- The Last Seduction: Use of typography/words, this poster is in french so the
uniqueness of the text would stand out if that was the first thing the
consumer’s saw.

15. Question 5: Findings

16. Question 5: Conclusion
Run All Night was the clear frontrunner in the visual mix up of these
posters (53.85%). This demonstrates how my poster must hold clear
aspects of my character and their character traits as well as giving
slight insinuations around the diegesis. Brick gathered 30.77% of the
vote, denoting how colour is also a vital aspect of a poster of
which needs to be taken into consideration to both add
professionalism and draw in the wandering eye.
The Samaritan only gathered 15.38% of the votes, which creates
an option over whether I want to include a vital prop – this will be
chosen after I have developed a narrative, as there may be some
vital props for the continuation. The Last Seduction gathered 0
votes, portraying how my text should hold information, not visual
value.

17. Question 6
This question is a continuation from question 5 and simply adds
substance to my conclusion. Answers:
The red background draws my eyes to it, Simply from the bright
primary colour, The colours used added a sense of mystery and
intrigue, Image not text, Dark, Gothic like, Was more vibrant, Black
and white filter, use of props (gun), The colour scheme was the
most eye catching, I like the blue colours and how you can see
four key characters, The actors stood out the most and the title
stood out well, Intriguing, More content, Colour scheme.

18. Question 6: Conclusion
What I gathered from the answers to this question is that my film
poster mustn’t be dominated by one of these visual aspects, but I
must include discreet aspect from an array.
The most common aspect of these answers was that the brightness
of the poster formed through a contrast of dark and light. My
poster doesn’t *need* vibrant colours, but even simple shades of
dark and light create a contrast of which works towards a vibrant
poster. The inclusion of the characters on the posters is also a
factor of which consumers found important, and so this is
something that I will definitely develop upon for my production.

19. Question 7
This question allows for similar answers as question 5, but for
another aspect of my project. I gave this question as an open
answer, giving three empty text boxes for participants to answer
without any options/boundaries.
I did not specify a genre for these trailers, as I wanted to give
participants the freedom to include aspects of any trailers. This is
now a very appropriate decision as question 2/3 made it clear that
each of my participant’s have different views on film, and so this
answer should allow me to pool different ideas and find
consistencies of which would appeal to a primary and secondary
audience.

20. Question 7: Findings
Brief Summary of Plot, Sound track, Overview of plot, Pace, Darker
lighting, Cinematography, A soundtrack that reflects the genre of
the film, Elements of surprise, Actors, True reflection of type of film it
is, Contain entertaining parts but not best parts, Meet characters,
Main character in the center of the rule of thirds, Dialogue, An
interest / cliffhanger, Hints about what might happen, Based on
real life events, Inclusion of props/weapons, Doesn’t jump about,
2-3 minute trailer.

21. Question 7: Conclusion
The most consistent answers for this question were: Overview of
plot but no ‘spoilers’ (insinuate ending), high quality soundtrack,
appealing cinematography.
These answers tell me how consumers are attracted most to trailers
that stick to traditional conventions. An element of surprise, good
soundtrack and high quality cinematography are the three basic
elements of a trailer of which are expected. By staying with these
conventions, I will be able to construct a trailer of which can be
directly compared to other trailers, leaving the quality of the
narrative insinuations and character introductions to be the
leading factors in whether or not the trailer appeals to its
consumers.

22. Question 8
This question is a more general addition to question 7. The three
options given here are the basic three methods used to enhance
the quality of a trailer.
The three answers will actually all be included in my trailer, as they
are the conventions of a trailer and question 7 demonstrated how I
should stick to them, but this question will allow for me to prioritise
and designate more time to the methods of which the participants
(my target audience) prefer.

23. Question 8: Findings

24. Question 8
50% of answers for this question went to ‘intensity of action included’.
This denotes how I need to make my trailer contain a high tempo and
Reflect the intensity of which my target audience are used to in today’s
Modern era of constant major action films.
The other two answers shared 50% of the votes (25% each). This shows
A close division between the answer and how it is crucial that I take
These answers literally and make sure to balance the importance of
Cinematography and character introductions. This will create a trailer
Of which proportionally shares the aspects of which my target audience
Prefer.

25. Question 9
Question 9 briefs me on the mandatory inclusions of a film
magazine. I must conform to the demands of my target audience
when constructing my magazine as it is unlikely that, in the age of
web 2.0 and digital prints, many of my target audience will be avid
readers of a film print magazine. Due to this, I need to make the
front cover of the magazine hold aspects of which appeal to
everyone.
I left this answer open (unlimited empty text boxes) as I wanted the
answers to be from personal preference and detailed.

26. Question 9: Findings
Behind the scenes gossip, Interviews, Main actors, Newest films out,
Information about plot, Film reviews, Big pictures to get in the
readers face, Guide to how it was filmed, Character list and what
they've been in, Anecdotes of filming/ production, film rating,
Screen grabs from film, Not revealing too much about plot twists,
Short texts but descriptive, Films not to be missed - past and
present, Behind the scenes/Exclusives, Quizzes, Freebies/posters,
Photographs taken from films.

27. Question 9: Conclusion
The most consistent answer to this question was interviews.
Consumers like the personal insight into films and their
associating actors/producers/etc. Other than interviews,
most answers were quite miscellaneuos. This gives me an
archive of possible containments for my front cover.
Upon planning of my film magazine front cover, I shall use
this question to reference my target audience and gather
inspiration around whether or not a specific area of content
should be included.