Shantelle gathered feedback from three demographic groups on her indie pop music video and ancillary products. She found that responses from her target niche audience of diverse youth were most valuable. Some respondents related strongly to the video's representation of struggles with sexuality and religion. Others recognized intended links between the lyrics, visuals, and designs of the different products. Shantelle concluded she should have focused feedback more narrowly on her niche audience while still including some wider perspectives.

1. QUESTION 3:WHAT
HAVEYOU LEARNED
FROMYOUR
AUDIENCE
FEEDBACK?
Shantelle Keech

2. Who did I ask?
■ I gathered a wide range of people, forming a cross section of society in
order to receive an accurate and wide range of responses from different
viewpoints.The three demographics I asked were:
1. CATEGORYA:White, middle class adults
2. CATEGORY B: Diverse, multi-ethnicity youth demographic
3. CATEGORY C: Lower, socio-economic teenage demographic
■ In using this wide range of demographics, I was able to attain niche and
mass readings, although the responses I will value most strongly will be
those from Category B as the people from this demographic are my ideal
target audience.
■ Within the cross section of society I recognise that the respondents may be
from the niche audience, being people who enjoy soundtracks and music
videos from the indie-pop genre, essentially appreciating my product more
than other respondents whom are from the wider audience and of my less
targeted demographics (CategoryA and C).
Respondent Genders
Males Females
0 5 10 15 20
Category A
Category B
Category C
Demographic Categories

3. VOXPOP Solo Subject Responses
■ Category 2 – Subject C: How does the representation of the character make you feel?
This respondent was a white, socio economic group D/E male who offered a preferred reading of my product. He was also
apart of my targeted niche audience in that he associates himself with being a fan of the indie-pop genre.The respondent
stated that he “know[s] people in [the protagonists’ situation personally so it builds empathy and sympathy […] is very
emotional for people who have gone through this situation.” Due to the fact that he mentions that “It’s very relatable as a
piece”, there’s reference to Blumler and Katz’s theory of uses and gratification in terms of personal identity and personal
relationships.
■ What do you think the meaning behind the music video is?
For this question we gained a qualitative and quantitative response in that I gained the opinions of two members of the
audience; this included a Subject B (a white, socio economic group D/E male) and Subject A (a black, socio economic group
D/E male), both from Category 2. Subject B’s interpretation was that the music video is ultimately about “trying to be
accepted into society.” and “the idea of religion being forced onto society.”Whilst Subject 1 believed that “the message
behind the video is to be who you are and not to let other people control your decisions.” He collectively believed that he
thinks it’s “encouraging the audience to follow what they want to do in life and not worry about anyone’s opinions.”
Both respondents in this case took a preferred reading of the music video.We also received a reading from SubjectA in
Category 3; the (black, socio economic group D/E male) respondent stated that he believed the music video signified the
idea that “it doesn’t matter what you are, you just have to be confident in yourself”.

4. VOXPOP Solo Subject Responses
■ Category 2 – Subject B: What are your thoughts on the representations of the female in the
video?
Subject B expressed through his interpretation a negotiated reading in that he believed the female who
acted as the protagonist’s girlfriend was “represented as every other girl really, in a situation that she
doesn’t understand”.Originally my own perception of what the female was portraying was someone who
was objectified by Edward due to the fact that he’s ultimately using her as a product of his family’s ideals
and a method of hiding his true sexuality however Subject 2 didn’t recognise this through his personal
reading.
In the attempt to find out if the respondent gained any sense of my interpretation through his own, I
followed it with the question of:
■ Do you think she’s objectified?
Although this question seemed to be leading, the respondent didn’t take these reigns as he said “Not
necessarily – in certain parts she’s objectified when she’s laying on the bed but overall she’s not really
sexualised.”This response appears to be an oppositional reading in terms of Stuart Hall’s theory although
I believe there may’ve been a sense of the respondent not understanding the question fully however I

5. VOXPOP Solo Subject Responses
■ Category 1 – Subject A: Do you believe that the representation of the traditional family and the
sexual ideas to be a stereotype or countertype? Were these negative representations?
The respondent of this question was an Eastern European socio economic group C2 female who expressed
the fact that in her experience, especially whilst growing up “watching things in the 80s”, she wouldn’t
have seen “such an obvious male on male relationship” She expressed how she was “almost shocked at
the filming in the church, I was quite surprised that you were allowed to do that in a very traditional
church”. Despite this she stated that she felt that the scene “where they came out and clearly the religious
bit got them all upset and crying – I thought that was very powerful at the end.” Subject A’s reading here
is preferred as we intended to represent homosexuality in a positive light along with challenges that people
face with identifying with a different sexuality. It’s understandable for someone who grew up in a time
where there weren’t as many gay—rights as there are today to feel displaced or a little shocked especially
with the scenes inside of the church as they’re conventionally recognised for heterosexuality and
traditional roles.

6. VOXPOP Solo Subject Responses
■ Category 3 – Subject B: Simplistic costume, low budget sets and performance shots are just some
of the conventions of the indie-pop genre. Do you believe our music video portrays these?
As recognised within theVOXPOP one respondent, a socio economic group D/E female gave a very limited
expression of her opinion on the music video in terms of this question; she said “Yeah, because in the
music video, there’s a lot of drama in their lives.”Although this could be recognised as a negotiated
reading due to the fact that she recognised the fact that there’s a theme of dis-equilibrium in their lives, it
doesn’t answer the question. On the other hand, a female from category 2 and Subject E expressed how “I
believe you followed the conventions of the drama and portrayed them as the sets aren’t really
expensive - although they do look it. Never the less, you didn’t really portray the performance shots
because I remember from other music videos seeing the full band, not just the singer.” Subject E’s
response here is preferred as she recognised our intentions to break the convention of using performance
shots and we also use locations which would normally be reasonably expensive, especially for producers
with low-budgets.

7. VOXPOP Solo Subject Responses
■ Are there any techniques or visual effects you believe to be the most effective?
When analysing the responses for this question from theVOXPOP, I have established a difference in the
interpretations and understanding of this question from the varied social grades and audience categories;
Subject C from Category 3, a white Eastern European group D/E male offered a disjointed answer which
gave no recognition of the techniques and visual effects from within the music video. He stated that “I
like how it was all set up […] It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or not […] the boy’s going out with a man
and then at the end the other man he leaves the boy for a girl”. On the other hand, Subject C from
Category 2, a white British socio economic group D/E male expressed more eloquently how he believes
“the most effective technique is the projections on top of the actors; this shows how they’re truly
feeling inside rather than what you can actually see.”
The Category 2 male’s reading was much more preferred as I personally would value to use of the
projector most highly due to the fact that it holds great expression and offers more elements for the
representations and connotations of the music video.

8. VOXPOP Solo Subject Responses
Do you believe there to be a link between the lyrics and the visuals?
■ Along with assessing audiences’ opinions on the question within theVOXPOP, we used this question
in our survey which audience members could complete online. It was conclusive that 90% of
respondents believed it to be true; supported by Subject D in Category 2’s statement that she clearly
remembers “seeing in one shot there was one of your actors wiping the mirror and that was a key
line in the song.”, I can relate the music video to Andrew Goodwin’s theory of music videos have links
between the lyrics and the visuals, meaning that I’m conforming to these ideas.
■ Subject D’s response is a preferred reading due to the fact that during pre-production I had planned to
film a shot where on the specific line of ‘I wipe the steam off of the mirror’, the visuals would
correspond, rearticulating the lyrics of the soundtrack.
Yes No Not sure

9. VOXPOP Solo Subject Responses
Do you believe there to be a link between the ancillary texts and music video?
■ Within my survey I asked this question using the format of a radio button with a response box,
allowing respondents to offer their opinions and reasons for whether or not they saw a link. I found
from these results that 83% of people asked could recognise a correlating link between each of my
products establishing that I have successfully incorporated synergy and an interrelationship.One
anonymous respondent stated that in her opinion she could recognise the link between the digipaks
as “lighting, colours and the projector are used in the video, advert and digipak.”This was a
preferred reading due to the fact that the respondent was able to depict and identify a clear link
between the three products; when designing I made the conscious decision to manipulate the
appearance of the images being used to create synergy.
Yes No Not sure

10. Assessment of Responses and Research
Methods■ In reference to the responses that I’ve gathered, I can recognize many pros and cons in relation to
both the quantitative (VOXPOP) and qualitative (survey) research.
Quantitative Research Qualitative Research
•Pro:The data is an accessible method of receiving information
•Pro:The nature of the responses allowed for me to manipulate
data into graphs and tables, resulting in it being much easier to
read and analyse.
•Con: Due to the questions asked being closed, it resulted in me
being unable to analyse in order to receive different readings
and interpretations.
•Con:The nature of the responses being based on data which I
cannot relate to a specific person or differentiate between the
different respondents meant that I’d be unable to assess the
information based on the backgrounds or demographics.
•Pro: Quantitative research allowed me to receive detailed
responses and interpretations which I am able to analyse with
the knowledge of their given circumstances and understanding
of who they are as people/audience members.
•Con: the respondents of the Category C demographic received
the intelligent and mature themes of the music video very
differently to the audience members of Category A and Category
B due to their futility.This was a poor choice of demographic
choice.
•Con: In reference to the Hawthorne Effect, the audience
members would feel uncomfortable speaking and behave
differently when they know that they’re being filmed. The
qualitative written responses therefore were much stronger than
the verbal.
•Con: We also experienced the danger of leading questions
whereby respondents would stray from expressing all they
actually believed.

11. Final Evaluation of Findings
■ In evaluation, through these audience feedback I’m able to recognise ways in which my product may
not be exclusively relatable for some audiences due to their varied ideals and also the mature themes
of the music video.
■ I’ve recognised that audiences can establish clear links between each of my products, meaning that my
applications of synergy have been successful.
■ I now understand that when forming a focus group for audience feedback I would receive more
relevant and preferred responses if I weren’t to direct it towards such a wide/mass audience and rather
focus a lot closer on niche audience whilst still gaining responses from wider audiences, just not at
greatly. I believe this will give me a more accurate reaction and opinions as fans of the indie-pop genre
would’ve been able to identify things that they essentially enjoy experiencing within the products.