The document summarizes audience feedback on the opening of a film. Viewers provided positive feedback on several elements: 1) The sound established that the genre was action and created suspense around what would happen. 2) Long shots and pans effectively established the school setting. 3) The character was introduced mysteriously with her face obscured under a hood, generating questions about her identity. 4) Continuity editing helped the audience follow the story, with fast editing building focus on a key USB item.

1. For AS Media Studies coursework
Audience Response to film opening:
How did you attract/address your
audience?

2. Introduction to the genre
 The sound ‘enabled’ one viewer to tell what genre
the opening was, i.e. action.
 It also held a lot of suspense, the audience were
able to tell straight away which genre we based
our opening around.
 Mystery was created when the sole character was
introduced in a black hood, with a coat.

3. Introduction to story
 One viewer stated that the ‘long shots and
pans…established the setting’ very well
 Another commented that the school setting was
clearly established and they could immediately
tell that we chose a school as our setting.

4. Introduction to characters
 The audience believed that the sole character
was introduced well – she was first shown
walking across a corridor with her hood up, so we
couldn’t be sure of who exactly she was.
 One audience member noticed that her face was
obscured; she went on to say that additional
mystery was created as we didn’t know what her
voice would sound like.

5. Use of editing to follow story
 Two of our audience members noted how the use
of continuity editing made it easier for them to
follow the story.
 Another said ‘the fact that the editing was fast up
until the point where the character took the USB
was really good, it was like you wanted the
audience to focus on that in particular. This was
good because it made me feel like I wanted to
continue watching, to see how the USB linked
into the story’.

6. Creating enigma
 According to one of our viewers, the use of a
black coat with a hood created enigma as it made
them wonder about her true identity and who she
was – the hood obscured her face and she was
walking fast down the corridors.
 The pocketing of the USB stick was also seen to
have enigma and was described as a ‘good shot’.

7. Use of titles
 One of our audience members noted how the
merging of the titles with one of our shots was a
‘really good idea’, because it ‘made the editing
flow smoothly’. It was parallel to the scene, it
looked really neat which was good.
 Another member said how the title of the film ‘fit
in with the scene, the way it disappeared was
very good. It was like it was reflecting the
character, the way they moved fast around
corners, they the were disappearing too’.

8. Use of sound
 The non-diegetic sound that we used for our
opening was effective as our audience could
immediately tell that it was an action opening.
 Some members also commented that it created
tension –What was the character going to do?
What was going to happen?