The document summarizes Elliott Shine's research into their target audience for an indie pop music video project. Through surveys and interviews with fellow students, teenagers and young adults, Shine found that the target audience enjoyed darker themes in music videos and were more tolerant of sensitive issues. Specifically, they preferred videos with dark filters, depressing storylines or narratives. This feedback helped Shine decide on a storyline for their video involving a death row sentence, which addressed sensitive issues but appealed to the target demographic. Testing ideas with the target audience through research was crucial in directing the project.

1. What have I learnt from target
audience feedback?
By Elliott Shine

2. Treatment Questions
I started the video research by looking at trends on social
media, I established that younger audiences were
becoming more interested in darker themes and reacting to
violent music videos which I noticed were getting
considerably higher viewing numbers on YouTube. I also
asked questions of my target audience, verbally getting
feedback. I had already decided it was to be an indie pop
video, this naturally led me to speak to fellow students,
teenagers and young adults. I also asked questions of my
media teacher and filmed his responses in a vox pop
environment. The two videos below are the research videos
I took showing the opinions of my media teacher and a
sample of my target audience, respectively.

3. How did this research help me?
This research helped me enormously. It
allowed me to start to envisage a scenario
where there was a violent scene with a
reflective outcome. This appealed to me as it
showed the consequences of an impulsive act.
Without this research, I could not have been
directed to complete my project or target my
audience.

4. My verbal feedback
• I asked 20 people the following questions:
• What music do you listen to?
• What do you look for in a music video?
• What is your favourite music video?
• What would you expect from an indie pop music
video?
• How often do you watch a music video?
• Does a music video influence you purchasing the
music?

5. Audience response
What music do you listen to?
• 50% listened to indie pop music
• 20% listened to alternative rock
• 10% techno music
• 20% rap/RnB music
0 20 40 60
Indie Pop
Alternative…
Techno
Rap/R&B
Percentage %

6. Audience response
• What do you look for in a music video?
• 20% Voyeurism
• 60% Curiosity
• 10% General interest
in artiste
• 10% Film technique,
e.g. Easter eggs
0 50 100
Voyuerism
Curiosity
General…
Technique
Percentage %
Percentage
%

7. Audience response
• What is your favourite music video?
• 50% James Bay – Hold back the river
• 30% Ed Sheeran – You need me but I don’t need
you
• 10% Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
• 10% Galantis – Peanut Butter Jelly

8. Audience response
What would you expect from an indie pop music
video?
• 60% Dark filters
• 20% Depressing storyline
• 20% Narrative video
Percentage %
Dark filters
Depressing
storyline
Narrative
video

9. Audience response
How often do you watch a music video?
• 60% Watch one twice a day
• 40% Watch one once a day

10. Audience response
Does a music video influence you purchasing the
music?
• 80% No, just to listen to the music
• 20% Yes, I will buy the music after watching

11. How has my research helped the
production of my final product?
The information gathered proved what young
adults and teenagers enjoy watching and due
to recent social changes I was able find out
that modern young adults and teenagers are
more tolerant to sensitive issues or visually
disturbing images. I used this information to
my advantage by creating a storyline where
there is the clear sensitive issue ‘Death row
sentence’.

12. Could I have done more?
I could have created a survey monkey
questionnaire which would have reached a
larger audience. I didn’t do this as I was
restricted for time. However, my initial
research was extremely targeted at my 15-25
target audience, so I feel I wasn’t overly
affected by this decision. In future though, this
would definitely be a good option.

13. The Final Result
Having produced the final products, I have received virtually
100% positive feedback from the people who have viewed my
final video. Particular comments include how the introduction
fits well with the initial image of a church and church bells. Also
how colour is introduced in different scenes (orange) which
signify flashbacks.
Transitions were mentioned in that they were well done and
unusual effects to illustrate different places the protagonist is
walking through. The close up at the end of the eyes as the
murderer is punished allows the audience to feel justice has
been done and changes the perception of sympathy for the
murderer to one of justice. Another good impression made on
the audience was the fact that the story went full circle taking us
back to the incarceration/execution of the murderer. The third
video below is our audience feedback for our final product.