The target audience for psychological horror films is 15-30 year old males primarily, with the secondary audience being anyone who enjoys horror films. This audience likes films that are emotionally and physically intense with dark, twisted plots that differ from reality. They consume similar media like Stephen King books, video games, TV shows and films that provide a diversion and escape from real life into a scarier world. This genre is usually consumed at night for maximum atmosphere, viewed at cinemas or at home with others for both social and comforting reasons.

1. Audience Profile

2. How would you describe the target audience
for this genre of film? Is there a core and
secondary audience?
The target audience for our film would be 15-30
year olds, it would be for everybody but mainly
males would watch this genre of film. The
secondary audience would be anybody who
enjoys psychological horrors or just horror films.

3. How would you describe the tastes and attitudes of the
target audience? What other media are they likely to
consume? Outline their media consumption profile.
The audience for this genre like films that will
push them both emotionally and physically.
They like films with dark motives that are
different and twist real life. Other than films this
audience would enjoy many forms of media
within in the same genre like video games, TV
shows and books. Books that they may like
would be something written by Stephen King,
who mainly writes horror stories and many of
these have been adapted into films.

4. Stephen King Books

5. What function/pleasures does this genre of
film serve to its audience (uses and
gratifications)?
Uses and Gratification theory is used to explain
the different reasons for consuming media,
such as personal identity and relationship,
diversion and surveillance This form of genre
would be used for diversion, to escape out of
real life and into something different and a
scarier world with no routine or logic.

6. Films That Serve As A Diversion

7. Film fans often use media to help them construct
their own cultural and visual identity – how do
fans of your particular genre do this?
People who like this genre would normally construct their
cultural and visual identity,not through the plot or story but,
around the feelings and emotions that are experienced
when watching the films. People who enjoy this type of
genre, expect to get a reaction from the film they would
want the film to evoke fear or excitement from them, they
would be a type of adrenaline junkie. This would then
relate to their cultural and visual identity either through the
actions and decisions they make or through their visual
appearance. They may also idolise an actor or character
from the films and this would affect their cultural and visual
identity

8. How/when/where is this genre of film
consumed?
This genre of film is usually watched at night
time, as most are rated above PG/12A and are
not suitable for younger viewers. Watching the
films at night time adds more atmosphere
towards the move, the darkness adds an
unknown element, and when watched in the
daytime it loses its scare factor. Films are
generally viewed at the cinema, which is always
dark, and at home, usually with company for
both a social aspect and comfort.

9. Film Watching