The document discusses three audience theories related to slasher films: 1) Uses and Gratification Theory - Audiences actively seek out slasher films for enjoyment and gratification like pleasure or escapism. They are an "active" audience who can reject or accept the media. 2) Two-Step Flow Theory - Audiences are influenced by opinion leaders who are influenced by mass media. People may watch slasher films based on reviews from magazines and websites. This audience is more "passive". 3) Cultivation Theory - Heavy exposure to slasher films can lead audiences to believe the film world reflects reality. It can cultivate society's views, like how "dark alleys

1. Audience Theories- Slasher
Films
By Shivani Surti

2. Uses & Gratification theory

3. One theory is the ‘Uses and gratification’ theory. This
theory describes how the public actively seek out specific
media content for gratification purposes. The knowledge
enhances as well as fulfils certain needs.
The audience that are associated with this theory are
know as an ‘active’ audience. Audiences watch ‘Slasher’
films at the cinema or at home, for their own enjoyment.
The audience prefer to watch ‘Slasher’ films as they can
get an adrenaline rush and they use media texts to gratify
themselves, for example for pleasure or escapism. The
audience that come under this model are free to
reject, use or play with the media in a way that suits them.
One example is, if someone is to watch a ‘Slasher’ film
and the psycho killer is killing the girls within the film, the
‘active’ audience know that this isn’t moral thing to do in
reality so they wouldn’t be encouraged to imitate any of
the behaviour, they would use this for entertainment
purposes only.

4. Two-step flow Theory

5. Another audience theory is, ‘Two step two’. This
theory suggests that the public form their opinions
under the influence of opinion leaders, which are
influenced by the mass media. Ideas are passed from
mass media to opinion leaders to the wider
population. An example of this is people go to watch
films based on reviews and ratings from popular
magazines and websites. The better the reviews and
ratings the more likely people will consider watching
the film. Based on this theory, people who normally
don’t watch ‘Slasher’ films may consider, due to the
opinions formed about the film. This audience is seen
as ‘passive’ as their actions are reliant on others
opinions. The magazine total film is a well respected
film magazine, if they were to advertise a ‘Slasher’
film poster with considerably high ratings, the
audiences will be influenced into watching the film as
they trust the opinions of people who are confident
within the film industry.

6. Cultivation Theory

7. A final theory, is the cultivation theory. The cultivation
theory could suggests that the film industry distorts and
cultivates reality. The audience of this theory are known
as ‘passive’. Heavy exposure to films can lead the viewers
to believe that what happens in the film ‘world’ is
consistent to what is happening in the real world. For
example, people have been watching films for so many
years and in that time the effect a ‘dark alley’ has on
people is negative. This is because people have seen how
‘dark alleys’ are presented on films such as ‘Slasher’ films
in an negative way, so audiences think that this applies in
the ‘real world’ and this helped cultivate the way society
thinks.