The document discusses feedback received on a student's horror film marketing products, including a trailer, magazine, and poster. The feedback helped improve the projects and understanding of audience interests. It revealed that equilibrium was too long, the narrative needed clarifying, and the trailer's jump scare required a scarier sound effect. Positives included the fast-paced shots building tension and unusual underwater shots. Magazine feedback suggested adding more cover lines of varied interests. The poster feedback was to choose one strong image and update the release date.

1. WHAT HAVE I LEARNT
FROM MY AUDIENCE
FEEDBACK?
Question 3

2. IMPORTANCE OF AUDIENCE
FEEDBACK• Audience feedback is crucial in creating successful media products, in particular for
advertisement campaigns for film because the profit and success of the actual film is
dependent on audience consumption and response of the promotion. My three products, trailer,
magazine and poster all work together to promote our horror film Eighteen. I made drafts for
the poster and magazine, and my group made a draft of our trailer, which we then screened to
an audience. The feedback from the drafts helped me to improve the 3 products and helped me
to better understand what makes an audience interested and excited in a campaign.
Researching how other horror films have been advertised helped me to realise my three
products need to work in unison with synergy, for example when researching Women in Black, I
found that one of the reasons that the film was so successful is because they based the
advertisement on one particular actor (Daniel Radcliffe), they made him the face of the
posters, magazine covers and interviews etc. The effect this had was that as soon as you saw
his face he was related to the film, making readers want to go see it. Therefore, I chose a
similar technique, the main actress in our trailer is also the cover star of my magazine and
poster (don’t actually see a face but same outfit as in trailer); however the audience don’t
actually know who she is and the role she plays; therefore making them want to watch the
film and find out. The audience feedback of these three products was also crucial because it
helped me to figure out what the marketing, distribution and promotion strategy would be if
I were to professionally advertise this film, for example the ‘reach’ of the products.
https://www.flipsnack.com/MimiSimpson/audience-research-survey-
analysis.html
Initial audience research and analysis of feedback:

3. HOW I COLLECTEDTHE
FEEDBACK
• To collect audience feedback our group set up a screening of our trailer rough
cut and screened it to the rest of our media class, which are a group of male
and female, 17-20 year olds, which of course are part of the primary demographic
for horror films. We felt we would get the most effective feedback if we showed
our trailer in a manner which was the best shots in the order we wanted them
along with the sound effects; however, we didn’t add the institutional data or
all of the sound effects, I think this allowed the audience to focus on the
shots more, which in turn helped us to improve them, such as the speed of them,
as some of the improvements included the duration and speed of the shots. We
wanted feedback with a range of non-biased opinions; therefore, we screened the
trailer to the class, which was an audience who had never seen the trailer
before, then we asked them to write down three positive points and three
improvements/constructive criticism. We decided writing down the feedback would
be better than discussing each individuals point as a class because it could
risk people influencing one another opinion; therefore, skewing the results of
our feedback. We did receive some very helpful feedback, which helped me to
improve my ancillary products and our trailer; therefore, I think the feedback
format was successful.

4. NEGATIVES
• We received constructive criticism which we could work on and help
improve our trailer. It was suggested to us to that our equilibrium
was too long, people stated that the scenes leading up to the fast
pace actions shots were on screen for too much time, which implies
they lost interest in the trailer at the beginning. Of course we
didn’t want this effect, what we are trying to achieve is to
establish the characters and reinforce the juxtaposition between the
binary oppositions good vs. evil.
• Another relevant point given to us was that our narrative structure
could be explained more clearly. The audience felt that the trailer
was very chaotic and complicated; therefore, what they wanted were
more clear details about the plot and what is the main storyline of
the film. However, our aim was to achieve a confusing narrative
because our research of horror films have shown that complicated
horror trailer are the most effective because it have the effect of
making the audience want to find out what happens; therefore, buy a
ticket.
• An improvement that I agree was very important to work on was the
jump scare at the end, when we screened our trailer, we had the jump
scare shot, which shows a mid shot Ashley’s character (me) cover in
bruises and blood, its a very effective, fast shot and needed a
sound effect to go along with the jump scare. Our feedback suggested
we needed an effect that was very scary and frightening, in order to
achieve a tense, impact, to finish the trailer on a suspenseful and
horrifying tone.
• Another factor the audience said to improve is the institutional
data, of course we knew we needed to add it in, we just hadn't yet
decided on which font to use; however we did know what we wanted to
include. In my initial audience research, which was a survey on
survey monkey, suggested that over half over the audience would most
likely want to hear about the film on social media; therefore, at
the very end of the the trailer we added social media links an
hashtags to help with the reach of the film.
This shot had to be shortened- we decided to
cut out the middle section to ensure we eat the audience attention
We searched for a variety of jump scare sound
effects, we couldn’t find any that perfectly suited our shot; therefore,
we blended and merged two sounds together.
Our narrative structure its similar to that
of the 1970’s film, the beast in the cellar.
The narrative of this film isn’t given away
away until the very end, resulting in a
very gripping film, the plot line is that
someone is trapped in a cellar but we
don’t know who it is, why they are there
or who put then there- which are
questions our audience will as-
which will make a very gripping trailer
because people want to invest in the
story and find out more.

5. POSITIVES
• Our audience thought many aspects of our trailer were
successful. They thought the fast pace of our shots
helped to build tension and suspense, in particular,
the flicks of the attic which were all merged between
the underwater shots, shot on a Go-Pro. The change in
angle helped to split up the shots so they didn’t all
blend, the audience said these range of shot types
helped to quicken the pace, making it scarier.
• As I mentioned previously, we chose to include
underwater shots of the main character drowning. The
audience said they liked this shot because it was
very unusual. It was created on a Go-Pro as opposed
to the DSLR, so that we could shoot in water, we used
multiple, repeated shots of this scene, we got
responses that the audience liked this repetition
because it gave some structure to the trailer plus
the shot increased the tension.
• Another positive response from he audience was about
non-diegetic, asynchronous sounds we used. The happy
birthday soundtrack, we got made for us so that it
fit the exact atmosphere we were trying to achieve.
The audience like that it gave a contrapuntal feel
tot the trailer, which made it very creepy and
suggesting a supernatural/ psychological. On top of
this sound we layered the tense violin, which
inscribed intensity as the shots became quicker, the
audience liked that the pace of the sound and shots
matched up to one another as it created continuity
and helped the trailer feel complete.
GoPro, underwater shot

6. MAGAZINE FEEDBACK
• After showing a selection of people my
ancillary drafts, the audience told me that
to improve my magazine I should add more
cover lines to attract a wider audience, who
will have a range of interests of different
stories. Even though, this is a horror
special, that doesn’t mean to say every
cover line has to be completely horror
orientated; therefore, I looked into events
surrounding the horror genre, such as theme
park horror nights and mainstream actors/
actresses. Mentioning other themes/
interests will attract a wider audience. I
also decided to add a kicker to the main
cover line to explain to the audience what
to expect from the interview/ story. I chose
to do this because the audience were
confused about what was being advertised.
The audience I presented my work to were
general members of the public, so of course
they didn’t have any contextual knowledge
about what the products were (which of
course is what would be the case if the
products were produced and on a shelf of a
store); therefore, by adding this context it
helps let the audience know that this is a
new horror film being released.

7. POSTER FEEDBACK
• The feedback I received form my poster was
to only put one main image on the page, two
images is confusing to the eye, if I chose
to include only one it will automatically
become stronger as the image will become the
main feature. Something else I needed to
change was the date on my poster, after the
first draft we decided the release date was
going to be the 1.8.18 as this links to the
title of the film.
• A positive of my poster is that the audience
liked that there was continuity between the
poster and trailer. Both products advertise
social media links to find out more about
the film; the audience were attracted to
this, the audience I presented all my
products to were mainly young adults;
therefore, the reason they pointed this out
as a positive it most probably because they
the main demographic for social media; which
is the reason I ensured social media links
were strongly advertised because this
demographic (millennials) are also the
primary audience of horror films.

8. RESPONSETO FEEDBACK
• After receiving this feedback we analysed our trailer and found that the criticism we
received helped us to see where we could improve. We focussed on the equilibrium, and
looked at each individual shot, the shots of us talking on the table at the
beginning, we cut shorter because once it had established we were at a birthday with
friends, there wasn't anything else to see. Shortening these shots helped with the
pace of the start of the trailer, ensuring that the viewer wouldn't get bored of
looking at the same shots. Another adjustment we made was to improve the jump scare,
we made the shot even shorter, then added a high pitch, highly loud sound to shock
the viewer, as we ensured this shot was in between the institutional data so that the
audience wouldn’t expect any other footage, which is a convention of horror trailers,
because it adds to the horror.
• Our initial feedback (link on first page) gave us
the information that the most popular horror sub-
genre of our audience was psychological and
thriller, we listened to this and therefore
ensured we included elements of these. I think
our trailer heavily relates to the thriller
genre, because there is a lot of action in the
trailer, such as the head bang shot, which is one
of our key shots in the trailer, due to the loud
bang sound, which shocks the viewer.