2. What is a Target Audience
“Who would stand in a queue, outside in the freezing
cold, at night, in January to see this film?”
Gender, Age, Socioeconomic status, Rural/Urban, Race,
Family status, Special Interest (political/Religious/Music/
Art/ Relationship etc)
Mass Target Audience vs Niche Target Audience
Global Target Audience vs Local Target Audience
3. Global Target Audience
Universal stories with universal appeal (relationships/
traditional boy meets girl kinds of stories/ Famous
stories that everyone would know)
Universal Themes (Love/ Revenge/ Journey)
Universal experiences (Families/Jobs/Relationships)
Traditional Stereotypes
Wide range of traditional characters (Age and gender)
‘Safe’ humour
Not too violent (Rating of about 12)
6. The National British Audience
Specific UK Culture and History
Well known UK stereotypes
Social Realism
Nostalgia/ Heritage Films
Satirical Humour
‘British’ stories and Ideas.
9. The ‘Local’ British audience
Shares many of the qualities of the National audience
but often the story might be especially relavant to the
local area because of content, stars, location, narrative
explored.
12. YES - Four Weddings and a
Funeral 1994 (Working Title)
One of the highest grossing British Films in cinema history
Wide target audience 20 -40 yrs (less diverse)
Universal themes, witty dialogue, stereotypical quirky British
characters, favourite American genre, American star (Andie
MacDowell), mix of personalities
The success of FWF meant that many UK film makers started to
make film with ‘universal’ appeal rather than British appeal
‘Really American films with an English accent’
Don’t deal with the social struggles/issues but instead have
‘insignificant story lines’
14. NO - The Boat that Rocked (Co
Production)
Target Audience – large and diverse
Teenagers/Young Adults – type of humour, use of actors that would
be recognisable from other ‘teen’ films (Gemma Arteton – St
Trinians), rebellious spirit, Release in the April half term, stereotypes,
colours on posters are bright
Older people reliving the 60’s – the music, the setting, the historical
story and references, well known director for this group, classic
British stereotypes, Poster is like The Beatles (Abbey Road) or Andy
Warhol work
15. NO - The Boat that Rocked
Target Audience – large and diverse and difficult!
But what made it appeal to one audience was what would put off the
other.
Very heavily male cast and the only female characters are not that
positive…..
R15 rating also cut out a lot of its target audience (DK was 12)
Failed to appeal to enough of either group in both the UK and US
market
16.
17. How do American Institutions try
to appeal to the British audience?
Use examples from this years Oscars
Editor's Notes
Discuss what these things are
Good for both Global and Local but is it a uniquely British film? Why did this film work and not the Boat that Rock.
That April half term there were three other big budget blockbuster – part of the reason why it was not as successful
Not a good example of how to specifically target a UK audience
Reaction against – going back to the ‘This is England’ style and this is the environment/spirit of Shifty!