- A focus group of 10 people ages 12-20 (half male, half female) viewed a draft trailer for a film at the filmmaker's house. - They were asked questions about what they liked/didn't like and how areas could be improved. Most said they didn't understand the synopsis or genre. - Specifically, they didn't like the titles because they didn't understand the story. Scenes were too dark/blurry to understand characters and plot. - Suggested improvements included brighter lighting, clearer titles in the center of the screen, and including more/varied locations and character dialogue to provide context. - Most felt the best film title was "Beauty

1. Focus group report
Who: - 10 people ages 12-20
Half were male and the other half were female
Where: - viewing of my draft trailer at my house
Questions asked were: - What do you like about my trailer?
– What do you not like about my trailer?
– How do you think the current areas can be improved
* Titles
*location
*characters
*synopsis
*film name
– What should my film be called?
*Beauty and the geek
*Forbidden love
*Fight for love
Analysis of first question- most applicants that were in the focus group concluded that they could
not find anything they liked about my trailer because they did not understand the synopsis or the
genre of the film.
Analysis of second question- all the applicants in the focus group said that they did not like any of
the titles in the film because they did not understand what the story was meant to be about, whether
it was about a secret gay couple for example the scene where the two males are having a 'man chat'.
Secondly all the applicants said they could not see two of the scenes clearly as they were bleached
while filming which made the synopsis of the film even more distorted as they could not see what
character was on screen. What also was suggested was that the lighting should be brighter since
many applicants thought the scenes looked grey and depressing instead of bright lighting or when
the shoes are coming out of the car they should be heels in bright, candy colours.
Analysis of improved areas-
Titles- one applicant suggested that the four needs to be made a bit smaller and for it be central
instead of off to the side. Another applicant suggested that they should anchor some of the action on
the screen or feature names of the actors in the film depending on if they are well known or not.
One suggestion was that
Location- there should be a varying of locations to suit the action for example the popular girl
should be at some stage by the lockers with her friends in a typical school setting. Also a scene was
suggested in the hallways where the popular girl was trying to encourage people to sign up which is
the catalyst for bringing her and geek boy together as he wants to make his contribution to the
school.
Characters- there needs to be more dialogue so we get an insight into what the characters are about.
The focus group concluded that the popular girl needs to come across as nice if the audience want to
see her be happy with geek boy, also Cal the 'Jock' character needs to come across as the antagonist
as we really want popular girl to be happy with geek boy.
Synopsis- all of the applicants in the focus group concluded that they did not have any

2. understanding of the synopsis in the trailer and that the genre of a teen movie was not coming
across which meant the focus group's understanding of the trailer was distorted. It was also unclear
how the two girls fitted into film such as what was their status in the film and what links all the
characters together.
Film name- most of the applicants in the focus group did not understand how the title of the film
fitted in with the stories synopsis, also they thought that the 'forbidden love' was between the two
males in the draft trailer.
What should my film be called?
Beauty and the Geek- most applicants in the focus group proffered this as the film name as it is
about two people from opposite ends of the social scale coming together and learning from each
other.
Fight for love- the name that most of the applicants in the focus group did not like as they
concluded that it does not fit in with the teen genre and saw it as more of a room -com name.