1. Q1 (b) - Audience
The media product I am focusing on is my 2nd year final product, a teaser trailer part of the
marketing campaign of the thriller film depth. The purpose of the teaser trailer was to
engage an audience to watch the film.
The target audience for the thriller film Depth is 15-24 year old, both male and female. This
mass audience will have similar values as most of the target audience are in education so
have a structed lifestyle, therefore by creating a teaser trailer which is easy to decode the
audience will be engaged more.
The theoretical approach I am going to take is the Reception theory – stuart Hall's Decofding
model.
The key message was the plot of the kidnapping which conveyed the thriller genre. We
encoded this by using montage editing to create a fast pace teaser trailer to enhance
suspense. The audience were drawn in as they had to concentration on each scene and
work out each characters intentions and views. The antagonist, kidnapper wore a black
balaclava, this hid his identity to the audience which engaged the audience as they wanted
to see the true identity of the kidnapper. Furthermore the use of the male antagonist
created a more realistic look at the story as it is conventional for kidnappers to be male as
the audience view them stereotypical stronger and therefore threatening. Dark colour
tones were added to the trailer to convey a cold mood. The target audience for depth is
both male and females aged 15-24 and they would decode the characters and see the
intentions of the threatening antagonist and innocent female victim. The dark colour tones
would appeal to them as they can simultaneously identify the thriller genre. The use of
increasing tension engages the audience as they are looking for excitement and thrill
seeking behaviour. A younger audience may take a opposed reading to the depth teaser
trailer as it will haunt them too much and they will not be able to deal with the suspense.
The montage sequence may confuse them and the reveal of the antagonist at the end of the
trailer may fright them and lead them to not want to view the film.
In conclusion the depth teaser trailer excited the audience as they were engaged by the fast
pace, plot and costume. They will enjoy the tension and the risk so they will be enticed to
watch the film.
