The document analyzes the results of a questionnaire about horror movies and film promotion. It finds that the largest age group interested in horror is 16-18. Trailers are the most effective at encouraging people to watch a movie, as they give insights into the plot. Slasher films are the most popular horror subgenre. The document recommends focusing a horror film and its promotion on these findings to best appeal to the target audience.

1. Questionnaire Analysis
Shauna Mullen

2. Question 1: How old are you?
We asked this question in order to help us establish a rough target audience for our own horror film. At first we thought
we would go for a higher age bracket, based on the fact we are doing a slasher as our genre and was going to base it at
18+. However, based on our feedback, we had a range of younger people taking part in the questionnaire, who were fans
of horror so this helped us to change our mind. The results of the question are placed in a table below. As you can see,
the main age range we asked was between the ages of 16-18.
Age Number of People
15 0
16 4
17 6
18 4
19 3
20+ 3

3. Question 2: What genre of film do you most prefer?
By asking this question we would be able to see what films people are most into, and whether they are
into horror. This is a good piece of knowledge for us to have to see if it is worthwhile for us to make a
horror film, if they are not popular. But also, horrors are based under sub genres, so we would be able to
base our trailer around a subgenre that people most prefer.
As you can see, Action was the most popular was
35% of the 20 people who conducted this
questionnaire picking it. However, Horror was not
far behind with 30% of the vote. This suggests to me
that people could potentially like a horror film under
the action sub genre similar to ‘The Purge’. Comedy
was the same percentage, 30%, as Horror. Despite
this being popular, I don’t think a Horror film with
the sub genre of Comedy would be easy to pull off. I
personally think it would be the hardest type of
horror to do. Lastly, Romantic came last with 5%,
which is also beneficial because I also think it
would be hard to make a Romantic film into a horror
film.

4. Question 3: Which part of the promotional package
encourages you to watch a movie the most?
Out of all the 20 people who participated in this questionnaire, 19 of them
said that a trailer encourages them the most to watch a movie. This shows
us as a group that we need to put a lot of time, effort and planning into our
trailers because that is the key to getting people intrigued into the movie.
The other one vote went to a movie poster which shows that movie posters
are still somewhat important, you do not really see many movie posters
around unless they are promoted ambiently for example on the side of a bus,
or directly at the cinema itself. Lastly, a magazine feature did not get any
votes, potentially implying that no one reads magazines anymore or perhaps
an audience would rather find out the plot from a thrilling trailer as opposed
to an article.

5. Question 4: Why is this?
Those who selected ‘trailer’ gave plenty of reasons as to why it encourages
them to watch a movie some of them included: gives you an insight to the
movie, allows you to have a taste of the film and gets you interested in the
plot, get to see who’s in the film and it shows the best parts of the film so you
will be able to see if the film is of interest to yourself. From this feedback, it
is evident we have to make the plot of the film clear, but not give it all away
and make it predictable and that some of the key moments/best parts of the
film need to be included to further entice the audience to watch the film.

6. Question 5: How often do you watch horror films?
11 people said that they watch horror films sometimes, this suggests that
people may only watch a horror if it specifically appeals to them and will not
watch is purely for the sake of it. Which is why we need to make our
promotion package as enticing as possible in order to convince the audience
to watch it. 4 people said they watch them all the time, therefore it is
important to also impress those who have a love for the genre, to put our
film at the top of their favourite horror list. 2 people said they never watch
horror films, which isn’t surprising as it the genre doesn’t appeal to
everyone. However, we could still use our promotion package in order to
convince them!

7. Question 6: What is your most preferred sub-genre of
horror?
Out of the seven genres we gave, the two most popular was slasher and
comedy. This is a good piece of information for us to know as our
promotional package is going to be based around a slasher film. This
encourages us further knowing that people like this sub genre as opposed to
other sub genres. Supernatural, possession and action were also popular,
however people are not majorly into gothic or sci-fi horrors.

8. Question 7: Why is this?
Those that said they preferred slasher said that they liked it because:
they enjoy the fact that there is plenty of jumpy moments so they never get
bored
they are the most exciting, thrilling, as well as the scariest
the villain is always creepy so there is no disappointments
lastly, they usually end up producing a franchise therefore the story never ends
after each movie, leaving them hooked.
Those that said comedy mainly said that it makes the movie less scary, less
serious and is more entertaining. Action lovers said that they find them more
exciting as you are always on the edge of your seat and that you always get to see
someone suffer. Lastly, those that picked supernatural/possession said they find

9. Question 8: Name a movie you have watched based on the
promotional campaign? Why was it so effective?
The purge was a movie audiences
watched based on the
promotional campaign due to it
looking like a good film based on
the poster including “from the
makers of Paranormal Activity
and Sinister”. Additionally, the
trailer was effective because it
twisted reality into a nightmare
making the audience wonder if
that situation was real.
Insidious was intriguing to those that
answered our questionnaire because during
the trailer it showed some of the best scenes,
convincing the audience to watch the film in
order to find out what happens.
The main reason why
people enjoyed the
promotional campaign for
sinister was purely based on
the poster and how scary it
was. This is interesting as it
shows that movie posters
are still are prime way to
convince an audience to
watch a film.

10. Question 9: What do you find
the most effective about a
horror trailer?
Random jumpy
moments/scares.
When it makes you
scared straight
away.
The suspense; wanting to find out
what happens.
Gets you excited to see it.
When it comes to the end
of the trailer and you don’t
want it to end.
The plot and wanting to find
out what happens.
Background music/sound
effects.
The sting at the end of the
trailer, if it is really scary, the
audience won’t forget it.
If it has a good story line, it will
make you want to find out who the
killer is and the reason behind why
they are doing it.
All of these factors will help to contribute to our very own trailer. This question helped to give us an
insight of what the audience is looking for so we can help to fulfil their wants and needs.

11. Question 10: What is your favourite horror movie and why?
“It is so scary, every
time the movie has
ended I feel relieved
that it wasn’t real.”
“Even though it is old, it’s
a classic and keeps you
worried on every turn.”
“Would be exciting if it
was real, you want to
be living in the
characters world to
live through the purge”
“Ridiculously scary.” “It is what the title
suggests.”
By finding out what people’s favourite horror films are, it would help us to gain a bit of inspiration
towards our own. It puts us at an advantage as we now know what are audience like and we can adapt
that to our own promotional package.

12. Question 11: Which types of the following film content would
you find the most interesting?
Those answering the questionnaire had the options of: film reviews, interviews, exclusives and
competitions. Both film reviews and interviews got seven votes each. When it comes to making our own
film magazine front cover it would be worthwhile publishing the fact that there will be a review or an
interview of our film/about our film to entice readers to buy it and then to come along and watch the
film! However, interviews got six votes, so that could also be worthwhile to publish. However, no one
seemed to be very interested in competitions, therefore meaning that if a competition is going to be
available, it should not dominate the front cover, instead it should be in a puff so it is noticeable but not
the centre of attention.

13. Question 12: Who or what do you like to see the most in a
horror poster?
9 people said that they like to see the antagonist the most on a
horror poster. The antagonist would obviously attract a lot of
attention and audiences would like to see a still image of the killing
in action or perhaps just a close up to get a close look at the killer
himself, scaring them before they have even seen the trailer/film.
Secondly, people liked seeing the setting, it is very common in a
horror film poster that you will see somewhat of the setting in the
background, such as Insidious. This helps the audience to see
where the film itself takes place, and whether they think they will
like the location or not. The tagline was next, presumptuously
because it gives a further insight to the film and gives that little bit
more detail as to what the film is about. For example, ‘The Purge’
has the tagline of “one night a year, all crime is legal” this allows
the audience to know what the word purge means and then can
decide for themselves if it is a film they would like to see without
having to see the trailer to help them get a glimpse of what the film
is about. Lastly was the protagonist, audiences may like this as they
would be able to recognise the antagonists victims from the poster
and then keep a close eye on them in the film. This is common on a
few film posters, such as scream, whereby not one but a few of the
protagonists are presented on the front.