Our target audience is teens aged 15 and up who enjoy horror movies. They have interests in technology like iPods, laptops, and Xbox. The film draws inspiration from movies like "The Ring" and "Shutter Island" with dark, moody posters. Feedback on our film opening praised the camera work, editing, and credits, but noted that the beginning could be improved and lighting was sometimes too dark. To appeal to teens, the film incorporates themes of paranoia and the paranormal common in thrillers, uses characters of teenage students, and handheld camera shots to create engagement. Music and a similar style to "The Blair Witch Project" also aim to appeal to this audience.

1. Target AudienceTarget Audience
Emily Welfare and Hannah KnightEmily Welfare and Hannah Knight

2. This mood board shows that our target audience are teens from the
age of fifteen and up. Our target audience would have to be into
horror movies and such to like our film, and would have to be
mature enough to see the content that it holds such as blood etc.
Most supernatural thrillers are certified as 15.

3. In the visual profile for our target audience, we chose to have an audience
that has similar interests to us. For example, we are interested in most
technological things such as iPods, laptops and xbox’s. They also must have
an interest in thriller and horror movies, since our film is within that genre
and therefore is relevant.

4. The films that we have compared with our films are ‘The Ring’ and ‘Shutter
Island’. The posters for these films are slightly different from each other. ‘The
Ring’ has a very boldly coloured poster, in order to highlight the ring around
the woman’s face. If our film had a specific item in it, we would do that very
same thing for our poster. ‘Shutter Island’ has a very dark and gloomy colour
scheme, which is the one we would most probably use due to it being a
horror-thriller. For a teenage horror-thriller, the poster would have to look
like both of these posters in order to interest a teenager.

5. Feedback - StrengthsFeedback - Strengths
“Camera Work” – People commented on how we used a range of camera work
throughout the film e.g. high angle, hand-held and that we kept the camera
steady.
“Editing” – Throughout the people asked, they liked how the hand-held camera
shot was established into the film and the use of the filter to create the effect of
CCTV. This also included the use of match on action and shot-reverse shot
that was included throughout the opening.
“Credit Sequence”- The font and style of the credits, the audience thought,
were well placed and professional.

6. Feedback - WeaknessesFeedback - Weaknesses
“Unclear at the end” – The ending of the film opening was unclear to some
people, however, I think that is a strength since it leaves questions about the
rest of the film, which is the job of a film opening.
Lighting – Comments such as “Bad lighting at times” and “It was too dark”
were made. To justify this, I think that this was caused by the limited camera
quality and it was partially intentional since it was the theme that we wanted to
set.
“Beginning scene wasn’t so good however later it grew better, so beginning
should’ve been improved”- The scene, which included the shot reverse shots
and establishing shot, I think, didn’t include enough range of shots during that
time e.g. distance of shots. I would improve this by including a few more shots
of a different range into the shot-reverse shot.

7. Genre ConventionsGenre Conventions
Themes
For our opening, we would tie in the paranormal and paranoia themes, the reason for this
is because no one knows what happened to the three characters, and one of the
characters seems inexplicably afraid. Paranoia is a common theme within thriller movies,
since it builds tension and suspense. Paranormal and horror types of thrillers are
common for teens.

8. Narrative
In order to link this movie with thriller, we had to include some of the typical
narratives. For example, we assume that the three characters were killed in the
beginning, because of the blood that is seen at the end of the opening. Murder
is a common aspect to a thriller film. There is also the aspect of ‘investigation’,
which is also a common narrative in thriller movies.

9. Iconography
A typical aspect to a thriller film would be abandoned places. We used this aspect in our
opening, using a factory in which we called ‘abandoned’ in order to tie in the thriller
requirements. Abandoned places and urban settings such as cities, common streets and such
are common in thriller films, which is why we used the urban setting of a school and street at
the beginning of the opening. School’s are more in touch with teenagers, and therefore will
make it more personal to them.

10. Iconography (continued)
In thriller films, props such as gadgets are often used. We applied this to our
opening, making one of the characters carry around a camera in order for the hand
held shots to make sense. Teenagers tend to use these types of technology often,
so it would interest them.

11. Characters
The characters are four teenagers, and therefore already puts the target audience
in touch with the film opening. The reason for this is that they are teenagers
themselves, so the overall outcome of the characters fates will feel much more
personal to them.

12. Media LanguageMedia Language
This appealed to the target audience because they liked the range in
editing and camera techniques which was the high angle shot and
the filter that was used to create the effect of a CCTV camera
watching them.

13. The Target audience liked the fact that we used a hand-held shot in the
movie because they thought that they could relate to the characters more
that way and that they could be in their point of view, where the action is.

14. I think that the camera angle of this shot was effective because
it looks like it took the place of the hand-held camera that fell
to the floor before. Also, I think that by using this angle, the
audience doesn’t see what the character saw so therefore, the
situation causes questions as to what may happen in the film.

15. MusicMusic
At approximately 1:20 into the opening I edited
the soundtrack so that it would create a more
dramatic film to increase the tension into the
opening. The music was to also create a more
creepy horror effect, or a paranormal effect,
applying to the popular genre in which teenagers
are most interested in. The reason we used this
music was to create a more suspenseful feel to
what will happen to the characters later on in the
opening.

16. Similarities With Other FilmsSimilarities With Other Films
Our film opening is quite similar to the ‘Blaire Witch Project’, since the
characters use a hand held camera in order to shoot the action from a more
personal point. Teenagers tend to watch films like Blaire Witch Project in order
to feel more personal with the movie, since it’s basically the point of view of the
person the whole way through. We wanted to use this in our movie so that the
target audience can feel more involved with the movie.
We also wanted to use Blaire Witch Project since the hand held shots do not
seem all that thrilling at first, until things are noticed when they are ‘accidentally’
filmed.

17. What Makes Our Film Different?What Makes Our Film Different?
We wanted the film to be a more personalized version ofWe wanted the film to be a more personalized version of
the typical thriller, adding in horror, psychologicalthe typical thriller, adding in horror, psychological
aspects, and mystery at the same time. We went a bitaspects, and mystery at the same time. We went a bit
out of thriller with the choice of characters, since theout of thriller with the choice of characters, since the
characters don’t tend to be teenagers or school students.characters don’t tend to be teenagers or school students.
We wanted to challenge ourselves and make a changeWe wanted to challenge ourselves and make a change
within our thriller film.within our thriller film.
Also, our film would be what one would call an indie film,Also, our film would be what one would call an indie film,
which is greatly welcomed in the modern world, sincewhich is greatly welcomed in the modern world, since
indie films have turned out to be some of the best filmsindie films have turned out to be some of the best films
so far!so far!