Target audiences for social realism films include film fans who prefer serious films, as these films are often advertised in film magazines like "Sight and Sound" that target such audiences. Younger audiences are also a target, as social media is used to promote these films. Due to smaller budgets, social realism films use cheaper marketing methods like social media, festivals, and small independent cinemas rather than large theaters. The films aim to attract audiences interested in the social issues discussed, with factors like gender, ethnicity, age, and status determining which audiences connect with different topics.

1. Target Audience Research
By Grace Johansson

2. Audience Research
• Some examples of social realism distribution channels are Vertigo Films (London to Brighton),
the British Film Institute, Verve Pictures (Bullet Boy), Fox Film Corporation (Nil by Mouth).
• Social media, bus stop adverts and film festivals are often used as distribution channels to get
word out about social realism films, this is due to the fact that they do not usually have very big
budgets and so a TV advert would not always be possible.
• Social realism films are advertised in film magazines such as ‘sight and sound’ so that real film
fanatics can find out about the films if they want to watch a more hard hitting film that is more
realistic, also sight and sound has a target audience of people that want more serious films so
social realism directors are hitting their target audience by putting their films in film
magazines.
• Film festivals are a good way to gain attention because it gives film producers a chance to see
which films could be big or not.
• Social realist directors are aiming their films at younger audiences as they promote through
social media which most adults do not use very frequently, also older generations are less
likely to go to film festivals, therefore social realism films are aimed at teenagers and up to
people in their 30s.

3. Audience Research
• Social Realism films do not often play in cinemas, quite often they go straight to DVD or are
played in film festivals and small cinemas, social realism has a smaller, niche audience,
therefore social realism films are not big enough or high budget enough to be in big cinemas.
• Audiences are attracted through the issue discussed in social realism films, depending on the
issue discussed, audiences can be attracted due to gender, ethnicity, age and status.
• The advertising each director uses will determine which audience they are trying to reach,
social media reaches a younger audience, whereas by putting something on a bus stop sign you
are able to reach a wider audience of many ages. Films are marketed using cheaper methods of
marketing because the films have a smaller budget so they cannot afford large scale
advertising.
• The companies present themselves as professional so that they are more likely to be picked as
a distributor of the film.
• People who discuss social realism films are often fanatics of the social realism genre and enjoy
the serious and realistic tone of the genre.
• Information about social realism films is shared on websites like imdb and websites where
people can talk about their opinions on the film.