This document analyzes the validity and potential biases of feedback received on a student film project from four audience samples: 1) the student's class teacher, 2) a small group from the class, 3) a Facebook friend, and 4) YouTube demographics on views. Each sample is evaluated based on size, potential for influenced or biased opinions, and how representative they are. The student concludes that obtaining feedback directly from cinema-goers would have provided a larger, more statistically significant sample than those used.

1. Validity of my Feedback –
Research Activity
Abbie Murray

2. Introduction
To look into the validity of my feedback, I decided to
treat the findings as a research project.
In order to do this I thought that it would be
significant to choose 4 different types of audience
that gave me feedback and use them as an example
for the other pieces of feedback that I received.
The audience samples that I will use are the
feedback from my teacher, a group from my class, a
Facebook friend and YouTube demographics.

3. Audience Feedback Samples
Audience Sample 1 – Class Teacher
“Good low angle views of car – car
crash convincing”
- Female, Manchester
Audience Sample 2 – Class Group
“Confused on what’s the main threat
of the film”
- Mixed Genders, 17-18, Manchester
Audience Sample 3 – Facebook friend
“Awesome. Definitely gives me the
creeps. Good narrative and typical
horror conventions that make you
want more  well done xo”
– Female, 19, Manchester
Audience Sample 4 – YouTube
demographics
254/264 views were from United
Kingdom

4. Audience sample size
Audience Sample 1 – Class Teacher
This feedback comes from my teacher only and
so represents one opinion. This is fairly valid as
it proves to demonstrate a view that has not
been corrupted by the ideas of someone else.
Audience Sample 2 – Class Group
The class group that I have analysed were a
group of 4 that will have shared opinions before
giving us their feedback. This could suggest that
as a group they may have influenced each
others opinions.
Audience Sample 3 – Facebook friend
This feedback comes from one person that has
commented on the link that I posted onto my
Facebook. This is fairly valid as it again proves to
demonstrate a view that has not been
corrupted by the ideas of someone else.
However, this person could have possibly
looked at the feedback given from others that
have commented before them and in that way
been influenced by opinion.
Audience Sample 4 – YouTube
demographics
The YouTube demographics are more valid than
the other sources of feedback in terms of
sample size as we can see who has watch the
trailer the most from which country on a larger
scale. However, the number of views acts as the
sample size here and this could be invalid in
terms of whether they actually watched the
whole trailer.

5. Issues of bias within my audience
Audience Sample 1 – Class Teacher
Bias is not much of an issue coming from my class
teacher as when they are giving us feedback, they are
being very critical considering that this is a piece of
work that they are going to mark.
Audience Sample 2 – Class Group
The class group may feel that they cannot criticise the
piece considering that they know us, making their
feedback bias. However, because we were being
constructive in criticising as a group, their feedback
may be more truthful and valid.
Audience Sample 3 – Facebook friend
Because the person that is giving me feedback is a
friend, it is a possibility that their opinion is biased.
The fact that they are posting their opinion in front of
other people on my Facebook page could reflect a
sense of invalidity in that they may be making their
content as positive as possible.
Audience Sample 4 – YouTube
demographics
The YouTube demographics however, are probably the
most un-bias of the whole feedback. Because we
cannot view who actually gave us the feedback, the
views act as a valid strategy as to who is watching the
trailer in which country.
However, the fact that most views come from the
United Kingdom is somewhat bias in itself as these
views could come from the views that are linked to
each of our Facebook pages, proving that it is our
friends that are watching.

6. How you could ensure your audience research was
more statistically significant if you had to conduct it
again?
If we could conduct our feedback again, then there are
certain ways in which we could ensure that it was more
statistically significant.
An idea that we could have used was to visit a cinema
screening of a horror film where we asked people going
in the screen to watch our trailer via smart phone.
Although, they are not getting a full viewing
experience, this is a contemporary and original way of
getting feedback and promoting content without any
cost.