Evaluation - Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Before we began filming, we produced a treatment on Blogger to identify our target audience. We researched the BBFC website as well as looking at similar film ratings and came to the conclusion that our film would be a 15 due to the violence and scenes of drugs.

 

To begin filming our film we came up with a finalised plot idea, created a questionnaire and asked people in our classes around college their opinions on our storyline. We did a video questionnaire, which got us used to using the camera again, then posted the video on our blog.  

 

The results were positive therefore we knew our audience found our plot interesting so we got set to film our rough cut. Our audience helped us when choosing our age rating as we were undecided to being with. After research into age ratings along with the help from the video questionnaire, we were confident in what age rating we were going to use. We chose a 15 as after researching the BBFC website, we found that for 15 there can be uses of strong language, portrayals of nudity/sexual activity and drug taking. Although our film doesn't involve all of these, it involves drugs and murder therefore would push it to a 15 rather than a 12.

 

Rough Cut
 

 

We released a rough cut on YouTube for our audience to suggest any last minute alterations such as
preferred camera shots and music. We also published our rough cut to see if our audience could follow the narrative easily and understand the non-linear structure.
 

Our audience suggested that we needed to add music, in particular 'spooky' and 'eerie' music which we agreed on as it would increase the tension we wanted to create in our film. Answers also included the removing of some shots as they weren't needed and just elongated the scene, slowing down the pace therefore lacking tension. We then knew for our finalised film that we needed to use more jump cuts and shorter length shots in order to appeal and create tension for our audience.
 

A third and final questionnaire was produced after we published our final film. The results were very positive and we were very pleased with our target audience responses. In our previous rough cut questionnaire, the problem was that we needed to add spooky music which we did and 10/10 responses said it fitted our genre, all answering 'Yes' to the question, 'Does the music create tension?' This is exactly how we wanted our audience to feel therefore proving our film successful.





 

Various music was used throughout the film to interest and scare the audience. We use intense music at intense moments in the film to fit with the audiences reactions. Without the music, the audience wouldn't have felt as on edge or frightened therefore our film wouldn't have fulfilled the hopes of our target audience. However, the music does have an impact on the audience which intensifies the suspense and builds up the storyline.

 

In order for the audience to understand what is happening in the film, we used various shots, angles and framing to indicate our message. In the opening, we use a drug deal to show the audience the genre and context of the film and to get them interested in who the people are and why they are buying drugs. We didn't want our audience getting confused due to the non-linear narrative therefore costumes were essential for the audience to identify the characters. Joel (our dominant male killer) wears a hooded dark jumper, hiding his face, showing his mystery from the outset for the audience to understand.

 

We wanted our audience to be frightened yet still have sympathy for the victim, so we used a shot of Loren using emotion (screaming worriedly) to help the audience sympathise and feel part of the film;  a reaction we wanted from our audience. Throughout we used fast paced jump cuts, pans and POV shots to portray what is going to happen. Fast shots and fast paced music adds to the tension, leaving the audience in suspense. We entwine these shots with a longer length shots to keep the audience on edge as they can predict after a long shot, something quick and fast is going to happen.

 

Overall I think our audience has showed us that our uses of stereotypical codes and conventions of horror films have proven successful. I am happy with the feedback from the final film as everyone asked had something very positive to say about it. I am also very happy with the way the poster and the radio trailer fit with the film and how they appeal to the audience. Various research went into what audiences look for in posters and radio trailers and I believe ours appeals greatly to our audience, and fits with the theme of our film.