5 ATTRACTING & ADDRESSING AUDIENCES

5. Attracting & Addressing Audiences

I learnt from my research into how film companies distribute films, for example, from the case studies I did into current films such as The Hunger Games (a Hollywood blockbuster) and through tracking other films such as What We Did On Our Holiday (a smaller distribution strategy for a national target audience). Distributors use a range of tools such as trailers, P&A, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and a film website in order to reach their target audiences who all use social media and the internet. 

Therefore, our group decided to adopt similar strategies to attract & address our audiences, as we set out below: 

Our target audience is made up of young adults who would be interested in the subject matter of our film because they could relate to the age of the protagonist (Winter Jones) who is an 18 year old girl who now is in a vulnerable position because she no longer has her parents. The sort of thing that happens to her is what the average teenager would dread: to have lost their parents as a result of violent crime and to be stalked by criminals. 

I think that our film opening would hook my audience's attention because of the gradual build up to a gripping climax which also ends of a cliff-hanger making the audience want to see more. The protagonist is played by an attractive actress who appears ordinary yet appealing. 

FACEBOOK

We made a Facebook page to grab the attention of our target audience. It is also a useful way to receive feedback back from others to help us develop our film. I invited audiences to comment on 10 Years (our movie). Facebook is an efficient way to interact with our audience. 

On our Facebook page, I hope to achieve regular posts and updates on our progress, photos of shoots, links to an interactive app, links to our website, Instagram and Twitter pages. We are also planning to include posters of our film. Facebook allows us as a film company to send out questionnaires and get feedback quickly from fans. People can also invite others to "like" the page.

TRAILER

When researching distribution techniques, I found a trailer was extremely important in creating a buzz. I have copied this, and created a trailer for our film "10 Years". Even though this is not a complete film, through all the main features of a trailer, such as music adding tension I have created one.

The trailer makes people intrigued for whats to come next. I would post this onto our website, Instagram, Facebook and twitter (in which I have).

WEBSITE

The website, again is a extremely important area for the distribution of attracting an audience. This is an area which is all about your film and I created a website for our film to address our audience and create buzz before the release. This is a digital form of distribution. Now our fans can feel fully involved in the production of the film. 

As a group, we came up with the prototype website, in which underpins all the information a viewer would need. There is a clear, enigmatic image which is also the poster picture for the film, a gallery which will also display other professional pictures I have taken as photographer. 

When reseaching I also understood how important an online game or app is for a film, it can also interact with much younger children.

APP

I created another prototype of the app/ online game in which the film would produce, named "FIND AMBERLEIGH". Online games and apps are fast becoming very successful in attracting and addressing a younger audience. The design and layout also follows the same font and picture as the film, so there is clearly a similar relation. I found out about how this is now a very successful method through my research on Hunger Games.

In this particular app, the aim is to be the detective and try and find Amberleigh yourself. There will be various prizes and levels, revealing more about the upcoming film.

INSTAGRAM

I created and managed the Instagram account for our media film. Instagram is one of the most used apps, and allows you to follow, like and comment on other peoples pictures. On this particular Instagram account, I wanted it to make the viewer feel special, so only uploaded behind the scenes videos and pictures. I also added hashtags which attracted other audiences who perhaps were searching that particular hashtag.

Pictures I uploaded showed actresses, directors and outtakes from editing. I also reminded people it "was not long now", which added climax and hopefully would lead them to watching our trailer or using another seems of our social media for attracting or addressing the audience.

TWITTER

I made a Twitter page to generate advance interest from our target audience and to elicit feedback back from others to help us develop our film. We invited  audiences to comment on 10 Years (our movie). Twitter is good for making the followers feel important. Thanks to web 2.0 technology, the web is now interactive and consumers are often producers.

On my Twitter feed I like to update it with photos of the characters and of the film sets and of the progress of the film. Again, twitter is another useful area were I like to use hashtags. 

MERCHANDISE

A new way of attracting and addressing an audience is through merchandise. When researching "The Hunger Games", I was impressed with the number of copies they had sold for the soundtrack. Likewise wristbands and T-Shirts where the other highest selling mechanise. These would have a picture or saying from the film, and would demonstrate the fan from within.

Because of this, I have drafted very ruff copies of a T-Shirt and wristband the film "10 Years" would have. The catchphrase would most likely be "Where's Amberleigh?". 

I have presented these ruff copies below using the app Moldiv.

POSTER

When it came to our poster for our film, I took the role as the photographer and director of shoot. When it came to editing Tammy took on this role as she has many skills using using photoshop.

The picture, I feels underpins a narrative and is enigmatic. I made sure when taking the photos I left space for writing and small images of social media to be placed.