Audience Identification

’The Art of Distraction’

Socio demographic grouping

• We have agreed to target socio-demographic groups A-C1. This is because

we believe you have to be fairly intelligent to decode the meanings in our

production. People in groups lower than C1 would typically look for high

production values, with many special fx, and not a narrative heavy

production like our film.

age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality

• Our age target audience is 16-50 year olds. This is because there are characters that relate to this demographic within our production. For example, younger audience members could idolize Matthew Jenson, identifying him as a cool character due to lack of emotion and trendy checkered suit.

• Our film is aimed equally at men and women. For men, the potential gratification of guns and violence through Carter’s line ‘take her down’ would cure the inadequacy of boredom with excitement in Richard Dyer’s utopian solutions theory. For women, the complex narrative and relationships surrounding characters would prove intriguing, and it would be attractive to see a fellow female in Emma Wolf having power and status.

• The actors in our film were predominantly white, and our all powerful representing the white race as powerful. However, there are not any particular negative or positive connotations of other races or ethnic groups.

• Unlike other Spy-thrillers women are not represented as a prize, simply an assistant or weak and vulnerable. Instead we have used enigma coding to create an uncertainty around Wolf, as her red dress and seductive nature contradicts the suggested power she has over Jenson due to his scared reaction when he sees her. Overall men are still represented as more powerful to to the aura of Carter from the moment we see the mise en scene in his office.

Media Grouping

• Our audience would enjoy consuming TV Drama’s/Thrillers with a complex

narrative to decode, as they like to be challenged. This could include series

such as Luther or Orange is the new Black.

Psychographic profiling

• We would aim our production at explorers and achievers.

• Explorers want to explore a complex narrative, which are film can offer, as well as

enigma coding, as they can be engaged trying to work out the relationship between

Jenson and Wolf, as it is unclear through Jenson’s facial expressions.

• Achievers would want to watch our film as they can relate to the ambitious

characters, such as Carter and Jenson. Also, the setting of London is associated with

success and business, which is something achievers may associate themselves with.

Gratifications/pleasures

• The Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications applies to our film as our target audience need to be informed and educated about the world around them. Our film can do exactly that by educating them about the criminal underworld, suggested by the grungy, graffiti based setting.

• They could also identify with characters Jenson and Wolf, as our main target demographic are young. The audience would think about themselves in the same tricky situations as Jenson and Wolf.

• The audience would definitely find themselves entertained by our text as narrative is engaging at all times, as well as the interesting mise en scene, which feels out of place, and makes the audience intrigued.

• Our film opening could definitely be talked about in social interaction. Whether it be about other people’s interpretation of the relationship between Jenson and Wolf, or the overwhelming cool aura of Ray Carter.

• Our opening provides the gratification of escapism as the audience can become immersed in the relationships between the characters, and have to stay focused at all times to keep up with the twists and turns in the plot.

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory

• We wanted to target Maslow’s need of love/belonging with our film opening.

This is because the narrative is so strong, as well as being believable, so that

the audience can feel like they belong in the world of our film for the

duration of watching it.