Research: Audience Questionnaire Results Analysis

The first question I asked was the gender of the participant. As I gave the questionnaire out randomly to 15 people I knew, there was no guarantee of having an equal gender ratio, however this result is more equal than I was expecting, with 60% of the participants being female and 40% of the participants being male. This means I do not have to worry too much about catering to a specific gender with my horror trailer and other media products.

The majority of participants are aged between 11 and 17 years with the second highest amount being aged between 18 and 29 years, these ages groups are the prime age groups for watching horror films, so it is good that the majority of participants were in these age brackets, as their opinions on horror and affiliated media products will be integral to the planning and creation of my own.

Most of the participants watch movies on a regular basis, this is important to me because the opinions of the participants become invalid if they do not watch films. Because the majority of participants watch films regularly they will have watched a lot of films and will have a strong opinion on what works best for films and what influences them to watch films in the first place, this means their opinions will be valuable to how I structure my trailer and other media products.

The next question on the questionnaire asked participants if they enjoyed watching movies. As expected over half of the participants said yes. It is important that the participants do enjoy watching films because otherwise they are not going to enjoy watching my film trailer.

After this question I aimed to get a more specific answer relevant to my project, so I asked the participants if they enjoyed watching horror movies. Just under half of the participants answered ‘Yes’ to this question and a further 17% of participants said ‘Sometimes’ with only 17% of participants answering ‘No’. This means that when the participants view my horror trailer they could be extra critical because the majority of them enjoy watching horror films and will therefore know what they like and dislike in a horror film. This will help me greatly in order to create a horror film trailer that will appeal to the masses.

Keen to find out more about the participant’s opinion’s on horror films and trailers I then asked the participants if a film trailer influences them to watch a movie. An incredibly large percentage answered ‘Yes’ meaning that my film trailer had to be really good for people to be interested in watching the whole film afterwards.

Next I asked if an actor’s appearance in a film influenced the participants to watch a particular film. To my relief the majority of the participants said that an actor’s appearance in a film only influenced them to watch the film in some cases. This means that the participants are not particularly bothered about who is cast in the film, they just prefer the film to be good. This also puts no pressure on me to secure A list actors for my film trailer!

After that I asked the participants if a poster for a film would influence them to watch the film. The most common answer for this question was ‘No’, with just over half of the participants saying this. Although the majority of participants said they were not influenced  by a film poster to then go and watch the film, just under half still are influenced somewhat, meaning that the creation of my film poster is still really important.

Then I went back to asking horror film focused questions. I asked what type of horror film the audience found most scary. The most popular answer was ‘Realistic’, therefore this confirmed my instinct that I should create a paranormal horror film trailer because this type of horror appears as though it could happen to anyone, and from the questionnaire I can see that this is in fact most scary to the participants.

I then asked the participants what their favourite genre of film is. This was the only open question I asked throughout the whole questionnaire because it wasn’t really appropriate to use open questions anywhere else. The most common answer was ‘Comdey’ however ‘Horror’ came in third place, meaning that at least some of the participants count horror as their favourite genre.

After that I asked the participants where they preferred to watch movies because sometimes some films work better shown in a cinema than at home and vice versa. Over half of the participants answered ‘At home’. This is a good result as the audience are more likely to find a horror movie scary if they are watching it at home than if they were at a cinema, this is because when the audience leaves a cinema they begin to think about other things than if they are at home.

They next question was where do you find out about new movies? 55% of participants answered that they found out about new movies through ‘TV trailers’. Other popular answers were ‘Online trailers’ and ‘Cinema’. This information helps me to find out where I should be aiming to show my film trailer in order to promote the film.

The last question I asked was if the participants read movie magazines. None of the participants said ‘Yes’ and the majority of them, 80% to be precise, answered ‘No’. This could be down to the fact that there are only 2 major movie magazines available in the UK on the newsstands, unlike music magazines, which I have previously studied, there is more of a variety, so it may be hard for the participants to find a movie magazine they like. With this information I can tell I need to make my movie cover as appealing as possible to the readers in order for the magazine to be purchased.

Research: Audience Questionnaire

I have created a questionnaire to hand out to people to determine the type of audience my film trailer, and other media products, will be aimed towards.  I have used mainly closed questions so that I can analyse the results easily and create graphs and charts based on the results. The questionnaire is as follows:

Gender

Male   [   ]     Female   [   ]

Age

Under 10   [   ]     11 – 17   [   ]     18 – 29   [   ]      30+   [   ]

How often do you watch movies?

Everyday   [   ]     Once a week   [   ]      Once a month   [   ]     Less than once a month   [   ]

Do you enjoy watching movies?

Yes   [   ]     No   [   ]     Sometimes   [   ]

Do you enjoy watching horror movies?

Yes   [   ]     No   [   ]     Sometimes   [   ]

Does a film trailer influence if you watch a film?

Yes   [   ]    No   [   ]     Sometimes   [   ]

Does an actor’s appearance in a film influence you to watch the film?

Yes   [   ]     No   [   ]     Sometimes   [   ]

Does a film poster influence you to watch the film?

Yes   [   ]     No   [   ]     Sometimes   [   ]

Which style of horror film do you find more scary?

Realistic   [   ]     Fantasy   [   ]     Both   [   ]

Which is your favourite genre of film?

_____________________________________

Where do you prefer to watch movies?

Cinema   [   ]     At home   [   ]      Online   [   ]     Other   [   ]

Where do you find out about new movies?

TV trailers   [   ]     Online trailers   [   ]     Magazines   [   ]     Cinema   [   ]

Do you read movie magazines?

Yes   [   ]     No   [   ]     Sometimes   [   ]

Research: Age Certificates

The British Board of Film Classification deals with giving films the correct age certificate  according to the film content. the BBFC is an independent and non-governmental body which has classified cinema films since 1912 when it was first set up, with video and DVD classification following in 1984 when the Video Recordings Act was passed. The BBFC have come up with six categories to classify films and they are:

U – Suitable for all
“It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. ‘U’ films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror. If a work is particularly suitable for a pre-school child to view alone, this will be indicated in the Consumer Advice.”

PG – Parental Guidance
“General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.”

12A/12 – Suitable for 12 years and over
“Exactly the same criteria are used to classify works at ‘12A’ and ‘12’. These categories are awarded where the material is suitable, in general, only for those aged 12 and over. Works classified at these categories may upset children under 12 or contain material which many parents will find unsuitable for them. The ‘12A’ category exists only for cinema films. No one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult, and films classified ‘12A’ are not recommended for a child below 12. An adult may take a younger child if, in their judgement, the film is suitable for that particular child. In such circumstances, responsibility for allowing a child under 12 to view lies with the accompanying adult. The ‘12’ category exists only for video works. No one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video work.”

15 – Suitable only for 15 years or over
“No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 may rent or buy a ‘15’ rated video work.”

18 – Suitable only for adults
“No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video work.”

R18 – To be shown only in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied only in licensed sex shops, and to adults of not less than 18 years
“The ‘R18’ category is a special and legally restricted classification primarily for explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and video works may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. ‘R18’ videos may not be supplied by mail order.”

More information on these classifications can be found at http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

I would like my film to be classified as a 15, therefore I will need to stick within these limits.

• Discrimination – The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour
• Drugs – Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable
• Horror – Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised
• Imitable Behaviour – Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamourised
• Language – There may be frequent use of strong language (for example, ‘f*ck’). The strongest  terms (for example, ‘c*nt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable
• Nudity – Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context
• Sex – Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable
• Theme – No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds
• Violence – Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification

Research: Horror Sub Genre – Paranormal

After looking at a number of sub genres associated with horror, I have decided to use the ‘paranormal’ sub genre for my media products, therefore I have decided to research this genre further.

Definition of paranormal

• adjective
  denoting events or phenomena such as telekinesis or clairvoyance that are beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding: a mystic who can prove he has paranormal powers

• (as noun the paranormal)
  an investigator of the paranormal

The paranormal sub genre of horror has become one of the most popular over recent years, with more and more horror movies being made to fit the conventions of this horror sub genre as it can appear incredibly realistic, and is sometimes even based on real life events. Paranormal horror films centre heavily around supernatural events and elements such as ghosts, Gods and miracles and deals with the unknown questions of life.

I have chosen to create a paranormal horror film trailer, magazine cover and movie poster because this appears to be a very popular sub genre of horror these days and focuses more on the fear of the unknown rather than make-up and effects to scare their audience.

Research: Horror Sub-Genres

Paranormal – this sub-genre deals with ghosts and supernatural events.

Paranormal Activity

Torture – this type of horror depicts a victim being brutally tortured by a villainous character.

Saw

Zombie – this sub-genre is fairly self explanatory, the main evil within the film is a group of zombies while victims, who are still alive, try to escape and fight them off.

28 Days Later

Psychological – this type of horror doesn’t usually have a structured narrative as it likes to confuse the audience.

The Blair Witch Project

Slasher – generally revolves around a psychopathic serial killer, it follows the killer stalking their victims and then carrying out violent attacks on them.

Child’s Play

Vampire – like the zombie sub-genre, this type of horror uses vampires as the main villains throughout the film.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Monster – this sub-genre usually depicts a struggle between a monster and a human with the monster appearing as the villain and the human appearing as the hero.

The Descent

Research: The History of Horror

1890s – 1920s

This is the time in which the first horror genre films we beginning to be made. Supernatural events occurred in several silent shorts made by Georges Méliès. His film Le Manoir du diable which translates as The Haunted Castle is often referred to as the first ever horror film.  Soon after, in the early 20^th Century the first monster was shown on screen, this was Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre-Dame. The first film with Quasimodo in was released in 1906, three more films featuring the monster followed in 1909, 1910 and 1911 respectively. German Expressionist film makers significantly influenced horror for a period of time soon after and the first vampire film was made in 1922. This was called Nosferatu and was an unauthorised adaptation of Dracula. By 1923 Hollywood had picked up on the horror genre creating versions of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in 1923, The Monster in 1925 and London After Midnight in 1927.

1930s – 1940s

In the early 1930’s Universal studios had begun to make horror films, the earliest of which were Dracula and Frankenstein both in 1931. Universal also produced The Mummy in 1932 which introduced Egyptology to the horror genre for the first time. Universal’s horror cycle continued into the 1940s where they produced The Wolf Man in 1942, this was not the first werewolf film but it has been touted as the most influential.   In was in this time period that certain actors became known for appearing in horror genre films and started to build their whole career on this, like Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.

1950s – 1960s

In this time period advances in technology were made allowed two sub-genres of horror to become apparent, these were the horror-of-armageddon and the horror-of-the-demonic films. During the late 1950’s Great Britain began to shine when it came to producing horror films, Alfred Hitchcock created the first slasher film in 1960 called Psycho. Another highly influential horror film of this time was Night of The Living Dead in 1968, concerning zombies. The film was made on a low budget but made $30 million internationally.

1970s – 1980s

In the early 1970s paranormal horror films began a rise in popularity. The Exorcist was released in 1973 and was followed by lots of films where the Devil represented the supernatural evil. Evil children and reincarnation also became popular themes for horror films during this time. The Omen in 1976 was also incredibly popular. Through the 1980’s more violent and slasher horror movies were made including Friday the 13^th in 1980 and A Nightmare On Elm Street in 1984.

1990s

The slasher theme continued through the first half of the 1990’s with sequels being made for A Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday the 13^th, Child’s Play and Halloween. Candyman in 1992 and The Dark Half in 1993 were part of a mini-movement described as metafictional horror films that liked to mix fictional horror with real life horror. However horror took a down turn during this time due the endless amount of slasher movies that had been made in the 1980s and the fact that the teen audience who enjoyed these movies so much had now grown up and moved on. To reconnect with this audience during the second half of the 1990s horror became more ironic and to some extent even parodic. The Scream movies began being released in 1996 and featured young characters who were aware and made references to the history of horror films.

2000s – 2010s

The beginning of the 2000s saw another quiet period for horror films. Psychological horror became popular with the likes of The Ring in 2002 and The Grudge in 2004 being released. However the most popular sub-genre of the 2000s has been zombie themed films. 28 Days Later in 2002 and Dawn of the Dead in 2004 both did incredibly well at the box office and a remake was made of the former. A return to graphic violence has also been accounted in the 2000s with the Saw franchise being the most famous. Updated remakes of older horror films have also proven worthy with today’s horror audience with Friday the 13^th and A Nightmare On Elm Street remakes doing well.

Research: The Definition of Horror

The Oxford English Dictionary states:

Definition of horror

noun

• 1 [mass noun] an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust:children screamed in horror
• a thing causing a feeling of horror:photographs showed the horror of the tragedy[count noun]:the horrors of civil war
• a literary or film genre concerned with arousing feelings of horror:[as modifier]:a horror film
• intense dismay:to her horror she found that a thief had stolen the machine
• [as exclamation] (horrors) chiefly humorous used to express dismay:horrors, two buttons were missing!
• [in singular] intense dislike:many have a horror of consulting a dictionary
• (the horrors) an attack of extreme nervousness or anxiety:the mere thought of it gives me the horrors

• 2 informal a bad or mischievous person, especially a child:that little horror Zach was around

Middle English: via Old French from Latin horror, from horrere ‘tremble, shudder’ (see horrid)

Research: Mind Map of Ideas

I have created a mind map of all the typical horror film forms and conventions, from here I can adapt my initial ideas to match up with a horror sub genre. The first mind map I created is very basic and I have scanned it onto my computer to post here. The second mind map i have made is an interactive one which has been created online, and has allowed me to put more information next to the points.

Mind Map One

Mind Map Two