Audiences and Institutions Blog Post

1. Based off of your genre convention research, what is the normal targeted audience for films within your chosen genre? Please strive to give as many demographic details as possible. What is your targeted audience for your film? Again, please give as many specific demographic details as possible. Is your targeted audience the same as your genre as a whole, why or why not? Do you think the targeted audience of the genre will help it continue to be successful in the future? Any other relevant details about target audiences for either your genre or your film. (18-20 sentences)

    The normal targeted audience for films of the mystery genre tends to gravitate towards young adults, with sources listing age targets as 15-40 years old. A core audience is found in those who are older than 25 and because mystery films may include violence, blood, etc., it would not be suitable for ages under 13, depending on how one views the appropriate age for more mature themes and content. Because mystery films could contain strong language in addition to violence, this also reinforces why mainstream mystery films are geared towards older teenagers and up. Mystery films can also be appealable to both males and females, as a film will feature male and female characters that could draw (in theory) males and females to the box office. A variety of reasons exist for both genders being pulled to watch a mystery film. It could be whether audiences wish to see character development and progression, seeing the thrill of a mystery being slowly burned and solved, or the emotional connections that one may feel watching a mystery film. There is no research or findings available online to quantify the breakdowns of race, ethnicities, or related details and demographics on viewer figures for mystery films. 

    My target audience does conform to the general audience based on research, however, my intention is that the film can be appealable to not just a core age range, but ages 13 and up in general (granted, 13 or 14 might be a little too young to understand corruption, but the thrills could still be present). The reason is that since the film would take place in the local area using local settings, it could be one that is intended more for the local audience to appreciate their surroundings and present a positive image. A core audience of 15-40 year old persons is a suitable target to extract the best possible interactions between a film and possible audiences, but those above the age range are also interested if there is also targeting of niche groups of individuals who like solving puzzles, critical thinking, etc.

    I think the targeted audience for the mystery genre will continue to be successful as long as the target market continues to exist. Consumers and viewers may be attracted to mystery films as they watch in curiosity of what happens next. This is similar how novel readers keep reading a book because they are interested to find out what happens next, how the plot develops, how the character develops, and (if possible) a satisfying resolution. Such elements help pull the consumer into the world of the novel itself and give them a higher sense of appreciation for the content they consumed and understood what occurred. This is examined through the lens of Roland Bathes' enigma code theory, where the content poses a question to the audience to ask themselves, making the content more intriguing which spurs an audience to continue reading, watching, listening, etc. Because of this, the audience is left to guess and try to figure out who committed any crimes, murders, and events that caused the plot of the film/novel to be set in motion. It is also arguable that as long as authors continue to write mystery novels, there are chances that it could be adapted into films. An example of novel-adapted mystery films are Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. Especially if an author is famous and is well known and a novel is well received, this could lead to a project where a novel is adapted into a film. 

2. Based off of your research of your targeted audience for your film, now you must come up with a plan of how you want to reach them to make them aware of your film. To start, please research and describe what other movies within your genre have done before in terms of a marketing campaign. Please be as specific as possible with these details. Now, with your target audience in mind, what do you think is the best way to promote your film? Please list strategies and ways with information backed by research that would be successful in reaching your target audience. Be as detailed as possible. (18-20 sentences).

    With a target audience in mind, it is important to remember that the confines of this will stick to realism and this is not a creative exercise, but how realistically this film would be marketed to a target audience. Other films like Murder on the Orient Express (old and remake) and Knives Out used trailers to captivate audiences to watch the film. More modern film releases like Death on the Nile (2022) and Knives Out and it's sequels could also use social media to promote the film. Social media engagements could range from anything on X/Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, etc. to interact with prospective audiences and also get viewers excited for the release of the film. For example, actors from films may do Ask Me Anything videos that are posted on YouTube for audiences to learn more about the actors featured in the film. Classic ways to market films include movie posters, which would include the title name, an eye-catching graphic, and possibly a catchphrase/some sort of interactive phrase that hints of what the movie could be about to intrigue audiences. This can be done for both new and older films released back in the day to interact with audiences. Modern films may also use media appearances such as late-night TV for cast members and producers to raise awareness of the film with an audience and boost publicity as audiences also learn more about those who made and starred in a film. There may also be sneak peeks, teasers, and debuts at film festivals to show audiences what the film is before it's big release to the general public, something that Knives Out executed. As a whole, the advent of technology in the digital age has helped producers and studios expand their marketing reach to easily access masses of consumers at once and doing so efficiently.

    My target audience in mind is geared towards the 15-40 years old age range, who are currently individuals of Generation Z and Millennials, the business marketing website BeeLiked states that social media is and will continue to be a powerful tool to market to these age demographics. It cities Pew Research Center that Millennials are most likely to get news from social media, how this age group is the largest on social media, and that 93% of those in this group own a smartphone. Citing Forbes, BeeLiked also states that Generation Z individuals consume the most video content, along with accounting for nearly 40% of mobile users. With this consumption of media content and apps like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels, it is possible that short form trailers, clips, etc. can be posted in these formats for these consumers to scroll through and watch if they are interested for promoting the final project film to the target audience. Forbes also mentions how Gen Z individuals interact with a variety of screens. They do not just use phones, but use devices such as tablets, TVs, and laptops for consuming media. Global Web Index is also cited that 69% of those in this age group own a laptop. BeeLiked also emphasizes the need for marketing campaigns to stay grounded and where they can relate to audiences, especially millennials. Social media is undoubtedly one of the most powerful tools to leverage in promotion, but it is also important to consider the human aspect of in-person face to face promotions. This can take the form of advertising at community events (being a community oriented film) and gatherings, where lots of individuals in and around the local community descend on a small area for events such as street festivals. If possible and if businesses allow, hanging up movie posters and cross-promotions could also be a feasible strategy to promote awareness of the film. This strategy takes up the passive aspect of marketing where it could be noticed by passing consumers and individuals who may take interest. Due to the small-scale intentions and production of the film, TV ads would most likely be out of the question, but film festivals and possibly getting a mention on local news channels and websites are still a possibility.