Evaluation Question 4 - Target Audience

Age: 15-25

Gender: Male/Female

Social Demographic: Working Class/Middle Class

Occupation: Students/Retail Jobs

Audience Demographics:

Age: To determine what age rating to use for ‘Mute’, I used the Radio Join Audience Research which is the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK. We gave our film an age rating of 15-25 years old. This age band was the most suitable for our film and target audience as it will contain scenes that is appropriate for them to see. Also they will relate to the main character as she is around 18 years old. The content will excite and engage the audience; using enigma codes as the main source. The storyline is quite confusing and mysterious which will also stimulate the target audience as their minds are very similar.

Socio-Economic Group:
The social class of the audience demographic would be grace E-C2. This is because students and are around the age to be allowed to watch it and would go with their friends and also lower classes want escape from their lives so they watch a thriller/horror film to watch other people who are worse than them.

Gender:

 Our opening sequence would be for males and females but possibly mostly females. Males would watch this as its action packed and stars an actress who is young and pretty; introducing the male gaze theory to ‘Mute’. Females would watch it because they can relate to Hannah’s emotions and could look at Hannah as a role model.

Ethnicity:

The main ethnicity for our film would be white. This is for many reasons, firstly, the main character is white so white audience members can relate and feel more for her, secondly, the antagonist is foreign so other ethnicities might be put off because of this and thirdly, the film will be shown in countries like England and America which is highly populated with white people.

Audience Theory:

The Uses and Gratifications theory is a technique used to understand why people seek our various media content for different purposes. ‘Mute’ falls into a few categories in this theory from ‘Escape’ to ‘Be entertained’ and ‘Be educated or informed’. 

• Escape: because the story is quite confusing and unique, people might want to have a break from their boring lives and indulge in something more exciting. 
• Be entertained: in the 21st century a lot of people watch thriller/horror films for fun and because its funny to watch people getting killed; apparently. The film is action packed and filled with many gory and scary moments that should entertain people. 
• Be educated or informed: throughout this film the social issue of kidnapping and sex trafficking if touched upon and can inform people about the consequences and what actually happens to kidnaped children; they turn into 'bad Hannah'.