Audience Feedback

I asked five people from my target audience to watch my pitch, I deliberately chose people who were much different in age so that it covered my target audience range of 15-55 years old. Firstly I asked my brother Scott who is aged 15 therefore fits in with the youngest age I will be targeting. From the feedback I received from him it seems like that age group would like watching crime thrillers and would be suitable, they are not too young. If he hadn't given me positive feedback or watched crime thrillers I would consider changing the minimum age to 12. Secondly I asked my mother Tracey who is 48 years old which is more towards the upper end of the target range; she also liked the pitch idea which suggests a mature age group can enjoy the crime thriller genre as well. I asked my two friends Josie and Kathryn who are both 17 years old which represents the elder teenager and suggest this is a good target audience as the cast will most likely be teenagers therefore they will be able to relate to the characters. I asked my father Chris who is 52 years old which is nearly the maximum target age and he seemed to watch a wide range of crime thrillers which suggests this is also a suitable age group. I have asked 2 males and 3 females so I could get opinions from both genders, from the feedback I have received 3 people preferred pitch 1 and 2 people preferred pitch 2 therefore there has been positive feedback on both ideas.

Target Audience

My target audience 
My target audience is people who enjoy watching thrillers and I will incorporate crime to create a crime thriller genre which will appeal to both males and females. Stereotypically these types of films may be targeted more towards males due to their rough nature however I want mine to appeal to women as well to broaden my audience. Usually crime thrillers would be aimed at a more mature audience due to the references to violence and language choice. The certificate for this type of film is normally 15 according to the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) therefore my target audience would mainly be between 15 and 55 year olds as teenagers, young adults and adults are likely to be attracted to the characters and content as it will involve elements of action and will keep the audience guessing. However it will not be suitable for those under the age of 15 as the content will be too aggressive and it is unlikely that this type of film would be popular with the elderly for the same reason. 

JICNAR Scale
Group A (professionals)
Upper middle class, e.g. barristers 

Group B (Managerial) 
Middle class, e.g. Bank managers

Group C1 (Non-manual)
Lower middle class, white collar workers, e.g. Office workers

Group C2 (Manual) 
Skilled working class, blue collar workers, e.g. Car mechanics

Group D (Partly skilled)
Semi or unskilled manual workers, e.g. Assembly line workers

Group E (Unskilled)
Casual workers or students 

My target audience will not necessarily fit into one group on the JICNAR scale because a crime thriller film has a mainstream audience which appeals to a wide range of people. The film may appeal to Group A professionals as they are not used to crime in their own lifestyles because of their class and status therefore it's something new for them to experience. However it may also appeal to Group E casual workers or students where crime is more prominent as the younger ages and lower classes are more stereotypically involved in crime and they can relate to certain aspects such as gangs. Films are used for entertainment purposes and used to pass the time, therefore it is important that a film can have a wide target audience in order for it to achieve the greatest success. 

Questions to ask my target audience

1. Do you enjoy watching crime thrillers and which existing films do you like?
2. Did you prefer pitch idea 1 or 2?
3. Why did you prefer that particular one?
4. Which elements of pitch idea 1 did you like and why?
5. Which elements of pitch idea 2 did you like and why?
6. What else do you think could be added or incorporated to improve the pitch ideas?
7. Do you think either of these ideas should be made into a film and why?
8. Would the film titles 'Dispatch' or 'Captive' intrigue you to watch the crime thriller?

Initial Pitch

Initial Ideas

Genre
I am thinking of creating a crime thriller which would involve elements of mystery and suspicion to create suspense which is the main aim. The crime could potentially be a wide range of things such as money, drugs, extortion, hostage taking, murder, theft, smuggling, torture, riots or robbery. Examples of existing films which have the genre of crime thriller include; Sin City, Need for Speed, Pulp Fiction, Taken and Prisoners. It is important that I begin to think about characters, location and mise-en-scene so that I can be realistic about my ideas as the budget of my trailer will be nothing. Crime thrillers often focus on the criminals and their activities leading up to the actual crime or in retrospect the ending of the film leading back to how it all started and they usually emphasis action over psychological aspects. The thriller and suspense part of the film are known to promote intense excitement, a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty and nerve-wracking tension. The main goal is to keep the audience at the 'edge of their seats' as the plot builds to a climax. 

Film idea storyline one:
A briefcase containing a mystery item needs to be transported to a secret location by midnight in 24 hours. The briefcase is constantly passed between different people who are part of the secret society however it is stolen by an outsider. Therefore it's a race against time to retrieve the briefcase to hand to the boss before the deadline, otherwise there will be disastrous consequences. 

Characters
The Boss - Shady, mysterious, unknown, intimidating 
Shayne Walterson - Leader of secret society, in charge, intelligent
Ashton Roach - Member of secret society, assists leader, serious, strong
Jed Gregory- Steals briefcase, daring, smart, fast, brave, independent 

This supports Todorov's theory of equilibrium, disequilibrium and a new equilibrium as there will be disruption and conflict in the middle which causes the suspense and excitement and the issue will finally be resolved, however it won't be the same as the beginning. 

Film idea storyline two:
A young girl gets kidnapped at a train station, however it is conducted quickly and quietly. Her boyfriend calls her, her phone is on the platform floor. The kidnappers contact him and say they are keeping her hostage until he can pay them for the drugs he is in debt for plus interest otherwise she will die. He must go on a mission to rescue her and sort out his problems that are endangering his loved ones.

Characters 
Dan Bryant - The boyfriend, determined, protective, strong, 
Mollie Perry-  The girlfriend, vulnerable, scared, weak
Kidnapper 1/2 - Violent, aggressive, short-tempered, fearless 

This supports Levi-Strauss and Barthes theory of binary opposites, good vs evil, as the main character must decide whether to carry out the crime to protect his loved ones or find a way to defend the innocent. 

Media Theorists

Feedback

I received some verbal and written feedback from Mr Farr which gave me an idea of what grade I am working at so far and how I can improve. This is useful as there are specific points that I can develop, add or change to get the best possible grade. 

Genre Research

Action Thriller Films

The Purge

Cast
Ethan Hawke- James Sandin
Lena Headey- Mary Sandin
Max Burkholder- Charlie Sandin
Adelaide Kane- Zoey Sandin

Institutional information
The Purge was written and directed by James DeMonaco and involved a few production companies such as; Blumhouse Productions, Platinum Dunes, Media Rights Capital and Why Not Productions. The film was distributed by Universal Pictures and had the budget of $3 million. It premiered at the Stanley Film Festival on May 2nd 2013 and was released in theatres on June 7th 2013 in the USA. At box office it made $89,328,627 and then it was available for home media purposes on DVD and blu-ray on October 8th 2013 where it generated $11,371,583 in total domestic video sales.

Narrative
In an America wracked by crime and overcrowded prisons, the government has sanctioned an annual 12-hour period in which any and all criminal activity - including murder - becomes legal. The police can't be called. Hospitals suspend help. It's one night when the citizenry regulates itself without thought of punishment. On this night plagued by violence and an epidemic of crime, one family wrestles with the decision of who they will become when a stranger comes knocking. When an intruder breaks into James Sandin's gated community during the yearly lockdown, he begins a sequence of events that threatens to tear a family apart. Now, it is up to James, his wife, Mary, and their kids to make it through the night without turning into the monsters from whom they hide.

Iconography/Mise-en-scene/Genre
The Purge is classified as a horror, thriller film because it features conventions of both genres. The iconography we expect to see in a horror film includes; blood, violence, murder, 'jumpy' scenes and weapons. The Purge makes use of costumes and props which portray the element of horror, for example long 'scary' masks are worn by some of the characters to show their role as a 'villain' which is a clear distinction so the audience can follow the narrative easily. The tension and shock within the trailer links to the thriller part as the audience feel anxious and 'on-edge' when viewing it. For example, the house are locked down and props such as guns are used to suggest violence and force. 

Sound

The trailer begins with a slow, soft piano soundtrack which reflects the innocence of society in America. There is a sharp, distorted sound effect when the inter-title says 'Because one night a year' which suggests there is disruption. The soundtrack becomes more spooky and tense as gun, punching and kicking sound effects are used to show violence. It drastically builds up portraying aggressiveness and then cuts out when the Universal logo is shown. There is only dialogue which ensures that it is the main focus and the audiences attention is completely drawn to 'tonight, it allows people a release'. Another sound affect is used to convey the sharpening of weapons which again suggests violence, anger and hatred. A low, quiet soundtrack in the background and continues to throughout the trailer, it builds and stops regularly. Then a police siren plays and fire noises which suggests crime and danger which builds suspense for the audience. When the house is put into lockdown the sound effect portrays the heavy doors and shutters used for protection and defence. There is more dialogue in the form of a broadcast which is used as a warning,  short alarms are continuously played for a few seconds to signify risk. There is a lengthly siren when the purge begins and then dialogue from the character turns to shouting and begging because they are fearful and helpless. Once the homeless man has been let into the house, there are two doorbell sound effects as two inter-titles appear. Choir music begins to play which is seen as freaky and scary as the purgers approach which gets louder.  

Editing/camera angles 

A wide shot of the family sitting around the dining room table is used to portray happiness and calmness and shows they have a close relationship which is reflected by the soundtrack that accompanies it. At the start there is a lot of fading used, which fades to black and inter-titles to separate the video for a slow pace. This allows there to be a gradual increase of suspense and for the editing to speed up to show the violence later on in the trailer.

A close up shot of an object of significance is used here to show the sharpening of weapons which reflects danger and bad intentions. This shot is used quite early on in the trailer but not for long which starts to give the audience clues of the storyline. After this quick shot it fades to black which can imply passage of time, change in location or emphasising a connection such as the characters feelings. In this case it seems to be a change in location due to the destruction in the streets and also that some time has passed as the violence seems to take place at night.

This is a reversed over the shoulder shot which is used to scare the audience and make them feel on edge and anxious for the female character. This is towards the very end of the trailer and then there is a sudden scream and the video cuts to a black screen which is purposely used to make the audience jump. 

Now You See Me

Cast
Jesse Eisenberg - J. Daniel Atlas 
Mark Ruffalo - Dylan Rhodes
Woody Harrelson - Merritt McKinney 
Isla Fisher - Henley Reeves 
Dave Franco - Jack Wilder

Institutional information
Now You See Me was directed by Louis Leterrier and had the budget of $75 million. The film was successful and made $351,723,989 at box office after it had been distributed by Lionsgate (a Canadian-American entertainment company) and it's subsidiary Summit Entertainment. The film was released on May 31st 2013 and critics gave mixed reviews because of the incomplete ending, IMDb gave the movie 7.3/10 stars where as the average rating on Rotten Tomatoes was 5.7/10. It was then released for home media purposes, on DVD and blu-ray on September 3rd 2013 where it received $24,816,921 from sales.

Narrative
Four talented magicians are brought together by an unknown benefactor, they start to perform high-tech, high-profile magic shows, first amazing audiences by remotely robbing a Paris bank while in Las Vegas, and then exposing a white-collar criminal and funneling his millions into the audience members' bank accounts, baffling the authorities with their intricately planned capers. FBI Agent Dylan Rhodes is determined to make the magicians pay for their crimes and tries to stop them before they pull of a magnificent heist. But he's forced to partner with Alma, an Interpol detective about whom he is instantly suspicious. They start to think that there may be someone behind the scenes, who has done all the planning.

Iconography/Mise-en-scene/Genre 
We expect certain 'genre indicators' to be seen within the film, for example the iconography of a crime film would be guns, cars, drugs, weapons, money. In a mystery film we expect to see hand/foot prints, weapons, yellow police tape, tents and detectives. In an action/thriller film we anticipate car chases, explosions, violence, gadgets and weapons. Semantic elements are used to convey these genres in Now You See Me. The lighting in the trailer changes, it mostly makes use of natural lighting however it low key lighting is apparent in their shows which makes it more mysterious. Locations such as an arena, apartment, an investigation room, a bridge give it variety and makes it more interesting than just having one place where it is set.  Props such as the cards and scarves are used to portray the 'magic'. Bank notes, the volt, chains/handcuffs and police cars represent the crime. The fast cars, explosion/fire, helicopter and guns represent the action. Now You See Me is a crime, mystery, thriller film which overlaps a few types of genre to create an innovative idea which uses conventions of each individual genre type and puts them together. In this particular film the crime is the bank heists, the mystery is a surprise twist at the end which is not expected and the thrilling parts involve car chases and fights between the characters.  This also involves the conventions of an action film as there are guns, explosions, helicopters etc which is evident in the screenshots taken from the trailer below;

Sound
As the trailer begins there is a sound effect which builds up suspense and makes the audience feel excited and grabs their attention which is important to maintain their interest. There are loud, deep bursts of sound which starts the trailer , they fade quickly to entice the audience and create an element of mystery. A voice over says 'Come in closer, because the more you think you see' while the sound continues to build up quickly and becomes more high pitch and then suddenly comes to a halt where it becomes silent for a few seconds to add emphasis to 'the easier it will be to fool you'. After this an upbeat, pop soundtrack begins to accompany a montage of the film, the music reflects their success during their shows which gets a lot of positive attention. The sound track suddenly changes when "The Four Horsemen" get arrested which is quite daunting and low pitched, this reflects the mood of being caught and in trouble. The music starts to build up again as it looks back on their clever magic trick which shows the audience that it is an engaging narrative which creates more interest. This soundtrack then stops, and there is just dialogue from the characters which creates an element of comedy which could be appealing to potential audience members. When the footage involves action, such as the car chase, another soundtrack begins which is loud dub step and rock music combined which is exhilarating. At the end the title appears with a sudden sound effect which is gripping and another voice over is used, similar to the beginning which is memorable. 

Editing/camera angles
At the beginning of the trailer the camera zooms in, starting with an establishing shot of the city and there are quick fading out to black effects which fit in with the sound effect to create anticipation which is an important convention, especially for a thriller. 

The fade effect is commonly used throughout this trailer, it normally indicates a change from one event to another or a character. The fade helps build anticipation as it is a transition where the next shot is different. 


For example, there is a wide shot to show the performance and audience then a fade to black and a change to a medium close up of another character to show their reactions and emotions. 

The editing changes from being fast paced at the start to slower when the FBI arrive to arrest them, this shows the comedown from being successful and popular to being interrogated and controlled. However the basic editing shows the characters to be quite sly, smug and clever to the audience. This is represented through the use of an over the shoulder shot which creates a sense of realism to the audience and shows the characters facial expression.

A point of view shot is used to create a sense of realism and enhances the audience's involvement in the action when the mallet is thrown as the glass screen. A cross fade is used to show the chase between the magicians and the FBI which creates excitement and eagerness.  

Trailer Conventions

• Theatrical 
• Teaser
• Short
• Montage
• Special effects
• Editing 
• Soundtrack
• Music
• Voice over
• Dialogue 
• Narrative 
• Characters
• Release date 
• Film title