Question 5How did you attract/address your audience?

• To start of, we decided to find our who our target (primary and secondary) audience is.

• We interviewed two people, one person who fit our primary target audience and someone who fit the secondary target audience. They were interviewed separately to find our what they love about actions films. The decided they like fast paced fighting scenes, car chases and enigma which is a good element as it draws them in from the start. We asked the questions as open questions so we could get the best possible response from the interviewees and so they could justify their decisions.

Do you have a favourite film and why?What genre of film would you like to see more of in the future?Do you go to the cinema? If so what genre of films do you tend to watch?What aspects of the action genre would you say you like?Do you feel there are enough action films in the world at th the moment? If not do you think there are too many?What sort of characters do you like in action films?

For our film opening, we decided to use an attractive actor for our main character as it could draw more people into the film opening. The role in which Kaine Stones plays, is similar to Bane in The Dark Knight Returns as they both are trying to destroy a major city. Kaine has studied both media and drama and seemed like the best actor for our main character who was the antagonist. From our target audience research, an interviewee had said they like to see a strong female lead but because we needed a male to portray the main character, we had to stick with Kaine but most action films have male characters and action movies appeal more to males than females.

Casting

The plot for our film opening:• The antagonist shows up to a barn which contains hostages; a

couple of the wealthiest people in their city. The antagonist talks about how if they die, the entire city will descend into anarchy. But the antagonist has ulterior motives to what he is doing. • This is similar in a way to “The Dark Knight Returns” as both

films have an antagonist who is trying to change/destroy a city.• The setting of our film opening was an abandoned almost

empty barn which took away the distractions from something which would have background to take the minds of our audience away from the content taking place. The use of the setting helped the audience understand what was happening.

The name of our film opening is “Retundum” which simply means revolution in Latin, we used this as it built enigma as to what it means and links to the plot of the story, of how the antagonist wants to kill the rich of the city and lead the city to destruction, anarchy and chaos which in his own minds is the revolution and the title of the film causes enigma for the audience as they might have their own ideas as to what it means, and those who work it out will understand how deep the antagonist is and almost how insane he can think.

Barthes's Narrative CodeBarthes suggested that there will be one or more of the 5 codes that describe the meaning of a text. He said that texts may be open or closed. • Hermeneutic/Enigma code: This refers to mystery within a text, clues are

dropped but no clear answers are given. Enigma within narrative make the audience want to know more.• Proairetic/Action code: This contains sequential elements of action in the

text, this adds suspense.• Semantic code: Refers to parts within the text that suggests to additional

meanings. • Symbolic code: This is about symbolism within text, it shows contrast and

creates greater meaning, creating tension, drama and character development.• Referential code: refers to anything in the text which refers to an external

body of knowledge such as scientific, historical and cultural knowledge.

The Barthes Narrative code applies to our film opening as it contains quite enigma, hints but no answers are given which leaves the audience wanting to know more and draws them into the film opening. An example of this is the two hostages and short clip of someone getting shot makes the audience wonder as to why they are being killed which can lead them to have their own ideas on their actual motives. There is also the action code which is linked to the murder towards the beginning and builds up suspense to the murder at the end of the opening. Symbolic code is also used as the main two characters are quite mysterious and you can see the anger shown within the main antagonist as he snaps at the victim and shoots him. This could lead to the character development but will not be seen as we only have the film opening.

Uses And Gratifications TheoryThe Uses and gratifications theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication The theory places more focus on the consumer or audience instead of the actual message itself by asking “what people do with media” rather than “what media does to people. Basic Model – The theory has to fulfil one of the following when we choose a form of media:• Identify – being able to recognise the product or person shown, role

models that reflect similar values to yours, aspiring to be someone else.• Educate – being able to acquire information, knowledge and

understanding.• Entertain – What you are consuming should give you enjoyment and also

some form of ‘escapism’ enabling us to forget our worries temporarily.• Social interaction – the ability for media products to produce a topic of

conversation between other people, to spark debates (e.g who is left on the X-factor).

The Uses and Gratifications theory applies to our film opening to entertain our audience rather than educate or our audience identify with the characters within the film opening. It entertains our audience and almost helps them escape from the normal everyday as the things which happen in our film opening is not something will hear about or see everyday or even at all.

Conclusion

• We decided to use a small cast for our film opening as it would focus the audience more on the antagonist’s of our film, so they could try figuring out their intentions and motives. The non-diegetic music used throughout the opening, abandoned setting and small cast helps keep the focus of our audience only to what we think is important and rather than filling the screen with distractions as we want their undivided attention to the content and what is taking place in the scenes. Through the use of our narration, it gave the audience an idea about what was going on, but through the enigma it did not give a lot away which would leave the audience with questions unanswered. This would make the audience want to watch the rest of the film to find out the answers to the enigma created.