AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

Emma Collins, COWA

Q.1. What is your Gender? Q.2. What is your age?

The results from the first two questions show that the people who answered my questionnaires are from my targeted demographic. This is helpful for me as I will be able to use these responses and accurately apply them to my products.

Q.3. How often do you watch horror films?

This question helps to back up the idea that the demographic chosen is the main audience for horror films. Although they don’t watch horrors everyday, it shows that they watch horrors now and again. Meaning if my horror was to be shown in October (around Halloween) it would be the prime time for my demographic to view the film. Its one time in a year where people really go to see horrors and this could be the occasional time when my demographic view my film.

Q.4. What would you expect to see in a horror film?• “Mystery, action, disturbance and conventional characters”• “Scary people, jumpy scenes, woods”• “Ghosts ,jump scares, dead people”• “A storyline that contains horror/danger which is revealed slowly throughout the trailer/film. The

use of low key lighting, dark costumes and make up. Tense music & scenes which is created through the use of fast paced editing. A family/group of people & an origin of the horror.”

• “Jumpy things Dark Little children”• “Blood/gore/ghosts”• “Girls”• “Supernatural occurrences, blood”• “Lots of jump scares, some kind of antagonist/protagonist, blood”• “blood, death, scared”• “I would expect to see the typical conventions. For example, a narrow, tight setting, possibly with

low key lighting with the purpose of making the audience feel weak and paranoid. In terms of sound effects, I expect there to be sinister, creepy sounds. Again, to help associate with the genre itself.”

• “Blood Dead people Paranormal activities i.e things moving themselves etc forest”• “lots of jumpy scenes and a in depth story line.”• “Gore, Scary, little plot, death.”• “Tense, jumpy music interesting storyline”• “Blood, gore, jump scares, The horror itself etc.” • “jump scares, dark setting, mixed aged cast (around 16- 40)” • “Scary stuff”

This question allows me to understand what my target demographic wants from a horror film. Their responses help me draw up ideas for my own horror film. This also suggests to me what type of sub genre people expect to see in a horror.

Comments like “Blood Dead people Paranormal activities i.e things moving themselves etc forest” and “Supernatural occurrences, blood” suggest that supernatural sub genre is the most popular in my demographic.

From these responses I also know that the audience expect to be scared from the use of jump scares. “jump scares, dark setting, mixed aged cast (around 16- 40)” , “Lots of jump scares, some kind of antagonist/protagonist, blood”

Q.5. What do you expect to see in a horror trailer?• “Fast paced clips, action”• “Parts of the movie, but not much of it. Wouldn’t want to see the main parts”• “Jump scares and shocking moments”• “The use of fast paced editing to tell the story and keep the audience gripped to the trailer. The use

of low key lighting to set a dark atmosphere for the story and to make the genre obvious. The use of comments to give information to your target audience to encourage them to watch the film. “

• “Monsters”• “Jump scares”• “A jump scare, explanation of plot sort of but not giving best parts away (like in Disney film Frozen

trailer as it didn't show anything from actual film) Scary music”• “Quick fast frames, screams, running”• “Snippets of the best bits of the film, jump scares, blood”• “screams, running, blood, people being draged • “I wouldn't expect the trailer to reveal too much information. Possibly a storyline at the beginning,

but I wouldn't also enjoy it if the teaser trailer showed many characters as that would be revealing too much of the film itself.”

• “Moments that would make me jump Part of the story line, not giving away too much”• “The best scenes that would appear in the film and quite striking/jumpy parts so it sticks on your

mind.”• “Screaming, more plot then the film. BLOOD” • “jumpy scenes that make you want to go see the film” • Tension buliding scenes, jump scares, tension building music,short jump cuts, string heavy music to

build tension and jump scares”• “Little bits of scary stuff”

This question is similar to question 5, however it tells me what people in my demographic expect from a horror trailer. I can create my trailer keeping in mind what the target audience wants. If I follow these responses I will be able to create a trailer which will appeal to my target audience.

I’ve learnt that people expect to be shown some of the story but not all of it, “I wouldn't expect the trailer to reveal too much information. Possibly a storyline at the beginning, but I wouldn't also enjoy it if the teaser trailer showed many characters as that would be revealing too much of the film itself.” This suggest to me that people expect a teaser trailer more than a theatrical.

Another point I will remember to include into the creation of my trailer is Fast paced cuts, I have realised that this is a convention of horror trailers from my research, but also the demographic expect this as well, “Fast paced clips, action”.

Q.6. What colours would you expect to see on a horror film poster?

This question helps me to understand what my demographic expect to see on ancillary products. I used the simple colour question as posters rely on colour and fonts (seen on another question) to stand out, including the colour used in images. The result tell me that people expect to see colours such as white, black red and grey on film posters. These conventional colours are widely used on horror posters, and I will ensure that I use them when I create my ancillary products.

Q.7. What wouldn’t you like to see in a horror Trailer?• “Lots of blood, boring scenes”• “Too much of the story”• “Lots of talking”• “A storyline which doesn't fit with the horror genre or lacks an idea of horror/danger for the

audience. Costumes which aren't conventional. A small number of camera shots as it will be boring and wouldn't grip the audience to the trailer.”

• “Cliche`s”• “Anything that gives the storyline away!”• “too many jump scares because horror movies are good when they're like twisted and dark with a

good plot not when you end up pooing your pants for the whole thing”• “A Princess”• “anything that doesn't conform to the conventions of horror.”• “Bright setting, daylight, good decisions from the cast.”• “comedy and colourful stuff” • “I wouldn't like to see unrealistic characters, as it creates a sense that the trailer/film itself is not

real. The realism is essentially important, and I wouldn't also like to see a lot of high-key lighting unless it is deliberate for a purpose or plot device. I also try to avoid seeing comic in a real, 'Horror' trailer as well.”

• “Bunnies and other cute animals reaaally typical horror movie things e.g person behind the mirror” • “don’t want it to be, too scary or jumpy” • “romance.” • “Too much of the plot revealed.”

This question allows me to know what to stay clear of when creating my trailer. It also lets me know what my demographic doesn’t want to see.

“Too much of the plot revealed.” , “Anything that gives the storyline away!”

These results tell me that my demographic don’t want the story to be clear in the trailer, meaning I will have to make sure that my trailer doesn’t make the story obvious, and keeps the audience questioning what will happen. Drawing them in. The majority of the other results from this question also tell me

that the demographic expects to see a conventional horror trailer, and they would dislike it to go against the conventions. “I wouldn't like to see unrealistic characters, as it creates a sense that the trailer/film itself is not real. The realism is essentially important, and I wouldn't also like to see a lot of high-key lighting unless it is deliberate for a purpose or plot device. I also try to avoid seeing comic in a real, 'Horror' trailer as well.”

Q.8. What font would you expect to see on a horror promotional package.

This question simply allows me to understand what fonts I should put on my ancillary products, to draw in my demographic audience.

The results show that they expect bold or Sans serif fonts.

Q.9. What would you like to see in my horror trailer?

• “Conventional colours, characters and setting of a horror (family home or isolated area)”• “Parts of the film”• “The plot, jump scares”• “A lot of fast paced editing, use of low key lighting throughout, a trailer that has continuity, use of

conventional props, costumes and colours which would portray the storyline and the genre effectively.”

• “Jump scares, introduction to some characters, enough footage to create suspense”• “GORE”• “getting whispered at”• “Jump scares!”• “Fast editing techniques”• “Blood, dead people, build up of tension, close up facial expression shots” • “lots of drama that makes the trailer stand out” • “Jumpy music strong idea of whats going on in the film voice over” • “Surprise me” • “Break the conventions of a normal horror trailer to make your trailer stand out.” • “Scary things” • “lots of blood” • “I would like to see the typical, 'Horror' conventions to make it instantly real to me, to sell the genre.

I would like to see some scare jumps, but not the obvious ones like the mirror one. Opening the mirror and closing it to see that a monster is behind you. That is too common, so I would like to see something different, a leading up scare.”

This question lets me know what my demographic want to see in a horror film trailer, not what they expect to see.

It helps me directly appeal to my demographic , so when I create my trailer I will use my audiences responses as a first hand resource for ideas.

One of the main responses is to be different, to use jump scares, and uses fast editing.

This is one of my best responses from this question which allows me to fully sum up what the demographic is asking : “I would like to see the typical, 'Horror' conventions to make it instantly real to me, to sell the genre. I would like to see some scare jumps, but not the obvious ones like the mirror one. Opening the mirror and closing it to see that a monster is behind you. That is too common, so I would like to see something different, a leading up scare.”