Target Audience

12A - UNISEX

Existing products

Although our trailer will be a 12/12A but anyone aged 12 and above or below accompanied by an adult can watch, as a group we discussed that we are specifically aiming at just 12 year olds. This is because we feel that at the age of 12-14 these children will be more aware and in touch with reality so they know that Hansel & Gretel is just a fairy-tale; not a true story and our adaptation wouldn’t cause any children to turn away from fairy tales. Though, those who are below the age of 12 who decide to watch (like I said, there is no heavy content) but it can disturb children’s ideas.

I believe children aged between 12 are still conscious of what stories were told during their childhood and so this is why we are aiming at this age. Also because most 12 year olds have just started secondary school so they think watching a thriller is something cool to do and this is the twist to our story, we are mixing both worlds together; the fairy-tale happy ending and a darker side to it. If anything, with our film we are persuading and influencing 12 year olds to continue interested in fairy tales as they grow up but of course with a different vision and perspective; this is why our genre is thriller.

However, even though we are aiming at 12 year olds mainly we will not put a limit or age range to how old the audience should be to watch it (if they’re 12+) or even younger but accompanied by an adult. This way it expands our viewers base but at the same time we have a starting point with the 12A.

What are we aiming at ?

Target Audience Profile

• 12 year old girl• Just started high school• Still conscious about

fairy tales

• 12 year old boy• Just started high school too • Finds thrillers/horror

exciting

According to ‘BBFC’ (British Board of Film Classification) a 12’12a film is suitable for anyone of the age of 12 of the age of 12 and above.

What is 12A?

We chose to classify our film as a 12/12A. This is because at the end of the day our genre will always be thriller which, the genre itself implies that some scenes may be unsettling or disturbing for anyone below the age of 12 to watch. Although, children below the age of 12 can assist our film as long as they’re accompanied by an adult (18+), we decided this based on our work so far and also based on our storyboard, and so far we are aware that our trailer will not contain any heavy content such as;

Ideally I’d like my audience to interpret my trailer as a story that will have moral. I want my audience to enjoy the film as much as learn as much as possible from it. Personally, I think the most my audience can learn from it (as in moral behaviour) is that family should be above all. This is because those who are familiar with the original story of Hansel and Gretel know that the kids are abandoned influenced by the mother. Although it could be a counter argument, that the only reason she done that was because there was not enough money for all four of them (mother, father and Hansel & Gretel) which creates a controversial issue and raises the question: ‘Put myself above my kids?’ On the other hand, the counter argument would be ‘What if the mother done this because she believed fate would give them more than she possibly could…

A more obvious meaning of my trailer to my audience, is that it’s a well known fairy-tale that my audience probably know the storyline by heart, whether because of their mothers telling them or even older audience who choose to watch it, telling their kids. Either way, I believe they would be keen to see another side/perspective to the story because it’s not what they know already. Even though, as a group we are trying to keep loyal to the original as much as possible there will be obvious and oblivious twists to it. For example: The few props we decided to use but yet make them drastic and noticeable.

Interpretation

According to the results of my questionnaire, my target audience expect to see death in thrillers and even expect to get scared whilst watching thrillers. I believe we can achieve my audience’s expectations because we will have the whole sense of mystery and evil present throughout our thriller. We plan to emphasize and highlight the witches role so it’s clear from the beginning that this is loyal to the original story yet different in a different perspective.

Our audience can expect suspense, as according to our storyboard our trailer will start with a cheerful voiceover saying ‘’ Once upon a time.. ‘’ as you do in ordinary happy fairytales and then it will rapidly be clear that it’s no longer a happy fairytale, perhaps the unknown story of Hansel and Gretel like never seen before.

Audience Expectations

The biggest way the audience will see this trailer was put together to appeal to the audience is the idea that it is a fairytale after all but also, with a twist to the genre which suits the genre as it’s no longer the happy fairytale ending. This is important because at this age, presumably the audience has moved on from fairy tale but with our trailer they will step back and see it from a different perspective.

Although they’ll still know fairy tale stories from their childhood in the back of their hand this is a twist to the story of Hansel & Gretel that they do not expect or ever expected to see. The trailer main purpose is to suit our audience and appeal to them, so everything we’ve put together has been deeply thought of and analysed carefully to make it as successful as possible and overall to suit our audience which is the primary idea.

Our audience has a place in our work, as we went out and researched age, interest etc. And it was through this that we have achieved what we have now; the pitch, storyline etc and all in consideration of the audience.

Place of audience in the production process

My trailer will give the audience a viewpoint about the world overall. Although in a city (which is where our audience is mainly focused on) no one lives in a forest house and normally in today’s 21st century the father doesn’t abandon his kids because there’s all sorts of help for family support etc.

But, I do believe that our trailer gives the audience a viewpoint about the world in the sense that, not everyone is as nice as we think they are. For example, being 12 years old, you’re still naïve to most life dangers either because you haven’t experienced any or most commonly you are over protected by your parents to explore. So our trailer shows that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover; I say this because in our storyboard when they see the house Gretel gets happy but, Hansel being older and wiser holds her back cautiously. This also shows that us being young or not, we should listen and respect our elders opinion, decision especially when we are close to them. We should trust them.

Positioning in relation tothe product

I think that the audience will identify themselves mostly with Gretel, because if the audience was in their shoes they too would be happy to see a house in a forest after being abadonned by their father. Although, some may say that they wouldn’t this is a personal opinion, and even so we can’t really say as said before, not many people are in this situation in today’s society especially in a forest.

And for those adults who would watch it freely or accompaign their little ones to watch it, would focus on the mother and father’s role in Hansel and Gretel. I presume most of them would say that they could never do that to their kids and would rather not eat then letting their kids starve. Also they would say they would never put that the dad of the kids in that situation of leaving them. On the other hand, some wuold also say that no matter what the other parent would say to leave the kids etc, they would never leave them just because.

So particularly in the parents role, not many would identify themselves instead they would perhaps judge and debate over the authority a normal parent has which is 50/50, so why would the father listen to Hansel & Gretel’s mother? But this is still how my audience will interpret the characters although they would not agree etc.

Identification

The audience will engage in understanding the meaning of our trailer, and perhaps even disagree or confront the characters decisions. The reaction to the kids will be sympathy and kindness whereas to the parents and witch will be hatred and confusion (to the parents) as how they were capable of doing such thing.

Because it’s a thriller and most people enjoy thrillers, the outcome would be positive as we are following thrillers common codes and conventions as this is what the audience expects. So to the product itself, it would be a good reaction; although not so much to the audience.

Towards the kids, I believe the audience will feel sympathy as they were left by their parents, especially when it was the mum’s idea, and kids tend to be closer to their mothers at a young age, in general. And the audience will be aware how a kids relation ship should be with their parents and how they should be treated by their parents, and how most parents would do anything for their kids, this is a common thing to be said amongst parents. The fact that the kids are abandoned in the forest and left by themselves not knowing anything or anyone, not even having anything, yet they have each other and the mother has hope they will find some place better for them, the audience would react to this as morally incorrect as a place a kid should be is at home with their family no matter how bad the situation is, family is meant to overcome these things.

Engagement

Although our target audience is 12A/+, our trailer speaks to many people of different age range and thought provokes their views, especially parents according to the obvious situation that happens during the trailer.

Personally, I don’t think that the trailer would actually speak to the target audience as they are young and once again naïve, and to them is just a thriller based on the fairy-tale of Hansel And Gretel. but to whoever is accompanying them may mean something deeper. Although, it is not aimed at anyone in particular, people individually may interpret different things such as, how they treat people around them and how easy it is to loose someone, the meaning of family, relationship with their parents and brother/sisters and so on. Some people may reflect about their real life relation ships and look at the meaning it has to them.

Mode of Address

Like it was said on my previous slide, whoever sees it (not just my audience) will start reflection on their real life relation ships. Maybe they will think differently towards someone, or that the trailer would help understand someone else’s decision about something that they’ve always disagreed about, etc.

Also, the trailer isn’t mainly focused on influencing people about one thing so each person may interpret it different and even apply it to real life and in different areas.

It supports my idea, on the fact that parents will not understand how the mother could put the father up to such thing, but then again I could be wrong… Some people may believe that the mother done the best thing with a good intention; that the kids would find a better place even though that wasn’t the situation. Some people will argue that it is the intention that counts.

Influence