Monday, 1 October 2012

Audience Theory Notes

Two Step Flow(1920's)

  • Known as the Hypodermic theory
  • This theory suggests that the audience is passive. They are not actively thinking about the content, the information is just being injected into them like a hypodermic needle.
  • Many kids of young age may want to replicate activities seen on screen as they may look appealing. However if this is a fight scene then they may try to replicate a fight. Thus we must certificate films so that this risk is cut down greatly.
By the 1970's a theory known as the Uses and Gratifications effects model. 
  • This theorized that the audience was active and engaging with the material. 
  • They described their audience as either a cognitive audience, affective audience, tension release/ diversion, personal intergrative or social intergrative.
  • Cognitive: The audience is thinking about the content they see on screen E.G. trying to solve a mystery in their heads from information given in the film.
  • Affective: The audience in this are watching the film mainly for escapism. They enjoy something vicariously.
  • Tension release: Mainly appeals to the teen audience. Many teens like to feel a physical drama throughout the film that causes a release of tension from their lives. Known as visceral excitement
  • Personal integrative: This audience likes to relate to the protagonists situation.
  • Social integrative: This audience likes to integrate socially with the situation. I.E. James Bonds' world of fast cars, action and women.
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