Audience Theory

The audience is the people that watch the film.

Mainstream or Niche? 

Some Science Fiction films are Mainstream- they appeal to a very wide range of people.
[For example Hollywood films are often mainstream.]
Some Sci-Fi films are more Niche- they appeal to a small specific group of people.
[independent and low budget films are more niche.]

Audience segmentaion 

Producers segment the audience into different groups.

Demographics

Demographics is one way of dividing up the audience into certain groups. each group is assumed to have similar ideas and interests. This is Factual information.

- Gender 

- Age 

- Occupation

- region

- Class

- Ethnicity 

Star Wars 

-Male 

-12 to 40 

- Any 

- English speaking countries

- White Caucasian  

- Middleclass 

- Educated 

Psychographics 

Psychographics is less about facts such as age and more about attitudes and values.

 -Survivors

 - Social Climbers

 - Care Givers 

 - Explorers

Sci-fi Film Fan 

My person would be age 16 and be male. This boy would live somewhere in Britain. He would be in Secondary School and go to see all the new sci-fi releases. Apart from School he may have a Saturday job. He may also be white caucasian and middle class. In terms of Psychographics he will be a Survivor because he always goes to see new releases so it would be a sort of tradition.

Uses and Gratifications
[u&g]

This is a media studies theory that tries to explain why people choose and uses certain media needs.

Entertainment and diversion.- stops you from being bored
surveillance and information- finding out about new things.
Personal identity - Comparing yourself to someone on screen.
Personal Companionship