15 mark question homework - Audience

Introduction

• definition
• argument
• context

Paragraphs

• point
• evidence
• argument

How does this product attract/target it's audiences? How does it construct an audience?(15)

Definition Argument Context

Audience is an essential aspect of producing a media product for producers of all kinds. It is a way for producers to target each product at certain consumers with specific beliefs, ideologies and interests. Audience targeting is significant in the media as without an audience there is no consumption of the media texts produced. Audiences are targeted through thing such as genre, and sub-genre. These are identified through conventions within the genres. This product advertising for Les Revenants targets its audience through the use of a more complex fluid technique called genre hybridity, where the text embodies a range of genres that appeal to a wide target audience of different interest in different genres. I will be exploring how the text constructs its audience through the use of genre hybridity and polysemy. Typically the advert uses things such as genre conventions, representation, narrative codes, and technical codes to do so.

Point Evidence Argument

The advert is encoded with recognisable genre conventions for audiences to decode the multiple genres categorized within the product. Arguably the text reflects both horror and thriller genre conventions, it is an enigmatic drama that makes references to both French poetic realism and the avant-garde, as well as embodying iconography and paradigmatic features from the 'zombie' genre.

From the beginning we are introduced by the camera moving through the house there is a mid-shot of a butterfly, seemingly dead, breaking through the glass from which it is kept, reflecting paradigms from the supernatural/zombie genre. This opening uses hermeneutic code and is very polysemic, encompassing multiple meaning (of life and death) and genres. Tense music throughout the advert is accompanied by flashing camera editing work of a bus crash. The complex editing could reflect the character driven narrative and implies that it is non-linear; targeting an audience who perhaps enjoy being challenged and ambiguous meaning. While the Mogwai, Scottish post-rock band music, using moody instrumentals also target a small cult following audience of an unpopular genre of music. Additionally the bus crash, along with shots of the murder stabbing in the dark alleyway represent the gory horror aspect of Les Revenants, which appeal to a whole other range of audiences with different interests.

Methods of multiple meanings and genre hybridity have constructed Les Revenants audience in a multi-layered way. Producers have wanted to use genre as a tool to target a complex type of audience. According to the theory of reception, audiences will have a dominant, negotiated or oppositional reading and impression of the product due to the adverts approach. Audiences attracted to the niche, horror, French poetic realism style product will consequently seek to follow the show and be part of the ‘cult’ following, the type of audience that undertake fan fiction.

Advert analysis for Les Revenants

Consider
Genre conventions
These conventions that are presented in the advert will appeal to fans of these genres:
Horror - little boy, stabbing, screaming noises, abandoned settings.
Thriller - tense music, flashing camera work/editing
French - niche themes, dark gloomy

Representation
From the very first shot of the butterfly breaking free from the glass, it shows the representation of the idea of coming back to life, and clearly creates a binary opposition between life and death. This show competes with the differences between them: the only thing between them is the piece of glass, represents there is possibility of coming back from the dead. This is used to target audiences as the shot makes audiences ask questions and makes an intriguing representation.

Narrative codes
Music - build up from the beginning, creating the idea of the narrative unravelling. Contrasts with it's actual non-linear, challenging narrative.
Throughout the advert, it slowly reveals more and more about the narrative, equilibrium, disequilibrium, how does the resolution happen? audiences ask and this is how the advert targets the audience. (Todorov)
Exciting, well paced editing/camera work.

Technical codes
Hermeneutic codes, codes of 
Quotes taken from reviews/critics, gives the program a certain brand name, 'cult' series, a certain small following of audience that are passionate about the program. Audiences have trust towards the names that have given these reviews, which is a technique used by the producers of targeting them.
Polysemic, when 

Non diegetic soundtrack, Mogwai, scottish post-rock band known for lengthy, moody instrumentals
Target their fans as well as connoting a mood (lyrical poetic drama)
iconography signifies genre hybridity - bus crash, murder in underpass, blood, non diegetic sound
Probably most stylish thing you will see on tv this year" quote from daily telegraph - quoting recognised, reputed newspaper it emphasis on the style - again reinforcing essence/quality of text
narrative is character driven and implies that it is non linear - targets an audience who perhaps enjoy being challenged and ambiguous meaning
characters are conventionally attractive - targets audiences who would identify with them (relatability of nuclear family, relationships)
Links to DVD at the end of the trailer - directly targeting audience through merchandising.
French drama - targets slightly middle class audiences - connotes equality and more arthouse avent-garde style (cult fanbase)

Character profiles Las Revenants

Julie Meyer
-Doctor
-Single, lives alone
-Smart casual wear

Her look is stereotypically very french in the fact that she has a malnourished beauty about her, due to her structured cheekbones, slim face, worn lips and eyes, and casually messy hair.

Madame Costa
-Wife, come back from the dead
-Smart blazer winter coat, frilled floral dress, old fashion style costume

She carries a very innocent and worried expression, with a slight smile. Dark hair tied up loosely.

Claire Seguret
-Mother who lost her daughter in accident

exam preparation

The Heavy Hitters: (most important theories/key terms)

• Ideology
• Intertextuality
• Semiotics
• Polysemic's
• Negotiation
• Hegemony (patriarchy)

DEMONSTRATE AN OPINION!!!

Knee jerk reaction? yes or ? but why?

Examples: 

1. "In the 21st century, it is essential for TV shows to offer multiple meanings?" - evaluate this claim with reference to Les Revenants.
2. What are the genre conventions of Les Revenants, how do they work, and how have they developed?

Question Plan:

Introduction (DAC) Definition, Argument, Context

Paragraphs (PEA) Point, Evidence, Argument

Question 2 Breakdown

Define Genre: 

• A way of categorising media texts.
• Conventions are the building blocks of genre.
• Genre allows producers to specifically target audiences.
• Steve Neale believes that genre is essentially instances of 'repetition and difference'.

Definition:

Genre is essential for both audiences and producers alike. It is a way of categorising media texts. This allows the audiences to identify what type od media product to select based on their own expectations and prior knowledge. Genre is also important to producers, as it allows them to specifically target audiences, and thus ensure profit. Conventions are the building blocks of genre, acting as a crucial signpost.

Argument:

Les Revenants takes a more challenging, subversive approach to genre convention. Rather than being categorised into one or two genres, it's a text that encompasses many - a fluid, post-modern drama that embodies genre hybridity, polysemy and the complexity of modern day media. In this response I will be discussing the genre conventions within the text, how they have been developed to work and change genre convention.

Context:

Point:

Las Revenants is encoded with meaning from a variety of genres, it forms a complex ideology that challenges genre convention. Arguably the text reflects both horror and supernatural genre conventions, it is an enigmatic drama that makes references to both French poetic realism and the avant-garde, as well as embodying iconography and paradigmatic features from the 'zombie' genre.

Evidence:

In the opening scene we are introduced to 'camille' through close-up on a bus, the non-diegetic music is sombre and emotive connoting the lyrical codes of French drama and poetic realism. As the bus crashes there is diegetic screams from inside the bus - reflecting horror conventions of death and mortality. Next, as the camera moves through the house there is a mid-shot of a butterfly, seemingly dead, breaking through the glass from which it is kept, reflecting paradigms from the supernatural/zombie genre. This opening uses hermeneutic code and is very polysemic, encompassing multiple meaning and genres.

Genre in Les Revenants

Les Revenants (The Returned):
French supernatural drama television series
Create by Fabrice Gobert
Based on a french film They Come Back (Zombie Horror)
Shown on Channel 4
2 series, 8 episodes each

Genres within Les Revenants
Sci-fi - things happen that don't happen in real life, supernatural
Drama - Serious tone, very niche typically French style conventions
Horror - typical conventions, little boy, fear of children, gory stabbing scene in alleyway
Avent-garde - arthouse, very forward thinking
French - moody, lowkey, stylistic, based on french culture
Zombie - characters coming back from the dead

Cult TV
small passionate fanbase/community, not mainstream
Examples: Buffer the Vampire Slayer, The Wire, Grand Budapest Hotel
**Could argue that The Returned was Cult tv as it had a small passionate fanbase.

Zombie Genre:
Settings - Always abandoned (landscapes, shopping hall, houses)
Characters - typically, hero/leader, victim that is saved, villain zombie characters
Examples - Zombieland, World War Z, I am Legend, The Walking Dead, Shean of the Dead
Narrative - Typically Todorov Narrative style, equilibrium, disequilibrium, resolution, sometimes fragmented, with flashbacks, reflects past coming back to haunt you.
Themes - Violence, Lawless, Death vs Life, Survival, Rising from the dead, 
Cinematography - dusk shooting

The zeitgeist from The Returned captured a feeling of tension at the time, the fear of an unknown invader, (people coming back from the dead) At the time, many refugees and immigrants were coming to France, and politicians were adamant to reduce this. Could argue this tension represents what lead to the Paris attacks of November 2015. Les Revenants was a media product to recreate these ideologies in an allegorical way.

French Poetic Realism:

• Poetic realism was a film movement in France of the 1930s. 
• They usually have a fatalistic view of life with their characters living on the margins of society, either as unemployed members of the working class or as criminals. 
• After a life of disappointment, the characters get a last chance at love but are ultimately disappointed again and the films frequently end with disillusionment or death.
•  The overall tone often resembles nostalgia and bitterness. 
• They are "poetic" because of a heightened aestheticism that sometimes draws attention to the representational aspects of the films. 

Targeting and maintaining Audience

How can we break apart a target audience?

• Age
• Social/Economic Class
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Sexuality
• Hobbies
• Demographic
• Psychographic(Aspirer/Reformer/Mainstreamer)
• Occupation
• Location

Family Breakfast Scene

Typical middle class British family

Relatable to audiences: bickering, moody fighting teenagers, dad jokes, etc

Aspirational to audience - the want to be a nuclear family

polysemic Reading - funny and creepy scene, hinting at situations to come ''we should throw a party for the dishwasher its been working for years!'' - confirms Anita's status as a slave - a challenging concept for the middle class audience to decode. 

Close-ups of mums face to show dislike toward Anita.

Presentable, financially comfortable family, relatable to middle class audience.

Dig at Laura "this is what breakfast is supposed to be like", suggesting she is failing to provide the role of mother. 

Mise-en-scene of cups of tea, stereotypically British, specifically targeting a British Audience which is relatable to them.

Costume - pyjamas and loungewear, apart from Anita - intertextual reference to British TV sitcoms, steriotypical 'wake-up' scene, for example 'Outnumbered'.

Audience Theory - Hypodermic Needle theory - (injecting the message of a domestic motherly role into the audience)

Channel 4

Persona Synthetics:
How does this advert target audiences?

• In a very unconventional way

What techniques are used to promote Humans?

• Enigma codes, withholds the narrative
• Self reflective advertising

Factfile for Channel 4:

Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster that began transmission on 2 November 1982. 

ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA)

List of 10 most watched TV/film on channel 4:

Innovative, Distinctive, Diverse

Associated channels: E4, Film 4, More 4. Each one targets a specific, niche audience (for example E4 targets a young student type of audience with typically a comedy genre)

Notable releases - Skins, Big brother, Gogglebox, Made in Chelsea, The Inbetweeners