How do institutions target specific audiences in the film industry? essay

How do institutions target specific audiences in the film industry?

               

             Over recent years, competition in the film industry has increased enormously. Therefore various institutions have had to change their methods of targeting specific audiences. The way in which films are now distributed has changed massively. Institutions such as Love Film have benefited enormously due to the on-going partnership with StudioCanal. Love Film distributes films either, via post or streamed to Play Staion3 games consoles. This varied distribution of films is very effective as it is targeted at a younger and older generation. The older generation can have their selected films posted to them and the younger, have them streamed to their games consoles. Research shows that the age demographic of online streaming of films is 16-24.

             Marketing strategies have also enhanced the targeting of specific audiences. Animal Kingdom was an independently made Australian film, which had an astonishing marketing success. Firstly the film has a fantastic enticing trailor which sold everything about the movie in a few minutes. The plot of the film is also sold exceptionally well which is very useful at gaining the audiences interest .It also has a very famous soundtrack, Air Supply 'All out of love’. This is a very poignant song and it added to the drama of the trailor. Marketing Animal Kingdom was also helped by the use of social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. Campaigns and profiles were made up on these sites to inform people of the greatness of the film and its success of winning the 2010 Sun Dance award. On the other hand ,mainstream big budget film Battleships uses new technology such as CGI and computer generated images in the trailor of the film. This sort of marketing is created to appeal to a worldwide mainstream audience. The appearance of pop star Rihanna making her debut in acting is also very captivating to a mainstream audience as she is a mainstream ‘musician’ , and the A-list actor Liam Neeson is also sold in the trailor.

             The distribution of films has changed the way in which various institutions target specific audiences a great deal. Cinema companies such as VUE and Odeon focus on appealing worldwide with their choice of films to screen. Whereas smaller companies such as Cinema City focus on targeting local audiences. Hollywood block busters are not always shown at these smaller cinemas . Independently made films, foreign language films and locally made films are shown at these smaller more sophisticated cinemas. Which tend to offer more variety of elements to attract customers such as a greater choice of snacks than popcorn and hot dogs , mostly sold in the ‘mainstream’ cinemas . There is also films shown for the deaf at Cinema City , where someone will stand to the side of the screen performing sign language whilst the film plays.