The target demographic is revealed in the opening scene due to several pieces of mise en scene. Firstly, the setting is a school and grafitti is used to show the characters opinions of school which immediately engages an audience of school age. This is due to them being immersed in the realistic narrative which is also relatable to their lives. Katz and Bulmers theory suggests people use films as a form of escapism and when the target audience watch this, they will use it for that reason. The costume identifies the characters age and similarly their traits. For example Alison is quickly presented as an upper class princess who is always spoilt, some of this image is created by the costume. This shows the audience a deeper view of the character which again engages a young demographic as these characters are also like real people. Lastly, use of non-diogetic sound gives the demographic a insight into the disturbed equilibrium of the film. The students are being punished in detention and the viewer wants to see how a person similar to them will handle it.
Amercian Pie
The primary demographic is clearly revealed in the opening scene as the genre is revealed. Within the opening seconds, the sex comedy genre is shown as the main character Jim Levinson is caught watching illegal television channels. This appeals to a young male audience as they will find the situation between the son and his parents highly amusing as it is so awkward. As the opening video that I found is very short, little else happens but the theme of sex is established from the beginning as comedies need to be funny from the start to hold the attention of the viewer. This is especially vital for a younger audience as they are more likely to become uninterested sooner.
Juno
The target audience is showed in this opening scene/credits. The sequence has been done in a cartoon style which connotes youth. This holds the attention of a younger audience as they know the film is aimed at them. Items like a television and guitar are shown to further connote youth in the film. The character is holding a bottle of orange juice which similarly could be considered as a sign of youth. The non-diogetic soundtrack effectively portrays youth to engage the primary demographic. The soundtrack called 'don't let me go' is about growing up and makes many references to similar themes in the film throughout the song. This targets the young demographic as they understand the film will be energetic and bold instead of dull and long which films for older demographics may be.
Focus Group
What have I learnt
This task has shown me the importance of using subtle codes and conventions to inform the viewer of my primary audience. For example, costume is a great way of doing this as it tells the viewer stereotypical traits of a person dressed in a certain way. Furthermore, it has shown me that I need make it clear to my audience the genre of the film and need to show it from the beginning to stop any confusion. Each film I investigated had a narrow primary audience that they try to appeal to. In American Pie this is done using sexual humour. When I produce an opening sequence I need to consider carefully who I want my film to engage as you cannot please all demographics.
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