audience focus group

Audience research focus groups:

What the focus group involved:

Our group had discussed our film, "Viva La Miscreant"and it's constituents such as the:

• Title and tagline
• Genre
• Log line
• Other successful films that are similar
• Narrative structure
• Main protagonist, their desires, the conflicts they encounter
• Target audience

Each or more of these things were discussed and more conveniently by the members of our group that came up with some of the ideas, knowing that they have a more in-depth explanation to their choices. Our whole purpose of this presentation of the film was to fish for any ideas, whether it'd be constructive criticism or compliments, assuring what we're doing wrong and what we're hopefully doing right. 

Key-quotes from the pitch (not exactly quoted to exact words)

• "Don't try to be too ambitious with the mafia gang conventions" 
• "What is the connection between the Spanish title and the Italian mafia gangs?"
• "In your tagline, try not to mention the protagonist's name"
• "Structure of the story definitely sounds interesting and I look forward to it"
•  "Ideas and connections of modern UK gang life could definitely relate to this film"

As a result of the discussion I definitely felt that it was far from the group's benefit (in a good way) and helped us pick out blatant, basic flaws that we had made in the film's pitch such as unrealistic ideas of mafia gangs. An example of this would of course have to be the matching mis-en-scene - the costume, and where we're actually going to get each one us a tie and suit, knowing that we were initially going to have a very conventional mafia gang story, but this has obviously been scrapped.

Other confusing things such as Spanish film title, yet an Italian mafia gang are also going to be straightened out as there is no sense in having the two languages together, maybe just because they're associated with gang life and violence, but for the most part it wouldn't make sense. So apart from that, discussion wise it was very beneficial as positive feedback were given on more of the important and big things in the film structure, rather than little, silly mistakes which can be easily taken care of which was a good sign that our film structure was not all lost and was at least heading in the right direction.

Also the target audience would most likely and maybe obviously be teenagers of the male gender, preferably around the ages of 14-18, and I chose this range just not under speculation, but according to various studies shown being that their appeal goes towards violence and any nature that we would normally associate with young, reckless and free-spirited males. I would also then say according to psychographics, maybe a borderline between low-class and middle-class as gang violence is of course an uncivilized act, so it wouldn't relate to high-classed people, ever, however they may be interested by it.

As a result, the new film name is 'The Hunting Season', instead working with young, British conventions.