Defining your audience!

We will apply our thriller to one of the many categorisation theories, uses and gratifications, created in 1974. The theory suggests that audiences use the media texts for different personal reasons. Here are the main categories suggested by Blumler and Katz:

Diversion

Diversion is when a media text is used as a form of escapism. It is used for people to escape from reality and everyday life.

Personal relationships

 (social interaction) The media text is used to provoke an emotion from the audience or can be used as a way of expressing ideas about the topic of the film with friends, family or acquaintances. Generally when personal relationships are used in a film it is used for social interaction

Personal identity

Audiences use certain media texts to help create their own identity.

They use celebrities or characters to gain ideas about what they like or learn about different cultures, behaviour and values.

Entertainment

Some audiences use media texts as a form of entertainment. It becomes a means of relaxation, enjoyment and emotional release. Watched purely for fun.

Surveillance

The media text expands the audience information and knowledge about a certain subject area.

 

How will we apply the Uses and Gratifications theory to our thriller?

 

Our thriller will provoke emotion from our audience, causing them to be able to relate to the media text. It will be a way of expressing ideas about morals and modern life. It will also be used for social interaction, as it will provoke discussion between audiences. It could also be watched purely for entertainment purposes.