Target Audience
The thriller
genre typically
has a specific
audience and
sometimes
thrillers are not
easy watching.
People who
watch thrillers
will want to be
on the edge of
seat and know
that they are
not typically
relaxing films.
This is clear
because out of top 10 highest grossing films of all time worldwide, none of them are thriller
films and therefore I will aimfor my target audience to be a specific and niche audience.
For most thrillers there is at least a 15 certificate on the film mainly because of the mature
themes and scenes of potential violence. Psychological thrillers can typically be a cause of
the “emotional
distress” due to the
emotional violence
and themes.
Typically men are
more attracted to the
thriller genre however
this doesn’t rule out
women and I plan to
make my thriller
attractive to both
genders as
stereotypically in a
thriller film, women
only tend to watch a
thriller if there is an
actor they like.
I am for my audience to be C2 – B social class according to the ABC1 social class scale. This is
because typically the thriller genre requires attention to the film to understand and keep up
with the narrative as there is often intellectual themes and narratives in thriller films. I have
chosen the social classes C2 – B because stereotypically these social classes would be
intellectual enough to keep up with the themes and narratives throughout the film. These
social classes are typically intellectual enough to be posing questions like “Why is this
person doing this?” “Something isn’t right here” “Why is this happening” “What’s going to
happen next?”. This social class range also allows a wider audience to be interested in the
film.
Stereotypically, thriller filmfans tend to love the adrenaline they get from watching a
thriller as they love the intensity of a thriller filmand being on the edge of their seat. They
are typically also fans of horror films which have a similar intensities and genre conventions.
Due to the themes and intensity of the films, the audience is typically an active audience.
Generally, people who enjoy thriller films can also be attracted by thriller television shows
and video games for example Breaking Bad, Prison Break, The Walking Dead and Until
Dawn, Silent Hill, Here they lie, and We Happy Few. Video games can earn the film more
money if fans of thriller films are interested in buying the video game for the film. Films like
Shutter Island and Inception have their own video game of the film.
Below is some small research I did among some friends and family about thriller films.
Name Age Firstthriller film
that comes to
mind
Firstthriller TV
Show that
comes to mind
What age
certificate
should most
thriller films
be?
Important
things to
include in a
thriller?
Alex James 17 Shutter
Island
The Walking
Dead
15 Mind games
and violence
Claire Street 44 Rear Window The Vampire
Diaries
15 Believeable
actors
Ellie Palmer 17 Sweeny Todd Prison Break 18 Fear and
Twists
Adam Roach 43 Inception Dexter 18 A plot that
requires
thought.
Lilian Bates 17 Inception Ripper Street 15 A complex
story
This is an avatar of a typical younger member of my
target audience.
Likes: Thriller films, intellectual puzzles, exploring,
adrenaline seeking (sky diving, rock climbing etc.)
Dislikes: Romance films, films that don’t require
much thought, cliché moments in films.

Target Audience and Research

  • 1.
    Target Audience The thriller genretypically has a specific audience and sometimes thrillers are not easy watching. People who watch thrillers will want to be on the edge of seat and know that they are not typically relaxing films. This is clear because out of top 10 highest grossing films of all time worldwide, none of them are thriller films and therefore I will aimfor my target audience to be a specific and niche audience. For most thrillers there is at least a 15 certificate on the film mainly because of the mature themes and scenes of potential violence. Psychological thrillers can typically be a cause of the “emotional distress” due to the emotional violence and themes. Typically men are more attracted to the thriller genre however this doesn’t rule out women and I plan to make my thriller attractive to both genders as stereotypically in a thriller film, women only tend to watch a thriller if there is an actor they like. I am for my audience to be C2 – B social class according to the ABC1 social class scale. This is because typically the thriller genre requires attention to the film to understand and keep up with the narrative as there is often intellectual themes and narratives in thriller films. I have chosen the social classes C2 – B because stereotypically these social classes would be
  • 2.
    intellectual enough tokeep up with the themes and narratives throughout the film. These social classes are typically intellectual enough to be posing questions like “Why is this person doing this?” “Something isn’t right here” “Why is this happening” “What’s going to happen next?”. This social class range also allows a wider audience to be interested in the film. Stereotypically, thriller filmfans tend to love the adrenaline they get from watching a thriller as they love the intensity of a thriller filmand being on the edge of their seat. They are typically also fans of horror films which have a similar intensities and genre conventions. Due to the themes and intensity of the films, the audience is typically an active audience. Generally, people who enjoy thriller films can also be attracted by thriller television shows and video games for example Breaking Bad, Prison Break, The Walking Dead and Until Dawn, Silent Hill, Here they lie, and We Happy Few. Video games can earn the film more money if fans of thriller films are interested in buying the video game for the film. Films like Shutter Island and Inception have their own video game of the film. Below is some small research I did among some friends and family about thriller films. Name Age Firstthriller film that comes to mind Firstthriller TV Show that comes to mind What age certificate should most thriller films be? Important things to include in a thriller? Alex James 17 Shutter Island The Walking Dead 15 Mind games and violence Claire Street 44 Rear Window The Vampire Diaries 15 Believeable actors Ellie Palmer 17 Sweeny Todd Prison Break 18 Fear and Twists Adam Roach 43 Inception Dexter 18 A plot that requires thought. Lilian Bates 17 Inception Ripper Street 15 A complex story This is an avatar of a typical younger member of my target audience. Likes: Thriller films, intellectual puzzles, exploring, adrenaline seeking (sky diving, rock climbing etc.) Dislikes: Romance films, films that don’t require much thought, cliché moments in films.