How Film Openings Attract Audiences and Audience Theories

Film openings attracts their audience depending on the film's genre, but also by making the opening capture the audience's imagination, and making them want to continue to watch the rest of the film. The opening also establishes what it going to happen in the film through its narrative, and sound.

An example of this is in Forrest Gump (1994), the opening of this consists of just a feather floating down to the floor, this connotes the ups and down of the journey that is life. this is later then shown in the film where it includes times of hardship and happiness.


There are also different audience theories, The Hypodermic Needle Model, and  The Uses and Gratification Model.

Hypodermic Needle Model

The Hypodermic Needle Model was created around the 1920's and 30's, it suggested that the audience are directly influenced by the media, and that the audience are passive and film have a strong effect on them. The younger audience are seen to be the most vulnerable as they are more likely to watch films, compared to adults. This is shown through the Bulger Case. James Bulger, a three year old boy, was abducted in a shopping centre and then tortured, and murdered on 12 February 1993, by two 10 year old boys, these boys were thought to have watched Child's Play, earlier on in the week which provoked them to copy the character of the Chucky. Child's Play (1988) is a horror film that a killer doll, named Chucky, goes on a murdering spree.
This model is now outdated and theorists' don't believe that this is true any more.

Uses and Gratification Model

The Uses and Gratification Model suggests that the audience are composed of active individuals who are directly involved in the selection and consumption of media output. There are four main ways the audience can relate to the media text;

• Entertainment - a form of escape from the pressure of everyday life, it is a form of diversion, relation and enjoyment. 
• Personal Relationship/Social Interaction - identification with characters and being able to discuss media text with others. Gaining in site into other lives, identifying with others gaining a sense of belonging.
• Personal Identity - the ability to compare your life with that of characters and situations presented in media texts. You may adjust or confirm your sense of identity.
• Information - to find out and learn about what is going on in the world. - self education and seeking advice on practical matters. 

The Uses and Gratification Model is widely accepted among theorists'. This theory is taken into consideration when making a film opening because it is the first thing an audience see's. This means that the audience needs to relate to the opening to be interested in the actual film.

Husky Productions will use the Uses and Gratification Model as it is widely accepted as well as the fact that elements of it appear in most film openings. Most film opening gives a form of entertainment, this is due to the fact that if its audience isn't entertained then they wouldn't watch the rest of the film. As you can see, Black Swan (2010) is a good example of escape for the audience but also the character drawing. This introduces the uses and gratification model in its opening, to grab the audiences attention. This is what Husky Production is going to do when we produce the film opening for 'Remorse'.