Horror Film Audience Research

[Research task 9 & 10]

9. Who watches horror films?10. What are the audience pleasures?

Sujata Gurung

This is the layout of the questionnaire I personally did. The layout for survey monkey will a bit different but the content is the same. Therefore there is no hindrance in the results because of the layout.

Statistical results from the questionnaire

Horror Film Audience – (Quantitative)

I have collected data from my own online survey and through one to one questionnaires. They contain the same questions. Majority of the survey will be handed out through social networking sites such as Facebook, and school email.

Although this may seem a bit biased, to look at a positive light-This means that I will get feedback from my target audience. This is suitable research for the film

opening as I am hoping to target it at sort of 15-20 year olds and females. In addition in a real situation and I had to market my film. The majority of the target market

will have social networking sites therefore it will be easy to promote the film.

9. Who watches horror films?

What is your age?

What is your gender?

Audience figures of the films (use

IMBD/Online sources)-Secondary Research

• From a research done in

2011, horror films were

particularly popular

amongst males and

under 25’s. And over a

1/3 were audiences

were aged 18-24

• This supports the data I

gathered from the

questionnaire I did (2014)

What type of horror do you like the most?

Do you enjoy watching horror films?

Qualitative Results from the questionnaire

The Horror film Genre

Most of the qualitative feedback I wanted were opinions therefore I’ve had to draw a general conclusion for evaluation because I surveyed about 100 people. The conclusion includes what the people have commented, this is shown through the speech marks.

• Why do you watch horror films?

Most have stated that they would watch a horror film if “the story line is interesting” whilst some others have said for the “adrenaline and jumpy feeling”

• What do you think makes a good horror opening?

Most have stated if the opening is mysterious and raises enigmas whilst others have said because of the “backstory”

• What makes a horror film memorable?

Most of stated if it is “interesting” or has a good story. Whereas some other have said it is the “sense of realism” (this maybe making the film more realistic and relatable)

• Why do you enjoy watching horror films?

Most have stated it is because of the “narrative” of the story, whilst others have commented that it’s “exciting” and because it’s “scary”. There are a few who have stated they like watching it with others as a leisure activity.

Horror film reviews-Secondary

research from IMBD• In a IMBD user review of the film, the user ‘daredevil-arun8’

said the film had “a lot of jumps and scares which keeps you

scared till the end” and also mentioned good use of “sound

effects”

• A review of The conjuring from IMBD user states the “amount

of clichés is laughable” this is because of the conventions of horror films used such as an old haunted house, creaky doors,

creepy dolls/girls, demonic voices. On the other hand the user

did admit that “the suspense frightened” them.

• Most of the user reviews for the film Insidious have stated that

the film building the scare from the opening credit. And most

of them have said they were genuinely scared and would highly recommend it

EvaluationAround the age of 15-20 the people are in key stages of mental,

emotional and physical development. They want to learn about the world and are curious, as a result they want to try out new things

and experiment with different emotions and feelings e.g. fear. Young people are more reluctant to do this because it is rebellious to watch horror films especially when the certification is above your age. In addition there are broad range of sub genres of horror films

therefore audiences can enjoy different experiences e.g. thriller makes people jump whilst supernatural is more mysterious and tense.

Being young, they want to be like adults therefore they want to rush into life without needing guidance. This is because they don’t want

to acknowledge they need help emotionally in teenage years. Horror films add an element of entertainment. They may seek the ‘thrill factor’ and adrenaline of these films which are rather cheap

compared to other sources to escape to a different world that might be interesting and mysterious to them. Horror films excite the

young audience more easily than the older one because they have a more carefree attitude and versatile emotions.