Audience Engagement Research - Inception

My target audience is similar to Inception's target audience because it is in the same genre of Sci-Fi and Thriller as my film. The use of similar genres attracts very similar audiences who are interested in Sci-Fi. in comparison to my target audience. Moreover, Inception uses similar concepts of "dream worlds", "dreams within dreams", and "limbo" in comparison to my film's concept of "limbo" through time loops where the main character is constantly waking up at the same place and time. However, the target audience may not be similar in terms of which social groups are represented. This would attract similar audiences because of these similar concepts both Inception and my film share. Inception marketed their product by using Christopher Nolan as a brand to attract fans to watch it. It also used a marketing campaign that involved releasing an animation of a spinning top in August 2009 and then it toppling over in December in the film's website. This then led to the release of an online game called "Mind Crime" which shows the Inception poster on release and a hidden trailer of the movie. Warner also gave away promotional T-shirts featuring a special suitcase that creates dreams in the film with a QR code that directs to the manual of the suitcase by April 2010 at WonderCon. It also sent cryptic images, posters, ads, phone applications, and other means of media distribution in order to promote the film. Inception has also released billboards and giant posters covering buildings to advertise the film. The billboards has one design that has the main characters from the film on the right on a building with visible distortions in the city in the background and another design that has a more dynamic feel of the action of the film. The larger posters on the buildings had one design that looks like a normal building but the wall seems to peel off revealing the interior and another design with water flowing out of it. Both the billboards and the large posters attracts the audience with a text, "From the Director of The Dark Knight".

My Target Audience

My target audience is the youth of various gender, nationality, social class, and education levels who have an interest in science and are perfectionists. The aspects of my product that will be appealing to my audience is the use of shots involving the hacker at his computer, hacking into Manny's reality. We can also see this through the use of green colors on the computer to add into the Sci-Fi theme of the film. Additionally, my product is also appealing to my target audience because of the use of the concept of time loops in the film. This is seen when there are different shots of Manny waking up at the same place and time. My film product will also be appealing to my target audience because of the use of the geometric origami ball as a prop to represent Manny's reality. The hacker made this to be able to interact with his reality. The geometric shape of the origami ball prop can be considered Sci-Fi themed because of the use of geometry in other Sci-Fi films. The film is appealing to the perfectionist side of the audience by the use of insert shots on perfectly scored tests. This shows Manny's prestigious academic performance at school which fits for a perfectionist. Additionally, my film uses another insert shot of Manny interacting with his school trophies to illustrate his compulsive behavior to keep everything perfect. His perfectionist personality has led to some repercussions as it costed his own emotions and satisfaction for his own achievements which is seen through his monotone behavior and expression with his dark and monochrome clothing. This fits my target audience because it is a warning message to those who are perfectionists. Overall, my product is intended for its audience because of the use of colors, props, Sci-Fi concepts, and characterization.

Feedback and Revisions

The revisions I plan to make before my final submission is to add more scenes into the film pertaining to the characters and what is happening in the film. I also will add more video effects such as a vignette and TV static distortions in the film. I chose to do more shooting to add more scenes into the film such as insert shots and shots of the characters because it adds more characterization and understanding of what is happening in the film for the audience. I chose to add vignette and TV static distortions to add more into the intensity of the film and make connections to the hacker in the first scene. I will add more scenes into the film by doing more shooting in my house and outside the house with shots of objects and characters. I will also add vignette and TV static distortions through video overlays and effects using Vegas as my video editing software. This can be done by either using a feature from Vegas or going online to save a video or image of TV static and vignettes to put over the video.

Use of Conventions

One way my product uses conventions of my genre is by using time loop concepts in the opening. Some sci-fi films such as Interstellar or Terminator utilize forms of time manipulation to portray what technology could be in the far future. This is seen when Manny in the film wakes up in the same place and time by the end of the opening scene, showing evidence of the time manipulation. Another way my product uses conventions of my genre is by using a hacker as one of the characters in my film. The hacker is seen using his computer typing out coding to hack into Manny's reality in the film with green text on the screen. This is often conventional of hackers in the film as films such as The Matrix use hacking or technology in with green colored text or images on the screen. Another way my product uses conventions of my genre is the use of high pacing and short takes in the film. This is often used in horror genres in intense scenes to make the audience feel, "on-edge". Another use of convention is seen with Manny's clumsy nature in the film opening. I planned to use comedy without any dialogue in the film which is seen when he puts on his shoes in the scene or when he falls onto the sidewalk. The film challenges conventions by using no dialogue in the film. I planned to do this because I wanted to focus more on what happens in the film while still giving out importance to the characters in the film using body language, mise en scene, and props. For example, the film uses insert shots on his exams, his monochrome clothes, and blank facial expression to represent his personality. The social groups it represents perfectionist people. For example, Manny's exams that had perfect scores added with his monotonous personalities show that his perfectionist personality has harmed his emotional health and mental health. In the film, Manny will have to be able to embrace his imperfections and beat the hacker to escape the time loop. This would overall leave a message of embracing one's flaws and moving on with life.