Audience theory- Enigma theory

Audience Theories (The Enigma Theory)

Media theorist Roland Barthes devised a theory of the enigma code, in which he claimed that the purpose of the author of a media text is to keep the audience guessing through establishing enigmas for the audience to work out. These are conventionally revealed in the final scene of the film. This is a useful tool for a trailer, as establishing enigma codes makes the audience want to find out the answers to the enigmas and go and see the film.

Enigma codes pose questions to the audience which will then be answered later in the film. Examples of enigma codes are 'Who is that?', 'Where are they going?' etc. Enigma codes are an important aspect of any film as it enables the audience to become intrigued about the film and influence them to continue watching the film. In our trailer we have used various enigma codes to entice the audience. For example the audience will be asking 'Who is that?' when they are shown an over the shoulder shot of a suspicious figure following the victim. This means that the killers identity is an enigma as the audience will want to find out who the killer is by watching the film. This leads on to the next question 'Why is the victim being followed?' and 'Where is the victim going?'. These questions are all questions the audience wants answered and the only way to get these answers is to continue watching the film.

Other enigma codes we used were 'What has happened to them?'. This is when the audience are shown a long shot of the victim being dragged through the woods. The audience cannot be sure what has exactly happened to them but will be intrigued to find out which, again, will make them want to continue watching our film. These enigma codes have all been recognisable in our trailer. During our audience feedback a strength of our film was that our mixed story line made the audience question what is happening which enticed them to continue watching.

Audience theory- Cultivation theory

Audience Theories (The Cultivation Theory)

This theory also treats the audience as passive and it suggests that repeated exposure to the same message, such as an advertisement, will have an effect on the audiences attitudes and values. A similar idea is know as desensitisation-which suggests that long term exposure to violent media makes the audience less likely to be shocked by violence and more likely to behave in that manner.

The theory states that repeated exposure to the same message, such as an advertisement, will have an effect on the audiences attitudes and values. A similar idea is know as desensitisation-which suggests that long term exposure to violent media makes the audience less likely to be shocked by violence and more likely to behave in that manner. We apply George Gerbner's Cultivation theory to our film by using a black hooded murderer as the main antagonist. We also use the idea of a girl home-alone and being vulnerable in her own home which has a horrifying effect on the audience; they believe it could easily happen to them, even in the sanctuary of their own home. The mise-en-scene of the antagonist is another way we incorporated the theory into our film as the antagonist wore a black hoodie-creating a negative perception of those who wear hoodies, causing the audience to see them as dangers. The black hoodie could also be associated with gangs which could make the audience fearful of gang culture.

What does the theory suggest?


Strengths?


Weaknesses?


As audiences watch more television or films, they gradually develop certain views about the world, some of which are false.


This approach draws attention to the fact that audiences gain a lot of their knowledge from the media and also recognises the important role the media plays in our lives.


This approach can effect viewer’s perceptions and is hard to prove if accurate or not.

Audience theory- Two step flow

Audience Theories (The Two Step Flow Theory)

Katz and Lazarsfeld assumes a slightly more active audience and suggests that messages from the media move in two distinct ways. First, individuals who are opinion leaders, receive messages from the media and pass on their own interpretations in addition to the actual media content.

The information does not flow directly from the text into the minds of its audience, but is filtered through its opinion leaders who then pass it in to a more passive audience. The audience then mediate the information received directly from the media with the ideas and thoughts expressed by the opinion leaders, thus being influenced not by a direct process, but, by a two step flow.

This theory appeared to reduce the power of the media. and some researchers concluded that social factors were also important in the way in which audiences interpret texts. This then led to the idea of active audiences.

Audience theory- Active audiences

Audience Theories (The Active Audiences Theory)

This idea was created by the "Two Step Flow Theory", which was in a previous post, and sees the audience as individuals who are active and interact with the communication process and use media texts their own purposes. It is the active audience model and is considered to be a better and more realistic way to talk about audiences. We behave differently because we are different people from different backgrounds with many different attitudes, values, experiences and ideas.

Audience theory- Uses and gratification

Audience Theories (The Uses and Gratifications Theory)

The model stems from the idea that audiences are a complex mixture of individuals who select media texts that best suit their needs-which goes back to "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs".

The model suggests that media audiences are active and make active decisions about what they consume in relation to their social and cultural setting and their needs.

This was summed up by theorists Blumier and Katz in 1974; "Media usage can be explained in that it provides gratifications related to the satisfaction of social and psychological needs." This means that audiences choose to watch programmes that makes them feel good, for example Soaps or Sitcoms, or give them information that they can use, for example news and world events.

Our film also makes use of the Uses and Gratifications theory which states that there are five reasons why audiences consume media products-to be informed and educated, to identify with characters and situations, to be entertained, to be able to socialise by discussing the film and to escape from everyday life. Four of these are applied to our film but we do not inform or educate the audience as the purpose is to frighten and entertain them. Our audience will have many reasons to watch our film, one of which would be to identify with the characters. In our film, the characters have day to day lives that our audiences could relate to. They also offer different vices and virtues that, we like to think, our audience can relate to. The opening "Based on a true story" also allows the audience to relate to the film; it was a true event that could possibly happen to them. Another reason why our audience would enjoy our film is because its' main focus is to terrify and entertain the audience as they are left trembling in their seats. The third reason would be to offer escapism as our film allows the audience to follow the lives of other people and see how they deal with the terrifying situation they have found themselves in. It also allows the audience to immerse themselves in a world distant from their own-allowing to forget their problems and enjoy the film. The final reason of socialising and discussing aspects of the film can also be applied; there are many enigmas established throughout the film, leaving the audience with more questions than answers which could prompt a discussion to see the views of others.

What does the theory suggest?

Strengths?

Weaknesses?

Instead of researching what the media do to the audience, this approach studies what the audience does with the media. This approach also takes account of people’s personalities and personal needs.


The audience is seen as active and reasonably intelligent. Life experience in general is regarded as more influential than experience of media. The pleasures that the media offer audiences are not regarded as negative.


Too much optimism about the ‘power’ and ‘choices’ of an active audience can distract us from the power certain texts have, or the influence that media institutions and ownership may have on texts and understandings.

Audience theory- Reception theory

Audience Theories (The Receptions Analysis Theory)

The theory was put forward by Professor Stuart Hall and looks at how audiences interact with a media text, taking into account their situated culture. The theory suggests that social and daily experiences can affect the way an audience reads a media text and reacts to it.

What does the theory suggest?	Strengths?	Weaknesses?
Audiences are seen as active producers of meaning, rather than as merely consumers of media meanings. They make sense of media texts according to their social position and their gender.	This approach values highly the specific, personal and contextualised responses of individuals and groups. People’s life experiences are important influences which enable them to make active choices as members of media audiences.	The readings and responses of the audience are given more emphasis rather than the institutional aspects of the media. Some researchers can get side-tracked into analysing audience lifestyles, and thus media reception is sometimes neglected in favour of a more holistic sociological approach.

Audience theory- Hypodermic needle theory

Audience Theories (The Hypodermic Needle Model)

In this model the media is seen as powerful and able to inject ideas into an audience who are seen as weak and passive. It suggests that a media text can inject ideas, values and attitudes into a passive audience who might then act upon them. This theory also suggests that a media text has only one message which the audience must pick up. The theory stems from a fear of mass media, and gives the media much more power than it can ever have in a democracy. Also it ignores the obvious fact that not everyone in an audience behaves in a same way.

What does the theory suggest?	Strengths?	Weaknesses?
The theory is injected in the audience like a syringe used to inject a drug into the body, and it directly injects a message into the minds of the audience.	The approach draws attention to the power that media producers have, and to the importance of the forms of media to which audiences have access.	The “injected” audience is seen as passive and powerless, however they have they are smart and create their own perceptions of the media. It also suggests that all people think the same way, however we are each individuals and have our own ways of thinking-creating our own perceptions.