Audience

 

An audience is a group of people who participate in different

media texts. Examples are in literature, music, or video games.

People participate in different ways, for example some type of

audiences require people to go to a specific area to watch

something and allow clapping, criticism or reception.

 

Passive Audiences

The earliest idea is that audience that consume media texts are 

passive and inactive. It was thought that the audience didn't 

require active use of the brain to consume these media texts. And that the audience will accept and believe what they are being shown and not question this

 

Hypodermic model

 

This theory suggests that a media text is able to 'inject' ideas, values and attitudes into a passive audience that may act upon these ideas. It also suggests that a media text only has one message that the audience must pick up on.

 

Active Audiences

 

This is a newer theory suggesting that audiences are active and interact with the communication process and also use media texts for their own purposes. It suggests that we react to media texts differently because we are all different people with different backgrounds experiences and ideas.

 

Audience of Horror Films

 

The target audience of a horror film is generally those between the age group of 15 to 25. Horror films are aimed at both genders but mainly males as they like to see the thrill of violence which is often something that is used in horror films. Males are also more likely to be able to interact with the characters. Horror films are also aimed at females. However, females interact with the characters but tend to react in a different way.

 

Film-makers research what the audience expects to see in a horror film so that the film will appeal to the target audience.

 

Sound is something that causes a reaction from the audience in horror films, it helps to create suspense throughout the film. The audience expect the sounds used to signify something bad is about to happen. John Hübinette said that if you were to remove all music from a horror film, it isn’t frightening, instead, it’s gruesome. He says that as soon as sound is added to the film, you get tension. Sound helps the audience define genre, especially in a horror film.