CCR Q2 Research

Hello Blog Readers! 

Today I'm taking a break from discussing editing for my film opening (will be filming the voiceover this week and continuing to add audio) to discuss my second CCR question: How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

Let's dive in!

It's important to note that the main target audience for my film, similar to most coming of age films, is teenagers and young adults (13-25), and that a more specific target audience exists for people who share the troubles and themes my film touches on. These include parental pressure, longing to grow up, and future indecisiveness. 

If you would like to learn more about common target audiences for each film genre, here's a helpful video that can help!

Ok, now that that's cleared, lets do the real work

How does my project engage with audiences? 

1. Symbolism and Themes

• Including scenes where the protagonist is scrolling and using technology is a common practice for Gen Z and Younger Millennials. Featuring these at the start of my film help immediately establish a connection with the audience by appealing to similar habits shared with what is shown on screen. 
• Most teenagers have an internal monologue that narrates their world. By including a voiceover, my film opening reflects this practice in a way. 
• Including the line "having so much attention all the time is exhausting" reflects a shared feeling amongst many only children. The exhaustion they experience can be characterized as a universal experience and deeply resonate with the viewer. 
• Having Sylvie appear to be playing the part of an obedient daughter makes it so her exact situation doesn't have to be relatable because the conflict she faces is broad and commonly faced by others as well. (Both the fear of letting her parents down and the fear of never leaving her boring home). 

2. Transitions

• Including a couple visual transitions such as the match cut from the doorknob to glass and the sky transition from Sylvie's house to the beach both serve as visuals that engage the audience and keep them entertained. In general, transitions across any kind of media are known to have this effect. Want to learn more? Click Here!

How would my opening be distributed as a media text? 

1. Short Film Platforms (YouTube)

With the development of the online/digital world, platforms such as YouTube are ones that receive a large number of users every day. To ensure that my film reaches the largest audience it can realistically as a student-made project, utilizing this free platform is a no-brainer. To make sure that it is primarily shown to my target audience, I would make sure to use hashtags such as #shortfilm, #comingofage, #onlychild, and #studentfilm as well as include a brief description of the piece. 

2. Film Festivals

Another popular distribution method for student films is submitting to festivals. For my project, I belive submitting to the "All American High School Film Festival" would be a great choice as it is one that looks for pieces that represent common struggles and authenticity. 

Here's their website if you would like to check out some past entries: AAHSFF

I hope you enjoyed reading today's post! Here's the script regarding this question for my CCR responses: click me! 

Hopefully you'll see my work out there soon! 

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