Post 7- Audience Theory

Following a lot of reading into audience theory, I have watched a number of short films and analysed them in relation to audience. 

The first short film i looked at was 'Tender'. With a much smaller budget in comparison to Hollywood films, Deborah Haywood, director of 'Tender' turned away from seeking a large mass audience and concentrated primarily on a specific niche audience. By removing the financial requirement, 'Tender' is able to target this niche audience as different audiences seek different things and could perhaps be more attracted to Art House films rather than particular films which focus primarily on narrative which would not have the ability to shock an audience as much as an Art House genre short film like 'Tender'.


Whore
With a controversial title, the short film 'Whore' instantly addresses a niche audience. Film director and writer Fyzal Boulifa used a young female character who is heavily sexualised through the mise en scene of revealing clothing such as a low cut school shirt and above the knee school skirt in order for particular audiences to either feel superior AFFFFFFDYSG or could use one of Blumler and McQuail's four basic needs to satisfy; Surveillance by which audiences use short films alike 'Whore' to obtain a greater understanding od
analysing the short film 'Whore', director and writer Fyzal Boulifa uses representation through mise-en-scene of costume, hair and make-up as well as lighting.  The audience  becomes aware of the characters through these micro elements  which openly introduces the female central protagonist through the opening shot of a medium close up.  As the handheld camera tracks backwards, the audience is introduced to the girls school uniform which is a low cut blouse and short skirt.  Through these micro elements, the audience is able to create larger meaning and values which then construct representations. Althusser and his concept of interpellation suggests that females are either constructed as mothers or sex objects and in reference to 'Whore' the representations constructed position the female to be regarded as a sex object, this representation is made upon the revealing costume used.

The locations used such as a school are very run down and portrays a working class area.  Through draining colour from the camera, the area is represented as a depressing place which constructs the idea that people from a working class background lead an unhappy life of 'doom and gloom'.  The negative actions the female character takes alongside her revealing dress constructs the representation that all working class females are 'slutty'. The short film includes very little speech from the female protagonist which leaves the audience unable to make alternative interpretations on her character rather than simply through her mise-en-scene. This suggests that she is only able to make impressions on people through the way she looks, rather than her personality.  This contructs a negotiated reading from the audience.