AUDIENCE RESEARCHAUDIENCE RESEARCHAlongside research into existing texts, the broad area/topic of audience is arguably the most important across the entire A2 – exam and coursework. It comes into the marking for R+P, Products, Evaluation and Section A of the exam:

R+P: research into similar products and a potential target audience

Products: editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;

accurate use of language and register

Eval: understanding of the significance of audience feedback

ability to communicate

EXAM: Q1B (Analyse either your AS or A2 production in relation to one of 5 concept areas) – MANGeR [Audience]

STEPS:

1. Define your primary and secondary target audience: this must clearly influence your proposal, and needs to go beyond age/gender into wider demographics/interests

2. Test the suitability of your idea/audience:

a. Act/track recognition is a starting point if you’re act has a reasonable profile:

You can utilise simple stimulus: an A4 sheet with pics of the act, screenshot from well-known vids etc; video with audio off or track/s only

b. You can ask direct questions such as:

Do you own/stream this track?

Do you own/stream anything by this act?

If not to either of the above, would you consider buying/streaming this track or anything by this act?

Can you name any other tracks by this act?

What would you expect to see in one of their videos (a particularly useful question)?

Who would you consider to be the target audience for this act?

c. If your act/track is more obscure, you need to refocus some of these questions on the genre

d. Explain your concept, utilising any sample sequences/pitch supporting vids, as appropriate; ask questions such as:

Do you think this (idea/sample) is appropriate for the target audience (always add: if so, why, if not, why – you want specific detail)?

What did you think works best with this idea/sample?

Is there anything you might change/add to make this work better for this audience?

Are there any videos (or other media) you’d suggest we look at for further ideas?

If you don’t think this is appropriate for our target audience, who would you suggest we target it at (and why)?

Any thoughts on how we might utilise social media to promote this?

3. Research the media profile of your track/act:

a. Every appearance, on a website, radio, TV, magazine, paper, film – whatever it may be – will potentially justify your defined target audience, primary or secondary; eg:

You spot your act covered in Q magazine; this signifies interest from a mature youth market, 25-44+

Most magazines carry audience descriptions on their websites as advertisers need this info – remember you need to research magazines for your mag ad

Could you spend a bit of time skim-reading magazines, for free(!), in a WH Smith as part of this research?

You should Google

You could simply ask your peers if they’ve noticed any coverage recently (around the last year)

You can find useful examples of how important this was on the blogs for the Daft Punk (2013) and Girls Aloud (2012) vids

Their song is covered on the X Factor: mainstream ‘family’ appeal, not least the young and tween market

b. A thorough YouTube search (the online footprint): what covers can you find (analyse whether these acts indicate any possible crossover audience appeal (ie, from your defined primary aud to a possible secondary aud); what other uses have been made of the track (and looking beyond this one track would be useful too)?

c. Scrutinise their website/FB page etc for news of any media appearances or other activity, such as…

d. Is there an impending tour/re-release/new album? Any one of these provides a great hook or justification for trying to re-package older material, and should be prominently featured in any mag ad. You need to be aware of any album releases as you need to justify your track selection for the album/DVD digipak.

4. Identify any websites you can use to seek audience feedback: not just official sites but fan pages, Twitter feeds, FB groups, discussion lists etc. Some past students have had feedback and a thumbs up from the actual act too, which could boost your chances of further feedback greatly, especially if the act Tweet (etc) on this.

5. If you haven’t already, comprehensively summarize all work on audience – you can re-use this/these for your Eval Q. As you’re marked on your use of ICT, vodcasts should be the default mode for this.

6. Every time you complete a sample sequence or rough cut you should get as much audience feedback as possible. The easiest means of evidencing this is filming and editing short packages. You should strive to ensure you’ve discussed in advance which specific elements you want feedback – simple ‘we like it’, ‘it were good’ feedback is very limited, but that is what you’ll get if you don’t ask for specific feedback. Set up any relevant context and be clear on what elements you want feedback on before screening your video.

7. Highlight your feedback: keep posting ‘Audience Feedback on [Rough Cut3]’ posts and adding to a links lists.

8. You will need to assess the role and influence of feedback overall in your Eval, so after posting summaries of feedback each time, clearly and explicitly give your response.