Online statistics research - secondary audience research

Online stats:

User reviews for Misfits.

	Votes	Average
Males	16952	8.5
Females	9084	8.9
Aged under 18	971	9.1
Males under 18	424	9.0
Females under 18	547	9.2
Aged 18-29	18646	8.7
Males Aged 18-29	11688	8.6
Females Aged 18-29	6958	9.0
Aged 30-44	5558	8.3
Males Aged 30-44	4224	8.2
Females Aged 30-44	1334	8.7
Aged 45+	746	7.6
Males Aged 45+	562	7.7
Females Aged 45+	184	7.5

User reviews for Skins.	Votes	Average
Males	13509	8.0
Females	9799	8.6
Aged under 18	993	8.8
Males under 18	307	8.5
Females under 18	686	8.9
Aged 18-29	18514	8.3
Males Aged 18-29	10423	8.2
Females Aged 18-29	8091	8.6
Aged 30-44	3170	7.6
Males Aged 30-44	2349	7.5
Females Aged 30-44	821	7.7
Aged 45+	524	7.3
Males Aged 45+	389	7.2
Females Aged 45+	135	7.7

 User reviews for Dead Set.

Votes	Average
Males	6447	8.0
Females	989	7.9
Aged under 18	49	8.5
Males under 18	37	8.3
Females under 18	12	9.0
Aged 18-29	4131	8.1
Males Aged 18-29	3504	8.1
Females Aged 18-29	627	8.0
Aged 30-44	2889	7.8
Males Aged 30-44	2603	7.8
Females Aged 30-44	286	7.7
Aged 45+	320	7.8
Males Aged 45+	277	7.8
Females Aged 45+	43	7.6

From these statistics, I am able to compare and generalise how people from different age groups responded to the dramas that my group have studied. I can then take from this and adapt to the specific age group that I think will respond the best and therefore better my groups chances of success. For example, I can already see that females under 18 and males under 18 have very similar averages and the highest values in their votes. This means that we should perhaps cater to an audience that consists of both males and females under 18, by using conventions such as character and story that will be preferred by that audience. This does not mean that we should completely disregard the opinions of viewers that are not of that age range, but instead try to adapt the program and capitalise on the cons presented, to better the program and reach out to a broader audience range. In addition to these statistics, I read reviews on the same site and on others to give myself an idea on what worked well according to other people and what didn't work as well. I can then apply these to our show. Knowing the kind of things that will be responded to in the best possible way. Overall, I think that these statistics, when compared to the reviews I have gathered, will greatly improve the research and therefore the end product, due to an extended knowledge of audience preference and opinion. 

Misfits reviews - http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1548850/reviews

Skins reviews   - http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0840196/

Dead Set reviews - http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1285482/reviews

Narrative theories applied to Dead Set

The Hero - Kelly, she is the protagonist of the series and holds the responsibility of aiding the other characters in the series.

The Villian - the zombies. The zombies are the sole cause of disruption in the equilibrium. They attack the hero and other characters.

The Donor -

The Helper - Marky, he helps Kelly in obtaining items that the rest of the group need. He also serves as her protector.

The Princess - Riq, Kelly's boyfriend. He rewards Kelly by simply coming to find her and rewarding her desires for him. Constantly under threat from the Villian (zombies)

Princesse's Father -  Alex, she gives Riq the means to make contact with Kelly, therefore rewarding the Hero with what she desires.

The Dispatcher - Patrick, he is the producer of the show itself, and orders Kelly about. However, as the show progresses and the need for direction is slowly lost, Kelly makes her own way and becomes the dispatcher.

The False Hero - Patrick, upon arrival into the Big Brother House, he maintains his position as a boss and begins to take control. He is however leading the rest of the survivors into their deaths.

EQUILIBRIUM: the characters are leading their normal lives and doing their jobs. The audience follows the production of Big Brother and the lives of key people affiliated with the show.

DISRUPTION: the introduction of the zombie outbreak brings chaos and anarchy into the show. The main characters are directly affected upon its arrival.

RECOGNITION OF DISRUPTION: the main characters that are experiencing the threat first hand attempt to flee and warn the others of the disruption.

ATTEMPT TO REPAIR: the main characters begin to gather themselves and discuss possible solutions to the problem. The housemates set up protective watch over the house and settle.

RETURN: everybody succumbs to the infection and is consumed by its effects. The show ends with each character walking around as a zombie, back to somewhat of an equilibrium.

Institutional Context of E4

E4 is a subsidiary of the popular Channel 4. It was launched on the 18th of January 2001. It is a 'pay-tv' companion to Channel 4. Therefore only being possible to view via a subscription based agreement, provided by satellite/cable TV providers. E4 itself is aimed at 15-35 age group, which coincides with its name, the 'E' standing for entertainment. It is part of a large portfolio owned by the conglomerate,Channel Four Television Corporation, which is comprised of such channels as: Channel 4, More 4, 4Music etc. E4 and its parent, Channel 4. These channels use synergy to promote similar products, for example, when watching one of the previously mentioned channels, advertisements for shows that are broadcast on a different sister channel are shown. Channel 4 uses its subsidiaries to its advantage in this way, being able to promote various things on various formats/channels. Channel 4, interestingly, was not originally the conglomerate. It began as a subsidiary of the  International Broadcasting Authority (IBA). This was the case until 1993, when it came under control of the Channel Four Television Corporation.

A good example of cross media ownership from E4 would be the combination of the broadcasting of certain television shows, like Misfits, Skins and Beaver Falls etc, and additionally allowing people to play games that are related to these shows. This allows E4 to produce various types of media and link them all together. From this, I can also see the combination of e-media and broadcast media, which is a clear example of convergence, because these two types of media are coming together.

A great example of horizontal integration is displayed here, E4 being a part of it. The Channel Four Television Corporation owns several businesses. Most notably the television channels. It does however, also own the websites associated with its television channels. Despite them being recently abandoned, the corporation previously owned radio stations, such as 4radio and Oneword. Futhermore, it has a large part in the film production of Film4, which is yet another business that the corporation is affiliated with.

Check list of duties

Audience ResearchNathan- Focus Group, Online Stats, webistes
Jake - Analysis, read online reviews
Hannah - Online polls/questionnaires, Online analysis
Zac - Focus Group, UK Tribes, Books

Production ResearchNathan-  Typical conventions websites
Jake - Phone-up producers, online reviews into production companies
Hannah - Questionnaires/polls, popular genre research
Zac - E-mail producers , quote media productions

Summary of assignment brief

Record our research, intentions and pre-production on your blog.

Research should include the following:

• Primary and secondary research into similar products (TV programmes and webistes)
• Research into target audiences for exisiting products and your own product

Work should be undertaken individually.

My intentuions need to demonstrate how I intend my particular productions to work, they should consider specific audience for your products and how I intend to target them, both in terms of content of the production, both interms of how the content of the production pieces themselves and of the relevant platform. This should be clearly signposted on my blog with the heading ‘Intentions’. I may want to draft individual intentions but I must make firm decisions as a group and therefore my final intentions should all be the same.
My research and intentions need to be completed by Friday 16th November 2012.
I have been given a checklist for my pre-production and I must ensure that, as a minimum, I complete all the documents listed for each of the products I am creating.
Although I am working in groups, I must produce my own individual drafts of pre-production documents and then come together as a group to produce our finished paperwork. Therefore, everyone in the group should have their own planning documents, such as treatments, scripts, storyboards, draft layout of websites, etc, as well as group documents.

Summary of Narrative Theories

Izetan Todorov

• We can decode media texts through the use of narrative.
• These instances can be easily identified by noticing how conventions are challenged/changed.
  
  Todorov's theory:
  Equilibrium: a state of peace/normailty.
  Disruption: a conflict/event that is introduced to the narrative.
  -Recognition of disruption: the conflict is noticed by the protagonists.
  -Attempt to repair: the character begins to change, often the case.
  Return: the narrative strands come together as the conflict is resolved.

Vladimir Propp

-Created the principal of 8 character roles and 31 narrative functions

• The Villian.
• The Hero
• The Donor (provides hero with magical property)
• The Helper (aids the hero)
• The Princess (rewards the hero/is object of villain's schemes)
• Princesse's Father (rewards hero)
• The Dispatcher (who sends hero on his way)
• The False Hero

Criticism of Propp:
His theory cannot be applied to all types of narrative, in addition, many narratives have the potential to be sophisticated and therefore deliberately defy the traditional folk tale conventions.
There is not a clear definition of a female hero.
Not all narratives are the same and cannot therefore be clearly categorised as such.

Roland Barthes

- Identified 5 narrative codes. These can be used to decode texts.

- Barthes emphasises active roles of readers, creating meaning. In addition, their 'culturally formed expectations'.

5 codes:

• Action
• Enigma
• Semic
• Symbolic
• Cultural

Research Plan