Section 1
1A) Identify the main targeted audience of Mad men?
The main targeted audience is a niche audience as it is shown on Sky Atlanta and is marketed by AMC.
1B) Identify in one way the text has been encoded to appeal to that type of audience?
It also appeals to a niche audience because of its use with diegetic sound. Diegetic sound appeals to a niche audience because they prefer to be challenged on what they should think and prefer not to be told how they should be reacting. It also gives them then chance to use their imagination to work out what is going on.
1C) Justify how that point/ technique/ convention would gratify your previously identified type of audience?
With the niche audience they prefer to view programmes which give them more of a challenge , which means mad men appeals to them as they are constantly being given enigma codes which they are having to work out for them selves. Personally I prefer a programme which contains non - diegetic sound as it tells you who you should feel and react, however the older generation mostly prefer diegetic sound so that they are challenged more, it is aimed at a very mainstream audience.
Section 2
2) Does Lost target a passive audience?
Yes I would say that Lost does target a passive audience, they use a lot of stereo types within this such as a blonde bimbo and a nerd and they all portray these stereotypes showing that they follow these characteristics. This makes the audience have assumptions of the character which are already true. Also a lot of techniques are used for example non - diegetic sound is produced to help build tension or to show what emotions you should be feeling, you are not making the meaning out yourself the media is telling you how to feel and think you are just sitting and watching it.
3) Identify how Lost is encoded to gratify a passive audience?
Lost is encoded to a passive audience by the use of non - diegetic sound. This appeals to a passive audience as they are being told what emotions they must feel and are given clues for what is going to happen next and how you should react to this. For example if something bad is going to happen they begin to build a crescendo to make you feel tense and nervous, all of your questions will be answered through the programme.
4) Justify one point/ technique/ convention that would force Mad Men's audience to decode the text actively in order to gain gratifications?
A technique which is used for a active audience of mad men for them to decode to gain gratifications would be enigma codes throughout they are asking questions. They find enjoyment through this as they think of it as more of a challenge rather than being told how what has happened they would have decide for themselves.
5) Explain and justify how Peaky Blinders has been encoded to gratify both passive and active audiences?
Peaky Blinders was able to gratify both passive and active audiences by have a very easy to follow narrative. It is able to target a active audience through its use of ensemble cast and cinematography they use well known actors to attract this audience. They are also able to capture a passive audience with the use of non - diegetic sound as this helps to instigate when something is going to happen and tells you what emotions you should be feeling. An example of the use of non diegetic sound is when Tommy has to shoot his own horse when he begins to walk away music is played to show that it was a upsetting scene and you should feel sad.
6) Justify the statement "Lost is encoded to be inclusive"?
Lost is produced so that it can have a wide range of audiences this is so that they are able to use social integration and have a wider range of audience. They are able to do this by including lots of different characters within the story with many different stereotypes and different personalities, this makes the audience all be able to relate to each one of these characters. For example the Chinese woman has to follow by her husbands orders of her religious views although she may feel he is being over protective and wants to rebel against him. This allows different people in the audience be able to relate to the characters in Lost and make it more interesting for the audience.
7) Why does the use of a score appeal to a more passive audience?
The use of score appeals to passive audiences as film producers are adding effects on to the film which create different sounds in the background. An example of this would be Lost because this is for more of a passive audience as people who are passive prefer to be told what is happening and how to feel and this is what the added effects does. By adding different sound effects to films you are able to understand that something bad is about to happen as the music begin to build to a crescendo which builds tension and makes you feel nervous. Also different sounds can indicate that you should be feeling happy or sad. Also if you didn't understand that someone for example fell over it would show that they did by the added sound effects of the bang. This appeals more to a passive audience as they are being told what is going on and how to feel.
An example of this would be the scene where the polar bear is chasing them, the music begins to build which creates tension within the scene and makes you feel nervous and tense.
