Audience expectations of thriller films
By gathering expecations from the audience, we could see the clear confusion between thriller and horror. It was our job to then explain to them from our knowledge what the difference was and tell them what to expect from a thriller and what to expect from our project.
Thriller is a popular film genre to ages of 14-26 yearolds. One main reason for this is because an audience of that age group are enticed to intese storylines and graphic action. Ages above 18 would appeal more to the narrative throughout the film, whilst figuring out the film.
Moreover, there are various sub- genres in thriller films for example psychological/crime thrillers attract mostly the male audience, as they are drawn to the conventions
and can relate to certain characters, to people they know or even themselves, connecting and engaging the audience with the film/characters (both protagonists and antagonists). This male age range is also drawn into the action aspect of the crime thrillers. Where as females are attracted to either romatic thriller as it is relateable or also teenagers who are attracted to supernatural thrillers as they give them a 'scare factor', as they become slightly affected by it
What do you think a thriller film is?
What is the difference between horror & a thriller?
What thriller movies do you like?
What is your favourite thiller director?
We went around our school asking different ages groups about their interpretations of thriller. Most of the audience were trying to distinguish the difference between horror and thriller. As the students in the video he understood that they are intense and supposed to thriller you in contrast to horror films which are supposed to scare you.
We also asked people of older ages of their iterpretations of thriller, which were that they "psychologically mess with your head", are supposed to make you jump as well as being intense. He also understood there is a sense of twist in the plot but prefers the paranormal asepct in horrors.
As a whole, we came to the conclusion through the audience expectations research that people expect tension and suspense in thrillers as well as, a plot twist so as SNL productions we are aiming to include this in our thriller opening so it will appeal to not just the younger audience but to the older as well. This has helped us get a better understanding of what the audience expect, as well as narrowing down our ideas and being more specific as we know some of our audience pleasures.