A film company would target a specific audience for a specific genre of film, for example, animated films are usually targeted at families and young children, this is because the film suits the younger audience rather than a movie that was horror or action, these genre movies are usually targeted at older audiences rather than families as they include violence and may include scenes that are inappropriate for young children and if the film company promotes a movie of such scenes the film company may get into trouble for promoting such material to children.
Films depend greatly on the target audience as a film is promoted through the trailers and if it does not appeal to its target audience it is in danger of not appealing to any audiences and getting bad reviews therefore the film is unsuccessful and the company lose profit. Film companies not only use trailers to promote the film to its target audience but if the film has good reviews they use that to convince the audience it is a good movie to watch, they use ratings such as 5 star or 4 star again done to promote the movie in being entertaining. The companies would also use celebrities to promote the movie, for example having a celebrity as the main character in the movie; because of the celebrity the film would automatically get views as the fans of the celebrity would want to watch the movie as it features the celeb. Audiences can also be targeted through sponsorship, for example if the target audience of a movie are young children or families and the film company got KFC or McDonalds to sponsor the movie characters of the movie would be made into toys and be out into for example ‘happy meals’ that are specific meals for kids, therefore promoting the movie and exciting the audience through toys.
Although the methods listed above help the movie appeal to it’s targeted audience they also help promote the movie, but other methods are used for promotion as well, such as, magazine adverts, billboards, short trailer clips shown on TV, adverts on buses adverts shown in cinemas etc.. There are also premiers of the movie where there is usually a red carpet, and the main characters [who are usually popular celebrities] will attend the first screening of the movie, as there are celebrities fans of the celebrities will attend also not only for the screening but also for autographs of poster of the movie and so on. As celebrities are included in premiers there is usually a lot of paparazzi therefore the movie then gets promoted in newspapers and more magazines also.
These methods of promotion are effective as trailers can be previewed on TV, in the cinema, an on the internet, making it possible for more viewers to see the trailer which promotes the movie to a wider audience and as trailers are short clips which are usually about 3 minutes long and contain the best parts of the movie, they are sure to keep the audience wanted more and create an enigma so that the audience will then go and watch the movie. Movie posters are also greatly effective as they can be displayed at a variety of location, [in the tube, on billboards, at bus stops in magazines, on buses] The posters usually contain the main actress/actor as the centre image with eye-catching bold writing that stands out, the writing is will be of the name of the movie and maybe a catchphrase form the movie as well. If the poster is attractive, as it is eye catching this will make the viewer want to see the movie making film posters a successful and popular way of promoting movies. Film premiers are also a very popular form of promotion of a movie as because of the celebrity the amount of paparazzi will get the movie more known and into more magazines and as the celebrity as his/her own fan base the movie will gain fans/viewers through the celebrity. Fans will also come to the premier to get autographs from their favourite movie star which again promotes the movie because the autographs would most likely be on a poster of the movie.
Through all these different forms of promotion the movie will have a wider audience as more people will hear of the movie as it is being promoted so widely.
