Research and Planning - Audience Questionnaire

 

2. Audience Questionnaire (Qualitative Research)

This was a short written or spoken questionnaire I used with five classmates to collect more detailed feedback.

Title: Film Opening Feedback Questionnaire

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Questions

1. What usually captures your attention in a film’s first two minutes?

2. How important is the soundtrack or background music in setting the tone?

3. Do you prefer openings with lots of action or slower, more mysterious starts? Why?

4. What kinds of characters interest you most (age, personality, situation)?

5. What kind of setting feels most effective for a thriller or drama?

6. What mistakes do you notice in student-made films that put you off watching?

7. If you could design your own short film, what would the first scene show?

Additional Links

• Moodboard on Pinterest – Thriller Aesthetic

Research and Planning - Survey

 

Survey Questions

Section A – About You

1. What is your age?

   • 13–15

   • 16–18

   • 19–21

   • 22–25

   • 25+

2. What gender do you identify as?

   • Female

   • Male

   • Prefer not to say

   • Other

3. How often do you watch films?

   • Daily

   • A few times a week

   • Once a week

   • Rarely

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Section B – Film Preferences
4. What are your top three favourite film genres?

• Action

• Comedy

• Drama

• Horror

• Thriller

• Romance

• Sci-Fi

• Other (please specify)

5. When you watch a film opening, what makes you want to keep watching? (Tick all that apply)

   • Music/sound design

   • Mystery or suspense

   • Interesting characters

   • Unique camera work or editing

   • Action or excitement

   • Relatable story

6. What kind of tone do you prefer at the start of a film?

   • Fast-paced and exciting

   • Tense and mysterious

   • Funny and light-hearted

   • Emotional and dramatic

7. Which film do you think has a great opening scene? (Short answer)

8. How much does the soundtrack influence your interest in a film?

   • A lot

   • A little

   • Not much

   • Not at all

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Section C – Audience for My Film
9. Which of these would you be most interested in watching?

• A psychological thriller set in an everyday location

• A mysterious drama with flashbacks

• A fast-paced action sequence

• A romantic or emotional opening

10. Any other comments about what you like or dislike in short film openings? (Paragraph response)

Research and Planning - Analysing Film Openings

 Before planning my own film opening, I wanted to research how professional films use camera work, sound, titles, and editing to establish genre and engage an audience in the first two minutes.

I chose three contrasting openings to analyse:

1. Get Out (2017) – Horror/Thriller

2. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) – Adventure/Drama

3. Baby Driver (2017) – Action/Crime*

1. Get Out (2017)

Link: Watch the opening scene here

Analysis:

• Genre clues: eerie, suburban setting; low lighting; isolated location; slow tracking shots build tension.

• Sound: non-diegetic music (“Run, Rabbit, Run”) contrasts with the calm visuals, creating unease.

• Titles: simple white font, fade-in/out – minimalist style suits the psychological horror genre.

• Audience: 18–35, interested in social commentary, suspense, and Jordan Peele’s signature dark humour.

2. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Link: Watch the opening credits scene

Analysis:

• Genre clues: upbeat indie soundtrack, imaginative transitions, and warm colour palette.

• Editing: seamless blend of fantasy and realism hints at escapism and adventure.

• Titles: integrated into the environment (street signs, walls), giving a creative tone.

• Audience: older teens to adults (15–35) who enjoy introspective and imaginative storytelling.

3. Baby Driver (2017)

Link: Opening tracking shot – Edgar Wright

Analysis:

• Genre clues: fast-paced editing, synchronised music and motion, stylised colour grading.

• Sound: diegetic soundtrack through protagonist’s headphones – unique narrative technique.

• Camera: long tracking shot introduces both character and rhythm of the world.

• Audience: 16–30, music lovers, fans of stylised crime action.

Reflection

Each film quickly establishes tone and genre through camera, sound, and titles. I’ve realised that my own film opening should:

• Use visual storytelling over dialogue;

• Establish character and tone immediately;

• Reflect a clear, recognisable genre through sound and colour.

Right now, I’m most drawn to a thriller or psychological drama aimed at an older teen/young adult audience (16–25).

Research and Planning - My Chosen Brief

 For my A Level Media Studies Foundation Portfolio, I have chosen Option 1: The Opening Sequence of a New Fictional Film (2 minutes).

I selected this option because I’m most interested in cinematography, storytelling, and sound design — I enjoy how film openings immediately draw an audience into a world, suggest character, and establish genre through subtle creative choices rather than full narratives.

Film has always been the medium that most inspires me. I like how every technical decision — camera movement, editing rhythm, costume, lighting, and music — contributes to meaning. This project gives me the opportunity to apply the skills I’ve learned in shot composition, continuity editing, and visual storytelling, and to develop my own creative style.

Initial Intentions

At this stage, my intention is to create a thriller or psychological drama film opening. I want to explore how tension and unease can be built through atmosphere, silence, and point of view, rather than through violence or action.

I aim to:

• Experiment with lighting and colour grading to set tone and mood.

• Use camera framing to create a sense of confinement or suspense.

• Incorporate sound design (diegetic and non-diegetic) to enhance tension.

• Keep dialogue minimal, focusing instead on visual storytelling and performance.

Target Audience (initial ideas)

I plan to target an audience of older teens and young adults (16–25) who enjoy thoughtful, realistic thrillers like Get Out, Drive, or Nightcrawler. These audiences often appreciate psychological depth, mystery, and subtle character development rather than fast-paced action.

I’ll confirm this through survey and questionnaire research in my next blog posts.

Production

Post-production

Evaluation