Ben Bateman 12P

Uses and gratification theory

The uses and gratification theory is a theory created by
Elihu Catez in 1956. The uses and gratification theory is
predominantly looking at the audience and why they lean
towards specific forms of media to satisfy their needs.
The uses and gratification theory differs from other
theories in media in the sense that it doesnt look at
the effects that media has on the population, but it
looks what people use media for, and how its used to
ensure that people are happy.

The audience will look to media to satisfy their own
needs. People that are not nessercarily in the best of
moods would preferably want to watch a comedy because the
humor involved will bring their mood up. People may also
watch comedies in an upbeat mood, however thats because
they just want to do that rather than it being a
necessity. The genre we are doing which is horror would
usually apply to people that are in a happier mood
seeking something with a sense of mystery, however people
in a bad mood can find that the horror genre gives them a
sense of escapism, as you are constantly asking questions
throughout trying to work things out.

In relation to our film the uses and gratification theory
comes in to ensure that the audiences needs are met, so
we have to ensure we meet our target audiences needs. We
have to have a detailed understanding of what our target
audience would expect of this film and what they find
enjoyable in a horror film. If we can live up to the
expectations of our target audience, their needs will be
automatically met.

If the storyline is good and the people we chose to act
sell it to the audience the likelihood that they will
find it enjoyable is high. If the editing is good, e.g.
soundtrack and the effects in general making things
disorientated it also makes it more of a spectacle.

Also the sense of mystery in this particular genre
ensures that theres a degree of audience escapism, as in
horrors youre always hooked and trying to solve whatever
mystery there is to be solved.People might also want more
variation in their life so they extend their film viewing
to a new genre, this genre could potentially be horror
therefore having new people in our target audience.