Psychographics and Demographics

Psychographics and Demographics

Demographics is "statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it". 

Demographic information for social class is categorised as follows...

A - Upper Middle Class 
B - Middle Class 
C1 - Lower Middle Class 
C2 - Skilled Working Class 
D - Working Class 
E - 'Below' Working Class

In the thriller genre, the demographics of the target audience are generally any age above 15 years. The genre is not gender specific, nor race specific, but is commonly enjoyed more by people who fit into the social grades A,B and C1. This is due to the genre's plot complexity and profound narrative, which stereo-typically is less suitable for people who fit into a lower social grade. 

As a whole, ethnicity and race have no impact on whether or not a person enjoys a thriller film, however this excludes the films which may convey offensive stereotypical content regarding ethnicity or race. 

Although thriller films appeal to a very wide range of ages, they have become especially popular for young people aged 15-24 due to the fact that this age group is "more likely to look for intense experiences" (as quoted by John Edward Campbell, a media expert at Temple University). Younger people prefer to feel scared via film, since they crave something more intense and exciting than what is happening in their real life. Less middle-aged and older people prefer thrillers because they "feel that real life is scary enough". Research also shows that young people like to watch thriller films in groups, as a social activity, and to share the emotions that they experience during the film. 

The genre which we have chosen for our film opening is 'psychological thriller'. This genre would appeal more to females due to the emotional and psychological elements of the genre, in opposition to the violence and action of crime thrillers, for instance, which appeals more to a male demographic. 

Psychographics is "the study and classification of people according to their attitudes, aspirations, and other psychological criteria".

The audience of our film opening, baring in mind it will be a psychological thriller, would appeal to people who have a relatively substantial amount of disposable income in order to watch the film at the cinema or buy. The film would be more suitable for all people who fit into the 16-24 age category; who are familiar with social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. The film would include modern technologies to help keep it interesting and relatable to younger audiences and to keep the film contemporarily relevant. 

Our film would be interesting for people who are considered 'realists', because the events that unfold in the narrative are convincing in the modern world.