Interview Analysis

I gave out interviews to 10 females of varied ages from 17-51, to help me influence my film and get a better knowledge of what would keep my target audience interested and entertained. This analysis will help me break down the answers and gain a better perspective of what I need to include in my film to make it successful.

My first question I asked was “What do you like about romance films?” this may seem a simple question to ask, however this will give me a focus point, and a certain theme or mood I will need to lead my film to. Majority of the answers were; they make you feel good, they give you hope in finding true love or simply the good looking men. All of these aspects I will try and include into my short film and I think a good looking lead male is a vital part of creating a good romance film as this will be a main attraction to women. I also feel that making the watcher feel good is very important as this is a main point of watching a film, is to gain a certain feeling from watching certain films, and my intention is to make the audience feel good when watching my short film.

The next question I asked was “What is your favorite film within this genre?”, the reason for this was to just get a indication of the type of romance films these viewers watch e.g. date it is set, whether it is a romance comedy, a romance drama or just a simple romance film. The majority of results answered “The Notebook” and I think this is because it is an incredibly good film and does make you feel good. My next question was “What about this films appeals to you?” and I will look at the answers for “The Notebook” as this was the majority; one respondent commented on the fact it was set in the 40’s, another had discussed how we follow their relationship throughout the film, from the moment they met to the very end, and also the romantic scenes such as when they kiss in the rain and another respondent had said how the film makes you both happy and sad so the feelings can equal out each other. To get even more detail into why they like this film so much and how I asked the question “Are there any special techniques used in this film that makes it standout?” Two have commented on how going back from past to present is really good as it adds to the emotion as you can see them as an old couple, but also how they fell in love in the first place. You also follow their relationship throughout. The music used has also been commented on, by saying that it created most of the atmosphere and emotion involved in the film.

“What can be included in a scene to create emotion?” I asked this because I want to create an emotional and thought provoking film, all respondents have said music and lighting which is an obvious factor, which is something I will definitely add to my films. Someone had also mention adding romantic scenes such as “kissing in the rain.” Long pauses were also mentioned to add tension and build up an atmosphere.

“Do you get attached to characters quickly? If so how?” The reason I asked this was because I want to create a character that the audience will feel an attachment to, because this will create more emotion. All respondents have said that they get attached when you are introduced to their background and a story about their life. Other respondents have said If the character has a nice personality and also if you’re able to relate to them.

“What type of music do you prefer to hear for films in this genre?” I asked this just to get an idea of what sort of music to add into my short film, majority of respondents had said classic love songs, with a meaning and lyrics that link into the situation. Soft, love music has also been mentioned to create a light hearted but emotional atmosphere. Orchestral music was also mentioned, but I think this would only apply if I was creating a film that was set in a later such as the notebook that was based in the 40’s.

“Do you prefer happy endings, sad endings or cliff hangers? What are the reasons for your answer?” The majority of respondents have said that they don’t like cliff hangers as they have t know what the ending is. All have said they like happy endings as this is the purpose to a love story, to make you feel good once you have watched it.

“Do you prefer films that you can relate to, and why?” This wasn’t a very good question to ask as I will not be able to create a film that all my audience will be able to relate to as the age range is so vast. However, all 17 year olds have said they enjoy films they can relate to, as it makes it more emotional for them to watch. Whereas the respondents in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s have said they prefer watching films that can take them away from their own lives and their own reality. This will make creating my film a lot easier for character ages and situations.

“What would be a typical romance drama story line?”All respondents have said the conventional story line, of a couple falling in love, out of love and resolve the problem and fall in love again. This is completely conventional of a love story, however I may try and go against the convention or give my film a more interesting story line to make it more interesting and unexpected.

“What type of environments would you like a romance film to be set in?” The majority of respondents have said a busy place, or a casual place in a house. One respondent had discussed that they wouldn’t want a couple in an isolated environment as it wouldn’t seem realistic so this is something I will avoid. Many respondents had said about filming in the countryside as it has a romantic atmosphere to it, and I think this is something that would be appealing within a romance film.

“What type of characters would you like to see in a romance film?”
All respondents expect a good looking male and female, as this is very conventional of a love story, because it adds to the attraction, however, one respondent commented on how they wish they would include more realistic characters as we wouldn’t feel like we have to live up to it.

Doing this analysis has really influenced my stories, how I would film that and what I would include. I have a clear image of what not to do, and what to do to create high emotion. I also know that I will have a happy ending to my film as all respondents enjoy watching romance films to make them feel good.