Similarly, Vertigo films often targets specific audiences of films. Due to the 1960s period that the film was based around, and due to the significance of rock music at this time, many soundtracks, such as ‘The Beach Boys’ were used during many scenes, appealing to the target audience who may remember the music of the time and find enjoyable, and linking to the comedy genre of the film that younger audiences may find attractive. During editing, synergies were used, particularly with the soundtrack, in order to make the film more interesting and entertaining. Furthermore, many scenes were filmed with actors improvising on set, so that the script was not particularly important, again creating a more realistic and entertaining experience that may appeal to the target audience. In addition, few special effects were used, as they would have significantly increased the budget, and instead, filming took place on an actual ship in the North Sea, creating some filming difficulties, especially with cinematography, but creating a realistic effect that should be more appealing to most audiences. Two digital cameras were used during filming in tight spaces on the boat to ensure that a particular chaotic effect was created, which may appeal to this target audience and may make the film more interesting. In targeting a more niche audience with The Boat that Rocked, many production methods were used in filming and editing that would appeal to these audiences. Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman may have been used as a main character as he is American, and his unique representation may appeal to many people in the target audience, in particular, other American audiences. A stereotypical representation of the government being ‘evil’ and upper classed is used in the film, where each member of the government wears dark, smart clothing and glasses, contrasting with the bright, colourful clothing that the DJs wear, linking to the comedy genre. Many American audiences enjoy a positive representation of Britain and therefore, many of these aspects are evident throughout The Boat that Rocked. Many of Working Title’s films target American audiences, as a large amount of revenue is often generated abroad. The particular male target audience is evident as the film contains many masculine themes, including sexual references, drugs and rock music, and the film cast a majority of male actors, such as Bill Nighly, a frequent actor for Working Title films, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, an actor that often stars in action films that may appeal to males. The film targeted mainly older audiences of 40-60 years old, in particular males, who would enjoy the 1960s period plot, where they would remember it from their childhood, but also targeted younger audiences of 15-18 who may enjoy the comedy genre of the film (the film had an age rating of 15). Working Title produced The Boat that Rocked, a period comedy film, with a mid-range budget of £32 million, assisted in funding by Universal Studios. I will be focussing on Working Title, a part conglomerate British film producer partnered with Universal Studios, and Vertigo Films, an independent British film producer that has had recent success and is currently funded by its own revenue. With the recent success of ‘Avatar’, by 20th Century Fox, grossing £1,800,000,000, institutions have recently focussed their attention into similar production methods, using technological convergence and synergies as an advantage. After an all time low of just 54 million cinema admissions in 1984, an institution’s need to capture audiences is growing. Throughout this essay, I will discuss ways in which British films are produced and distributed towards a specific target audience and consider how successful British films are at targeting these audiences.
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