Sample Book Chapters
Chapter 2 - Research (Audiences & Ads)
Chapter extracts in this website amount to 4,000 words distilled from 102,000 words in the print book.
Movies experience a charmed life early in their existence because layers of cheerleaders surround them.
The senior company executives who made the decision to produce a film (or acquire a finished movie for distribution) feel vested with a sense of ownership. The creative talent that sold the project to the movie company and then made the film itself becomes more certain that they are sitting on top of a blockbuster with each hurdle that they clear. The publicity and distribution departments are presented the film by their bosses who approved the film and the enthusiastic creative talent.
Then, reality sets in. The task of getting the first opinions from outside this small adoring circle of admirers falls to the research department. Of all the components of the theatrical distribution process, research is the least understood and the most misunderstood.
A common presentation of findings divides the audience into four big groups, called quads, for quadrants. The grouping structure divides the audience into male and female and then again into ages over 25 and ages under 25. Film industry executives are particularly attuned to results in the two quads for ages under 25 because the youth demographic dominates the cinema-going audience.
Another aspect of movie research is that findings often become embroiled in studio politics. Results can be used as a club by warring parties when studio executives and creative filmmakers lock horns over a film as it is being prepared for release.
Hollywood has three main specialist movie research outfits. The oldest is National Research Group, which is part of media conglomerate Nielsen (formerly VNU), whose other businesses include Nielsen Media Research that provides television ratings. Another player is MarketCast, which is owned by media giant Reed Elsevier. OTX Research (Online Testing Exchange), is owned by ZelnickMedia.
When films are finished or nearly finished, such as a rough cut without final music or some special effects, test screenings (also called preview screenings) are conducted. The most talked about type of research are Tracking Surveys monitoring audience awareness of all film releases.
In tracking surveys, consumers are presented all the significant films in a release period because one objective of the surveys is to compare films, especially those opening at or around the same time. If a film is tracking poorly compared to norms, there’s an immediate panic at the film distributor, after which the advertising creative may be tweaked or advertising spending levels changed. The scramble to make last-minute changes usually is designed to ratchet up a given film’s norms for the next week.
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Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Note: Book passages and tables are updated where appropriate, and some bridge text may be added to smooth transitions in the accompanying excerpt.
TABLE -- Sample Questionnaire for Exit Survey (Excerpts)
List ALL ways you have already heard about this movie.
Note: check as many as apply
l In theater trailer
l In theater lobby poster
l Television commercials
l Television reviews
l Television talk shows
l Radio reviews
l Radio news/talk shows
l Newspaper ads
l Newspaper reviews
l Magazine reviews
l Magazine articles
l Internet banner ads
l Internet articles/features
l Internet official website
l Entertainment websites
l Outdoor billboards
l Comments from friends/relatives
l In store promotion
l Official movie contest
Before coming to the theater today, which were key to choosing to see this film?
Note: check all that apply
l Lead actor #1
l Lead actor #2
l Lead actor #3
l Lead actor #4
l The story
l Comedy genre
l Action genre
l Reviews
l Music
l In-theater trailer
l Television ads
l My child wanted to come
l Recommendation of a friend
Did you choose to come today or did someone else choose?
Note: pick only one
l I chose it
l Someone else chose it
l I chose together with someone else
Who did you come with today?
Note: check all that apply
l Alone
l Spouse or date
l Friends
l My children
l My children and other children
l My parents or other non-spouse family
Gender
l Male
l Female
Age
l Under 12
l 12-17
l 18-24
l 25-34
l 35-49
l 50-65
l Over 65
Including today, how often did you go to the movies in the past two months?
Note: pick only one
l 1 time
l 2 times
l 3 times
l 4 times
l 5 times
l 6 times or more
After seeing the movie, how would you rate the film?
Note: pick only one
l Excellent
l Very Good
l Good
l Fair
l Poor
After seeing the movie, how likely are you to see it again in a theater?
Note: pick only one
l Definitely
l Probably
l Might/might not
l Probably not
l Definitely not
After seeing the movie, would you recommend others see it at a theater?
Note: pick only one
l Definitely
l Probably
l Might/might not
l Probably not
l Definitely not
After seeing the movie, what will you talk about to friends regarding the movie in a positive light?
Note: check all that apply
l Lead actor #1
l Lead actor #2
l Lead actor #3
l Lead actor #4
l The story
l Comedy genre
l Action genre
l Sub plots
l Clever dialog
l Music
l The ending
Source: Marketing to Moviegoers
