What we mean by "influencing an audience" is the impact a medium has on the individual and how it makes them question and change there views on a particular topic or if they are introduced to a new issue or interest, then it gives them a way of looking at something new which will then influence how they see it when they come across it again.
There are several different theories about how a media can influence an audience. I think the theory that most relates to my video is the Two Step Flow theory.
Before this theory came about the most believed theory about audience influence was the Hypodermic model. This theory states that media injects ideas and opinions into the consumer by how they portray something in their media. That the audience have no choice by to have the thoughts and ideas of the producer of media, now be their thoughts and ideas. For example, if you are watching something violent then you want to go out and do something violent.
However researchers didn't like this theory as it was too clumsy and they wanted something to define the relationship between mediums and audience.
Therefore, the Two Step Flow Theory was created. Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet analysed how voters made the decision of who to vote for during the 1940 presidential election campaign and then published their results. Their findings suggested that information doesn't directly flow from a media into the audiences mind, but is filtered through "opinion leaders" who them communicate to less influential people. However the opinion leaders have influence over these people.
The consumer then mediate information received directly from the media with the ideas and thoughts given by the opinion leaders. Furthermore, not being influenced by a direct process but by two steps, therefore, the two step flow. This however did lower the amount of power media had in the eyes of the researchers and so they concluded that social factors played a huge part in the way audiences interpret mediums. This is sometimes referred to as the limited effects paradigm.
Social factors are not only celebrities who have the power to influence anything about a person because of the power the media has allowed them to have. They are also messages and subconscious you get from seeing people in the street, your friends, magazines, the radio, etc.
I think this is the theory that most relates to the music video I want to create. However I don't really think I'm trying to influence my audience in a particular way, more tell a story of how a girl could never rely on her father and ended up getting hurt because not only could he not look after her, he couldn't look after himself either. However I do hope that my music video will influence people in the aspect that it will make them think about the hardships that some children have to grow up with and then later have to deal with the impacts for the rest of their lives. I'm not trying to portray that every father is bad and that anyone that drinks is an alcoholic but I would like to achieve a sense of hatred for the father in the video and a sympathy for the daughter.
USES AND GRATIFICATIONS
The uses and gratifications theory is one of the most important theories when looking at audience pleasures. According to this theory everyone uses the media in different ways and we make choices over what interests us and therefore what we want to watch. In so many words, this theory states that we don't just encounter different pieces of media for entertainment but we expect to get gratification from the text.
The individual has the power to select the media that best suit the consumers needs and attempts to satisfy those needs. The psychology basis for this theory is the "Hierarchy of Need" defined by Maslow.
There are four types of gratifications in a text we aim to gain:
1. INFORMATION
This is when the individual tries to gain more information about the world and society not only around them but all across the globe. They want to know more and so the best types of media that fit this category are things like documentaries and the news. When people gain information it gives them a gratification that they are gaining knowledge and a satisfaction that they are learning.
In my case, the information that my audience might want to gain from my music video, could be a deeper understanding of what they song is about. This would increase they're knowledge of the song and also allow them to feel more a part of the song and performance.
2. PERSONAL IDENTITY
This is when we look at mediums for example TV and look for role models we can identify with. For example we may look for individual in the soaps we watch. Characters in the media help us decide what we feel about ourselves and often if we agree with their actions and they are successful we feel better about ourselves. A good example is when your favourite character succeeds in a programme, think of that warm feeling you get.
Within my music videos people will be relating to the main artist who is also the main talent in the video. Hopefully my target audience will be able to relate to her and so when she succeeds and triumphs over her dad at the end of the video they will feel gratification.
3. INTEGRATION AND SOCIAL INTERACTION
Sometimes a use of the media to find out more about other peoples circumstances. Occasionally watching a show helps us understand, empathise and sympathise with the lives of other people. We may even end up thinking the programme characters as friends even though we might feel stupid for admitting it. At the same time TV gives us something to talk about and therefore can allow you to maintain friendships.
Like I have said before, because of the relatable aspects of my music video and talent integration and social interaction will probably be a big outcome of my text. The video is going to be very personal and so it is likely you will empathise and sympathise with the talent in the video. Also it will give you something to talk about with your friends and allow you have things in common as to enjoy the music video you will have to enjoy the artist.
4. ENTERTAINMENT
Sometimes we just purely use the media for enjoyment, relaxation and/or just to fill time. This what the majority of people will think of when they think of what the media is used for in my opinion.
A huge part of my music video will be the music. Although it is unlikely that people are going to carry they're phone or tablet around just watching the video, it is likely that people will be consuming the the song as an audio text. This will be used as relaxation and just to pass time. It is more likely that the video will be used for entertainment and will give a greater pleasure than just listening to the song.
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