Uses & Gratifications Theory

POSSIBLE POINTS OF INFLUENCE:
1. Escapism/Diversion 
This gratification appears in my film. The fact that my film will be a horror slasher, makes my film easy to escape and divert into from every day activities/routines, this is because horror slashers are fiction and full of action and suspense.
2. Personal Identity
This gratification would appear in my film through the teen characters (the final girl, scream queens/kings, killer), they are relatable to a teen audience.
3. Personal Relationships
This gratification would appear in my film because my target audience would relate to the relationships in this film.
4. Surveillance

This gratification wouldn't really appear in my film because my film would be fictional and would not contain any non-fictional information to engage in.



The Uses and Gratifications theory is the idea that the members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory approaches why people actively seek out specific media forms to fulfil their needs. The audience choose the media to meet/fulfil their needs. These needs can also be described as specific gratifications. There are 4 gratifications. 
These gratifications are:

1. Escapism/Diversion - Escape from everyday tasks/problems.
2. Personal Identity - This means self understanding and trying to relate to people in the media (characters/actors).
3. Personal Relationships - 
4. Surveillance - This means using media to find out whats around us and to be informed with information (e.g. watching documentaries).