Target Audience Groups

Before I began the initial stages of filming my documentary revolving around anorexia it would be highly influential foe me to conduct some extensive background research into the viewing audience I was aiming to attract to the complexity of the issue being discussed at matter. I would importantly have to take into consideration many matters around the general public I was most interested in enticing as this content would not appeal to all, essentially a very mature mindset would need to be considered before someone was to view this due to some psychologically upsetting images and to understand the issue of eating disorders fully. For these reasons I decided to break down the age ranges into different age groups, analysing them to draw an appropriate conclusion as to which would be the most suited to the criteria explained.

Focus Group One : Teenagers (14-17)

The primary aim and motivation for my documentary is to focus upon a very life threatening and serious mentl illness that comes with it in essence extremely devastating consweuqnces for the indivudas unable to seek theraoy at time, therefore I've targeted a more mature audience to be able to understand fully and deal with the uncomfrtable world of the eating disorder. For this reason alone I will not be aiming my products to individuals of the 'teenage group', these people regualrly are between the lyothful ages of 14-17 and are still engaging in some form of primary education. Although 50% of all eating disorder cases are diagnosed and found within this ages range, I personally feel that the dark and gritty content of my documentary will be diffiult for them to fully grasp due to a still developing immature mindset. Furthermore they may also be dsitrubed severely by the physical symotoms of the illness ( such as the extreme emaciation of the bodily fram) and they may find this mentally scarring to condier. I do not wish my audience ot be harmed in any manner psychologially, taking their best interests at heart I am using a broad range of neutral balc aand white  colours in the layout of my prosucts, namely the double oage spread and poster. I'm hoping this method will disengage them from my publications, normally this age range are attracted to bright, interesting looking articles and prodcutions so viewing something that appears bland and boring may cause them to be uninterested from a visual perspective. The dakr tones suggest a more mature audience is desired, iam hoping my choice of shades moreover will prevent this young viewing audience to be apathetic and avoid my documentary and its related products, this will allow me to easily focus upon the adult audience I have considered.

Focus Group Two : Young Adults (18-29)

Potentially the main target audience I am attempting to attarct with my products is the one you can see displayed above - the young adult range conssiting of the ages between 18 to 29. Out of the four age categories I ahave considered I believe these are one of the appropriate groups of individuals to focus my products entieely upon appealing to. At this point in their lives, people are more profound and aware of the environment around them, they can handle seituations with a degreign sense of maturity and can approch and engage in difficult and often stressful situations well. This contrasts most outstandily to the tennage age group who are still naive ot the world in a snse as they have no fully experienced or been exposed to fully adult situations (these can include being in a job placement, handling a death, dealing with an illness/stress) therefore you could regard them as immature to handling new and often distebing conecpts expeirnced as adults. The young adult's will already have expeirnced some of these siutaions I earlier explained about and they are more likely of having some general idea of mental illness - they may know a family member/ friend who has been diagnosed with one, they mauy have read/wtched a programme documenting it on the television or they could have faced in handling one themselves. For this reason they will know how t approach my documentary in a more mature manner, ultimately thry will have greater empathy towards the girls as they will have a sensitive mind frame towards the desolation an eating disorder can cause to someone.

Focus Group Three : Middle Aged (40-50)

The middle aged population is centrefold to the target audience I am aiming in attracting and requiring to potentially view my products. As with the young adults subculture, these to will have experienced many of life's obstacles and challenges - working, dealing with complicated emotional issues and possibly the experience of death - these characteristics make them suitable as an audience to fit the criteria I am intending to work with. At this age many people may have started a family or have children, I feel as if this is an important aspect to consider because they may have had to deal with the unfortunate circumstance of having a child diagnosed with an eating disorder such as anorexia. If this is the case I believe they will be able to engage with the topic more fluently then other of the other age groups involved, a parent may want to seek reassurance and help for having to deal with such an strong and devastating illness, watching the documentary therefore can offer them the correct support they desire by offering a direct personal relationship with them. Furthermore the middle aged group may have had more situations to deal with involving mental disorders - these can appear in the workplace, within a family, friend or even themselves, this gives them a greater understanding and knowledge of what to expect when the topic in discussion is anorexia. They are likely to be more empathetic to the girls in the programme and recognise what a hardship it is on them dealing with such am evil condition.

Focus Group Four : Elderly (60 +)

I concluded by researching a more older generation audience - typically the elderly people of our society and to consider whether they would all be an appropriate mature audience to be able to engage and understand the concept of my documentary and its related products. Although they have had an undeniable vast quantity of life experiences and will have been involved in many stressful and potentially harmful situations throughout their long lives, I believe this proportion of people would not categorise well with the topic of anorexia nervosa. My concern revolves around the instance that eating disorders have only been recently classified as a mental illness in the last twenty or so years, therefore the publication of this issue in the press would have directly influenced the middle age group but however overlooked the elderly population as at the time they themselves will have been middle aged therefore the new knowledge of eating disorders will not have been a massive influential moment of their younger lives and the discovery is unlikely to have effected them as much. The older generation are also accustomed to very traditional ways - controversy such as gay rights for example will not have been the norm for them back when they were younger so it would be difficult for them to understand this as a new growing phase. The same can be said for eating disorders because it is a relatively new phenomenon that has come to light they will not have had much personal experience with dealing with them, this lack of understanding would make it throughly more difficult to grasp the story behind the content of my documentary. They may have the required mature mindset but their incapability to get involved with the topic in discussion makes them an unrealistic viewing audience to target. There are individual differences however so it would not be uncommon to attract some interest from certain member of the elderly community as they may have a grandchild etc diagnose with the condition - despite these few exceptions the majority of this age group is likely to be uninterested in the debate at hand so I would not be surprised to not attract as many people from this age range as the others I have listed above.