Theoretical Research

Genre Research:
Genre research draws the audiences attention to each film's individual differences in what an auteur creates, rather than the similarities such as their signature. This covers what is expected to be seen by an audience and what they like in a certain genre, as well as how this is shown through various characteristics and features.

Audience Theories:
The hypodermic Needle Theory-  An outdated model of audience consumption where not all aspects are as relevant now as they would've been. The audience is seen as a single mass 9or demographic) that passively receives messages from media. It implies hat the media injects, like a needle, messages and ideas into unsuspecting and unquestioning audiences. However, this theory has been seen as being an oversimplified model, since there are so many other factors. Some possible relevant examples of this theory though are propaganda, the internet, news stories (more specifically different newspapers).
Uses and Gratifications Model- Emphasises that consumers of media have the power to do what they want them and use them, mostly, how they please. This means the individual consumer can use the power that lies with them in various ways, such as satisfying certain needs or interests. Some theorists have concluded that there seems to be five main reasons why people consume media:
1.To be informed or educated.
2.In order to identify with characters and situations.
3.To be entertained.
4.To enable themselves to socially interact with others through discussion of what they've       seen/consumed.
5.To escape from their daily troubles or worries.
The Influence Model- Emphasises the more subtle and less direct capacity of the media to influence perceptions. It recognises that people respond to other influences who may mediate the message of media too. Therefore, the effect of the media can be seen as one of reinforcement since it is closer to being entirely influence based, rather than 'brainwashing'. Some research found that rather than the autonomous individualised audience members of the Uses and Gratifications Theory, that audience members shared certain frameworks of interpretation and that they work at decoding media texts within these frameworks.

Auteur Theory:
The auteur theory says that a film is a representation of the directors thoughts, and reflects their personal creative visions since they were the primary auteur (The French word for author). Also, since the auteur is the creator of the film, which are considered pieces of art by law; they are the original copyright holder. Film making auteurs usually have their own distinctive style which almost becomes their signature for pieces of their work and keeps creative control over it as it makes them very recognisable, but also individual. A few examples of auteurs styles i can think of are how Michael Bay is well known for putting high amounts of special effects, or more specifically explosions, into his films and Tim Burton's quirky, dark and unusual take on all sorts of ideas.

Michael Bay

Tim Burton