Stuart Hall's reception theory proposes that audiences interpret films based on their background. The producer encodes meaning in films influenced by their own background. Audiences can have a preferred, negotiated, or oppositional interpretation depending on how their background relates to the film. The document discusses how the author's background influenced their preferred interpretation of several films, including the Batman trilogy and Rush, and how star theory may have impacted their interest.

1. Denni Hepburn

2. Reception Theory
Stuart Hall came up with the theory that we
react to films based on our age, gender,
ethnicity, social class and cultural background.
Producer
Encode meaning is what the director decides to
include in their films. What they choose to film could
be based on their age, gender and cultural
background.
Audience
Decode meaning is how we interpret the meaning of a film. This
depends on our background too. Our opinion is either Preferred
Negotiated
Oppositional
Preferred is when we enjoy a film, negotiated is where we see the
good points and bad points to a film and oppositional is where we
dislike a film.

3. Batman Begins,
Batman The Dark
Knight,
Batman The Dark
Knight Rises
The bat man trilogy is a
thriller/crime genre. This isn’t a
genre I usually like, however, the
way it’s filmed, written and how
committed the characters are
make the film really enjoyable.
These films I preferred based on
my cultural background. I am
influenced by my brother
therefore I am influenced to see
the good points to these films.
These films relied very much on
the batman fan base audience.
The use of Heath Ledger as the
joker was seen as a stupid idea
because he was the pretty boy in 10 things I hate
about you and A Knights Tale. So star theory
didn’t really apply to the batman films. Although,
this did make people discuss the up coming film.
The trilogy isn’t just an action film. All three films
link well together and relate. That’s what
trilogy’s should do, they need to feed off from
the one before. That’s why I enjoyed these films
so much, they contained a lot.

4. Synopsis:
After training with his
mentor, Batman begins his
war on crime to free the
crime-ridden Gotham City
from corruption that the
Scarecrow and the League of
Shadows have cast upon it.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Batman Begins
15 June 2005 (USA)

5. Batman Dark Knight
Director: Christopher Nolan
18 July 2008 (USA)
Synopsys:
When Batman, Gordon and Harvey
Dent launch an assault on the mob,
they let the clown out of the box, the
Joker, bent on turning Gotham on
itself and bringing any heroes down to
his level.

6. Batman Dark Knight Rises
Director: Christopher Nolan
20 July 2012 (USA)
Synopsis:
Eight years on, a new evil rises from
where the Batman and Commissioner
Gordon tried to bury it, causing the
Batman to resurface and fight to protect
Gotham City... the very city which brands
him an enemy.

7. Turning the logo into bats shows what
the trailer is going to be about. The
dark colours show it’s going to be a
dark, action film.
Showing the costume will
interest comic book fans,
so showing this in the
trailer is a good way to
draw them in.
Showing the villain in trailer
will draw in fans of the Joker
as well as fans of Batman.
Showing an explosion scene
shows the audience that it is
an action film.
Showing the villain shows the
audience who batman will be up
against in the film.

8. Rush is about the revelry
between James Hunt and Niki
Louda and their fight to
become the world champion
in formula 1. Is also shows
Niki Louda’s crash and his
famous come back. I preferred
this film even though I’m not
the target audience, yet, I
found the film interesting
because it is based on a true
story. The characters looked
like the people they were
playing and did well to mirror
their personalities. With the
characters doing well with
their roles they were able to
add footage of the real people
at the end of the film. Star
theory could be applied to
this film with the actor Chris
Hemsworth.
Rush This film is aimed at males
as is Thor, which is who
Chris Hemsworth plays. It
also could be for the
female audience too. The
way this film is shot with
the angles and the close
ups adds to the excitement
of the film. The races are
captured really well. I don’t
watch formula 1, however I
enjoyed watching the ones
in the film. The
complicated relationship
between the two main
characters is what’s
interesting. They’re both
completely different
people, going for the same
thing just in different ways.
The fun way they talk
about each other you can
see the respect they have
for one another,
but hate each
other at the same
time. It’s storylines
like this that make
me have a
preferred opinion
on the film. It’s
not the action that
grabs my
attention.
Therefore its hard
for me to say I
enjoy action films.

9. Director: Ron Howard
Rush
27 September 2013 (USA)
Synopsis:
The merciless 1970s rivalry
between Formula One rivals
James Hunt and Niki Lauda. An
unfortunate accident makes the
drivers think twice about their
rivalry and their driving.

10. Showing a race car crash shows
that the film is about car racing
and that it will show serious
crashes through out.
The whole trailer mainly shows
Chris Hemsworth. This is using
star theory to interest people
into watching the film.

11. This is the End
I preferred This is
the End because of
it’s comedy genre. I
do believe it was
star theory that
made me interested
in this film. I may
not be the target
audience for this
film because it is
mixed with
gruesome scenes.
However, because
the actors are from
the same genre of
film they will have
their own audience
who are fans of Seth
Rogan’s films.
After watching this
film I read a lot
about how they
made it. With
knowing that Seth
Rogan is in the film
as well as directing
it, I wanted to know
if that made a
difference, which it
did. It was
interesting to learn
that most of the
script was
improvised. With the
cast being friends in
real life, you can see
their close
relationship with the
way they do
improvise.
Going back to
the star theory, it
interested me
seeing these
actors playing
themselves. This
is the End is
entertaining for
comedy reasons
and who stars in
the film. They
also mention
other films they
have done in this
film which could
be a way of
getting the
audience to
watch them.
With the
references to
their other films
goes to show that
their target
audience for this
film are fans of
their films.

12. This is the End
Directors: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
12 June 2013 (USA)
Synopsis:
While attending a party at James Franco's
house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many
other celebrities are faced with the
apocalypse.

13. Showing the destruction shows
what the storyline of the story will
be. Also, it could show that it could
be a type of action film.
Showing all the stars that will be in
the film will help attract a wider
audience. Through out the trailer you
find out they are also playing
themselves which would be a good
reason for people to go and see it.

14. This is Spinal
Tap
This is Spinal Tap is an old
classic directed by Rob
Reiner. I preferred this
film for it’s comedy and
the look of it being a real
documentary. Also, the
music. The music, with it
being a joke, is very
enjoyable. That enjoyable
to people that they wrote
more songs after the film.
The target audience for
this film is for anyone
who enjoys rock music
and comedy. This is
Spinal Tap is a classic
because of it’s
memorable quotes and
lyrics.
On the DVD bonus
features it shows
other actors and
comedians
discussing the film,
explaining why they
liked it so much and
how many times
they have watched
it. Watching this I
noticed that the
majority, if not, all
of the celebrities
were male. This
goes to show that
the main audience
for this film are
older males. With
my cultural
background
I have been brought up
with the same humour
as what the film
includes. Also, the
music, I have been
brought up listening to
rock music, therefore I
enjoy the music in the
film.

15. Showing the band performing
shows the audience that it is
about a rock band. This would
make the audience decide if they
would be interested in a film
based on that genre of music.
Clips of the band in an interview shows
that it is filmed as though it is a
documentary. This helps the audience
understand what the films about . The
clips of interviews gives the audience a
chance to see what actors are in the
film. However, the trailer is filmed as
though it is advertising the band. It
introduces them as their characters
names.

16. This is Spinal Tap
Director: Rob Reiner
2 March 1984 (USA)
Synopsis:
Spinal Tap, one of England's
loudest bands, is chronicled by film
director Marty DeBergi on what
proves to be a fateful tour.