Explore how Humans meets the needs of specialised audiences [15]
Humans meets the needs of its specialised audience through a variety of interesting and highly considered ways
Entertainment
Escapism
Fandom
Social interaction
Information
Sexual gratification
Intertextual reference to other sci-fi films
Blade Runner (ECU eye)
Pre-sold audience
Ethics of AI
Hegemonically attractive synths
Anita’s sexual fetishization
Postcolonialism - some audiences' needs are NOT met! Highly stereotypical representations may polarise BME audiences
Gauntlet pick and mix audience identity - white middle class audiences can identify with the nuclear family!
Multi strand narrative - wide range of potential audiences and characters!
Bandura and the effects model direct effect on audience?
Clay Shirky end of audience - online forums like reddit
Reception theory - the ideology of the producer encodes the needs of the audience
Cultivation theory - Humans cultivates ideological perspectives related to the sci fi/AI narrative “what is humanity”
The introduction presents sci fi conventions (MES, synth soundtrack, distorted visuals)
Final montage -
Cliff-hanger ending! Social interaction!
Watercooler television
Explore how economic factors influenced the production of The Returned [15]
Much of the funding came from the European Arts association - indie productions rely on diverse funding
Alps tourist board funded hoping for tourism
Atypical of its genre
Targeting a specialising
Not a guaranteed financial success
Average of 1 million viewers per episode - successful for an independent show
Canal + - huge French/multinational media conglomerate
Premium cable channel
A specialised show for a specialised audience
Representations of middle class white French people clearly target the target audience
Remade for US audiences and did terribly
French values and ideologies - the setting, representations and MES are all quintessentially idle class French
Inclusion of Mogwai for soundtrack demonstrates high production values
Use of Mogwai = international audience
Hesmondhalgh - cultural industries. Minimise risk maximise profit
Narrative fixated on romance
Straightforward (if confusing) narrative
Canal + has brand identity
Lots of attractive characters
Regulation - the sex scene may be provocative to international audience s
Channel 4, moved to More 4 to target a niche audience
Late night time slot
2050 time slot for Canal +
$14million for series 1
Series 2 less successful, emphasising niche audience and audience appeal
1.79million$$$$$/episode
Factors which could limit economic success
French language
Lack of diversity
Explicit sex scenes