Uses and Gratification theory

Uses and Gratification theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication. the
theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of the actual message itself b
asking, "what do people do with media" rather than "what media does to people". It assumes that
members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in integrating media into their own
lives. This theory also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs.
The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfil specific gratifications. This theory would
then imply that the media compete against each other information sources of viewers' gratification.
Katz and Blumler suggested this theory.

These are the following reasons why we use media:

Knowledge and Information- People crave knowledge from the media they use, whether that is
social perspective or common information.

Entertainment and Recreation- Media allows people to relax and take a break from their lives as it
provides an escape. They could use media, which they enjoy as a means of entertainment.

Social Interactions- Information regarding social interactions and other individuals. For example,
social networking platforms such as Twitter and Instagram may contain information regarding social
events taking place.

Escapism- Individuals may use media and social networking sites as a form of escape from reality and
their own lives. This can occur in the form of many different types of media from regarding
magazines to creating a new identity through blogs or social media accounts such as Tumblr.

Personal Identity- People may wish to relate the desirable characteristics of people in media,
applying this tor real life to better themselves as an individual.

The Hypodermic Model

The messages in the media texts are injected into the audience by the powerful, syringe-like
media.
The audience is powerless to resist.
Therefore, the media works like a drug and the audience is drugged, addicted, doped and
duped.

Applying the theory to our film

Personal Identity- During our film, our protagonist Neina who is roughly the ages around 17 and
since our target audience is around 12 to 35, we think that our target audience can relate to her as
she is a teenager the audience are able to relate her personal trauma that she faces in the film.

Social Interactions- Our target audience can relate to this as our short film stars actors who around
17 years old, and this would appeal to teenagers as the audience can relate themselves to them.
Plus, in our film we have a little romance between two people which is very common in our modern-
day society.
Knowledge and Information- Tis relates to our short film as our film conveys a meaningful message
as in our film there is a scene where one of our main characters misinterprets the situation which
leads the protagonist to her downfall.