Lost (Pilot part 2), is a text directed by J.J Abrams which was first broadcast on the American subscription channel ABC. Lost is predominantly a mainstream texts and uses various features to attract its intended audience. One feature is the inclusion of the Ensemble cast, A conscious decision to include a cast consisting of various ethnic groups and races was intended too draw in a large audience through its relatability and appeal to all audiences. Its ensemble cast ins uniquely designed to feature many accepted stereotypes which encourage a passive audience not inclined to decode a text and to offer relatability. 'Hurley' is a stereotypical overweight teen who can be considered geeky, 'Jin' complies with the notions of the overprotective, controlling stereotype of Asian males, and 'Jack' acts as a typical 'Propp' hero.
The Ensemble cast allows a very large audience to easily decode character roles and relate and understand character narratives and story lines due to the fact its linear narrative nature targets the widest audience possible.
A further audience targeting device used by lost is the use of a Score. The score allows the audience to interpret situations without having to watch actively, the rising tone implies danger, and a sharp high pitched note can connote an enigma code. This is demonstrated in a scene where Jack and Co. are faced with an onrushing polar bear. The composer, Michael Giacchino, uses such an easily interpreted score to appeal to a wide audience which inevitably includes passive viewers who can appreciate the subtle connotations a score gives.
A third audience targeting device demonstrated in lost is the frequent enigma codes which commonly feature before an ad break. The frequent ad breaks laced throughout the program are a feature of American TV, in particular ABC's broadcasting. Commonly an enigma code will feature before an ad break, and soon after is it answered. This prevents and audience from losing interest, further targeting an audience unlikely to watch actively and consistently through seasons to discover the answer to an enigma code. Keeping an audience keen by constantly asking and answering enigma codes ensures easy viewing, further appeasing a passive audiences gratifications. These techniques however and contrasted in my other text Mad Men.
Mad men is a critically acclaimed drama about Office life in New York, set in the 1960's. It is a highly stylized, intricately designed text which is designed exclusively fro a niche active audience. The different direction in audience targeting to Lost leads to various different techniques. Madmen uses minimal use of score, the purpose of this is to add realism and immerse its active audience within the noisy, busy office life. A further purpose is that due to the active intelligent audience, Madmen is targeted to attract the use of a score to aid understanding of the situation (as used in Lost) is not needed as its audience actively seek to interpret connotations by themselves.
A further appealing element of Madmen is its Artistic, High brow style. From the narrative, it is clear Madmen is a text produced for a cultured audience willing to decode actively, and through its stylistic values and expressions of fashion and design in the 1960's it can be argued that the richness of its production and attention to detail is a contributing factor to the niche audience it attracts. Contrasting to lost which is of a high production value and is more focused upon creating a programme a wide audiences can enjoy, thus loosing its artistic value, Madmen seeks to spend a huge attention to detail in making the show as aesthetically pleasing and culturally opulent as possible.
Finally, a feature which appeals greatly to its intended audience is its historical value and accuracy. In one scene, we see Don act hostile towards Peggy, throwing money at her. This represents the attitude of disrespect and discredit towards women, which is historically accurate as in the 1960's women were seen as sex objects and not as superior as men, especially in the workplace. This level of detail and historical accuracy is very appealing to its audience as it makes the text more realistic and further demonstrate the level of care the director, Matthew Weiner, has taken in developing the text.
My final text, BBC aired Peaky Blinder serves as a midway between both Lost and Madmen. Created by Steven Knight, the historical crime drama is intended to feel like a movie experience for the viewer. Aired at prime time on BBC Two, Peaky Blinders featured a recognizable cast. Cillian Murphy (Tommy Shelby), and Sam Neill (C.I Chester Campbell), are both accomplished movie stars, and the casting of such actors allowed the creator to target a mainstream audience through the recognizable actors. This in turn draws viewers, and possibly fans of certain actors who are drawn to the program through the fact the actors feature.
A further mainstream convention to appeal to an audience is the use of a soundtrack consisting of The White Stripes and Nick Cave. The purpose of this is to contrast the post WW1 narrative with modern day music, and to appeal to an audience who are fans of the aforementioned musicians. It is also to broaden the target audience, as it will also attract a younger audience through the music, more predominantly the White Stripes.
A further feature which exists in both Peaky Blinders and Madmen is the historical value. In one scene in which Tommy is stood round a bonfire burning pictures of the King , he states "We fought in France for our king". Active viewers will pick up this historical fact and notice he is referencing his experiences in WW1 and subsequently feels harshly treated by the King once he has returned. However, unlike Madmen, the texts tends not to reply too heavily upon its assumption its viewers are actively decoding all references, as Tommy drops various references to his experiences in France throughout the episode. This is where Peaky Blinder appeals to both an active audience, whilst also allowing a passive audience to understand and appreciate the cinematography and narrative.
