Uses & Gratification Theory
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The Uses & Gratification theory is one that has dated back for years before even Bulmer & Katz expanded the idea in 1974. Before that, it was gradually becoming clear that audiences made choices about how and when they consumed media texts and that audiences were clearly actively consuming these forms of media for a variety of different reasons.
So then, when Bulmer & Katz came along, they expanded by suggesting a few different reasons as to why an audience might consider consuming a form of media. Among these reasons are things like the desire to escape your own reality with your own problems for a while. Other reasons include people using the media as a substitute for what they believe their lives to be like as in they feel as though the stories and/or characters are relatable as well as some people using the media as a method of obtaining information but this is usually much more exclusive to that of news programmes.
This was then developed even further by Denis McQuail later on who broke the theory down at a fairly more detailed extent. For example, he offered other points such as the audience looking to improve their self-confidence through gaining knowledge and the idea that some audiences merely want to grasp an insight into what other people go through in their lives and the circumstances of their lives. Of course these two reasons are probably once again more exclusive to that of news reports and the likes but the other reasons Denis puts forward can be utilised in our short film.
For example, Denis also says that some people look to media types for an emotional release or to find a basis of conversation in order to interact with others; both of which we can say would probably more relevant to our short film. It is a lot easier for us with our short films to offer people a way of releasing their emotions by taking them on an emotionally charged journey following the tale of a character or two albeit within a short time frame.