Thriller target audiences

  In regards to demographics, anyone over the age of 12 are in the target audience for Thrillers, unless the content of the film clashes with religious beliefs. Thrillers in general will appeal to a younger audience, as it provides an adrenaline rush, and includes harsher material, such as swearing and violence.  However, if you explore sub-genres of Thrillers, they appeal to different audiences. 

  An action-thriller would most likely appeal to men for many different reasons, including style of edit and camera work and storyline.  For example, in James Bond and other action thrillers such as Die Hard or The Bourne Trilogy, the action and fight scenes appeal to men much more than women as men often watch thrillers to idolise the heroes in the story and try and find some similarity in identity. More specifically, those who have an interest in video games, will appreciate the camera angles used in action thrillers made recently to make the audience feel as though they are experiencing the action, such as Green Zone. This audience would most likely be young men. Also commonly used in action thrillers is the male gaze. Part of the storyline could include a woman needing saving. This would appeal to men for the same reason as the action, they want to feel like a hero. However, a sexist view could be taken by women, therefore they would not be attracted to this sort of film. Even if the woman is a hero such as Lara Croft, they are still sexualising her. 

  Political Thrillers have a both a higher age group and higher education level group in the ABC1 category. A complex storyline would be more interesting to someone of a higher education level, rather than someone who would appreciate an action thriller like Die Hard, who would receive instant gratification.  A political thriller requires the audience to work harder to appreciate the story, and people of a higher education level enjoy working harder and being the first one to uncover the story.      

  Psycho/Horror Thrillers appeal mainly to the younger generation as they are often independent art genre films and their storylines are less about politics and less in depth, but more about relationships between characters. Psycho-thrillers are popular films for first dates, as well as rom-coms, as the couple have an excuse to get close to each other in anticipation.