Target Audience Profiling

The majority of people who watch horror movies are male (61%). All the blood, gore and scary scenes appeal more to males because watching a horror movie can give viewers an adrenaline rush as the film reaches its climax. Study shows that people watch horror movies because they want to be scared, “they’re happy to be unhappy” The excitement of watching a scary film, the rush you get from it makes the viewer feel like they’re actually in the movie themselves doing everything in their power to survive.


They are going to be a student with plenty of spare time on their hands to watch films. They may be a film student who would need to view many films. They are likely to be single or in a short-term relationship. They like to watch TV shows like Top Gear and Match of the Day, popular masculine shows that men talk about when they meet up. They like fast food when they are going out for the night or when they can’t be bothered to cook. Their holiday destination of choice is Spain with their mates in the summer. Their hobbies include watching football in the pub with their friends and they use public transport and/or a bicycle.

Study shows that people watch horror films to satisfy their violent side; as a way to release any anger and stress. Horror movies are also said to appeal to our primitive side like cavemen who were aggressive and their hunter-gatherer style of living.

For the slasher sub-genre the target audience will be less intelligent because they will only go to watch the film for its blood and gore and not for the story behind the killings. Slasher films generally have an attractive woman in the film as the target audience is male and are more likely to watch a film that has attractive women in it.

There is a lot of psychology involved in horror movies because violence isn’t accepted in everyday life but when people are pushed to their limits they’re lead to do extreme things; this is why horror is a popular genre for films.

The type of person who watches a horror film will be out-going with a very social life. Meeting up with friends regularly and the core target audience will probably attend university. The cinema has been criticized for being too expensive but with the introduction of 'Orange Wednesdays' people are starting to go to the cinema more often.