Prompt Cast
The Impact of Audience Testing on Filmmaking
TLDR Audience testing is a valuable tool for filmmakers to gauge audience reactions to different aspects of a movie, and has had a significant impact on movie endings, including changes to iconic films like The Wizard of Oz and Blade Runner. However, audience testing can also be a terrible experience, even for those who believe in the system.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Audience testing can be a valuable tool for filmmakers, but it can also be a terrible experience, even for those who believe in the system.
04:18
Audience testing can be a terrible experience, even for those who believe in the system, such as filmmaker Robert Altman.
08:42
The National Research Group (NRG) is a top company in audience testing and also conducts awareness campaigns and market research.
13:25
Audience testing is used to gauge audience reactions to different aspects of a movie, such as jokes, violence, and intensity, and is often conducted in Los Angeles where movie industry professionals can attend the screenings.
17:39
During a test screening, audience members are asked to fill out comment cards about their thoughts on the movie, including specific questions about characters, favorite and least favorite parts, and the flow and coherence of the film.
21:34
The overall score of a movie during a test screening is based on whether or not the audience members would recommend the movie to a friend.
26:02
The discussion veers off into a conversation about Tom Cruise and Scientology, including the controversy surrounding his behavior and the documentary "Going Clear."
30:40
Test audiences have had a significant impact on movie endings, such as suggesting changes to The Wizard of Oz, James Bond's License to Kill, and Pretty Woman, as well as influencing the ending of Fatal Attraction and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
35:18
Audience testing has also influenced the endings of movies like "Pretty in Pink," "28 Days Later," and "Heathers."
39:54
Blade Runner's original dark ending was changed in the audience tested version to have a happy ending with a blue sky shot, which was actually taken from outtakes of The Shining.
Categories:
Society & Culture
