LO4: Uses and Gratification Theory

Denis McQuail, 1972
There are four reasons that people consume media products/pleasures they gain from them:

1. Surveillance - news media, everyone wants to know what everyone else is up to, finding info, find out info - documentaries, Planet Earth 2 etc
2. Escapism - people try to escape to a more preferable life, like celebrities, or to relax
3. Building personal identity - social media etc, putting info out there to present themselves in a certain way, people use media personalities as role models - fashion, cooking, cars etc
4. Building personal relationships - communciating with people via the media, that they wouldn't usually talk to, media products provide topics of conversation - soaps, news, magazines etc.


Uses and Gratification theory - Inception

Surveillance - Looking into the lives of white collar criminals, forefrunt of technology, which the audience is likely to be interested in. However, it doesn't feature much in terms of serveillance.
Escapism - Many people would like to experience the fast-paced life in this film, while also experiencing advanced technology and adventure, which many people would use as escape.
Building personal identity and relationships - isn't really featured in this film, however, the latter could be seen as people communicate via the media to discuss the ending of the film or the iconic corridor scene.

Other reasons:
Narrative resolution (all)
Freudenschade (comedy)
Stars (Dyer, 1975) (all)
Friendship/companionship (all)