Targeting your audience the right way

Over the weekend, I settled in with my daughter to watch the new release on Netflix, The Mitchells vs the Machines. This is the feature film from Sony Animation Studio, following the highly successful Spiderman - Into The Spiderverse and it’s clear that they are carving their own path with a visually distinctive art style, making them stand out from other studios.

Without too many spoilers, the plot follows a dysfunctional family, trying to reconnect during a road trip to the daughters' college. However, their plans get thrown into disarray when a robot uprising brings about apocalyptic events. It’s a fun, over-the-top adventure, which raised a laugh from both me and my 4-year-old daughter, whilst just stopping short of being obnoxious. I think this is because the direction was to engage a wider audience, not just children, which is what I wanted to explore in this article.

A story for all

When it comes to movies, ticket sales are what define success, so to get as many ticket sales as possible it’s best to create a story that can be identified with all audiences. Whilst watching The Mitchells vs the Machines, I felt that this was their goal. You have the goofy, working father who means well, but struggles to connect with the rest of the family. The affectionate mother whose family is the most important thing in the world. The hyperactive child obsessed with dinosaurs and the reclusive teenager who wants to start her own future. Finally you have the family dog, who is there just for some slapstick comedy.

This set-up immediately reminded me of Pixar’s The Incredibles. The roles of the family were virtually identical and over the course of the story we see them reconnect through the face of adversity. This is by no mistake either. Each family member relates to an audience type who can identify with the character. This is why The Incredibles was such as huge success and why The Mitchells vs the Machines has seen similar praise.

Once a movie engages a broad audience like this, it is almost guaranteed to succeed. It’s entertainment for the whole family, not just targeted to one sub-set. This is an interesting observation and something animation studios are taking notice of, especially Pixar and lately Sony Animation Studios. When we analyse releases like Soul, Inside Out and The Incredibles, there are real, adult issues veiled by eccentric characters and exaggerated comedy. It’s a fantastic rollercoaster of emotions and these studios don’t shy away from making you laugh out loud one minute, to welling up with sadness the next. It’s a fine balance of story-telling that this latest release from Sony Animation has achieved.

I think this will be a template we see from future animated films as they continue to delve into more complex story-telling whilst maintaining that child-like wonder and curiosity. With Pixar’s upcoming feature release, Luca, I have no doubt that the plot will delve into layers of emotion that can be enjoyed by all audiences.