Les Revenants - Audience

An audience is a group of people that consume a media product. Before it was thought that the audience was largely passive, they would accept the ideologies that the producer present to them. Now it is thought the audience are more opinionated. Stuart Hall says that there are three different 'types' of reading: The preferred reading, Negotiable reading, and the opposition reading. 

Similar to what Stuart Hall speaks about, David Gauntlett talks about the process of negotiation. The audience is not passive, they, however, construct their own identities through a media product. Through the process of 'pick and mix,' they are able to accept ideologies that suit them and neglect the others. 

Les Revenants provides the niche target audience numerous chances to build their own identities -  allowing the audience moments to 'pick and mix' ideological perspectives'.

Les revenants lack a definitive preferred reading, instead of asking the audience to construct their own interpretation of the narrative. This is achieved by providing the audience with a range of hermeneutic codes. This is the pleasure that audiences can draw from the text.

 To what extent can the audiences of Les Revenants use this show to construct their identity?

Watch the last 5 minutes of the first episode - (the flashback starts at 49:31)

How does this scene position the audience?
How does it provide the audience with hermeneutic meaning?
How is this achieved through media language and technical codes?
Consider Stuart Hall and David Gauntlett 

  •  Within this scene we see Lena losing her virginity. Which some viewers may find unpleasant, and neglect this ideology. This position the audience in an awkward situation as they aren't aware of how to react. However, to the preferred readers, they may find it more relatable. Also may engage to the french audience, the age of consent is lower, so fits in with their cultural? Arguably the theory of Voyeurism can be applied. 
  • The love triangle that is briefly spoken about can create a hermeneutic meaning for the audience. As they are only informed about it but aren't given any details on it which can leave them with suspense and mystery. The target audience, assuming it's teenager, may find the drama interesting. 
  • The breakfast scene positions the audience in an uncomfortable situation as well as an empathic mode of address. It is uncomfortable due to the long pauses and awkward silence amongst the family. The mise-en-scene of the setting is also empty and simple a symbolic code? this could foreshadow the emotions and feelings of the characters. This later reinforced through the scene of Lena and Camille looking at each through the window. The frame stays on for a long time which may indicate to the audience their complicated relationship. Again the suspense and silences is a hermeneutic code. Likewise, Camille pausing before going and not wanting to go can act as a proairtic code of something bad will happen - like instincts. 
  • The flashback scene is constructed through the change of lighting. But it stays on the same frame. Through the change of lighting, we're able to say that there's been a change in time this further anchored through the caption on the bottom of the screen. We are also able to tell it was fours ago, from Camille eating breakfast with her family and talking about the trip. The Flashback allows us to answer the question we had at the opening and it tells us more about the narrative. The resolution of the narrative positions the audience in a more of comfortable situation. They are now more aware of what is going on and feel in control. However, it does lead to them having more questions as we get an additional scene with Victor. This will put the audience in an intrigued mode of address and urge them to watch the next episode. 

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