Applying Stuart Hall's Reception Theory

What Is Hall’s Reception Theory

Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory is all about how audiences interpret media texts differently. He thought that the audience's own experiences, background, and beliefs all play a role in the meaning that the filmmaker creates.

Type of Reading: What It Means

Preferred Reading: The audience understands and agrees with the intended message

Negotiated Reading: The audience partly accepts the message but adds their own perspective

Oppositional Reading: The audience rejects or interprets the message in a completely different way

How The Whispering Nightmare Used It

We noticed something intriguing when we showed our film's opening to a small group of people. Some viewers gave us a preferred interpretation, recognizing that the story was about fear of the unknown and peer pressure among teenagers. As we had intended, they made the connection between the haunted room and the emotional build-up. A negotiated reading was held by some, who enjoyed the concept but saw the ghost as a metaphor for perhaps Jay's anxiety or imagination rather than a supernatural being. Additionally, a few viewers had opposing interpretations: one believed the dare was not frightening at all, while another found it more humorous than tense. While this wasn't our intention, it was intriguing to hear.