Abstract

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Title:: A Quantitative Analysis and Cultural Interpretation of Audience Reaction in the Chinese Film Industry

Keywords:: box office; rating; regression analysis; analysis of target audience; differentiation

Abstract:: Box office records and online rating are important indicators for evaluating audience reaction in the film industry. According to a quantitative analysis of the top two Chinese films in terms of box office success from 2002 and 2013, there is a linear relationship between box office records and online rating. A target audience is composed of diversified viewers who experience their own emotional resonance or alienation in the process of watching a film characterized by complicated interpretations. The target audience of a film should be divided into two groups: professional and non-professional viewers. They have different ways of thinking and expression, and play different roles in box-office and online ratings. Only a due understanding of their psychology and behaviors can help promote the development of the film industry.