Based on the information provided, the target audience of The Boat That Rocked appears to be people who grew up in the 1960s and were fans of pirate radio stations and rock/pop music from that era. Some clues that indicate this: - The film is inspired by the director's own childhood memories of listening to pirate radio stations like Radio Caroline in the 1960s. - Much of the pre-release marketing involved partnerships with Radio Caroline to promote the authentic 1960s pirate radio experience to fans. - The merchandise released like posters, albums and clothing seemed aimed at appealing to nostalgia for 1960s fashion and culture. - The film premiered in London with many fans dressing in 1960s attire, suggesting the audience

1. The Boat That Rocked (2009)
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=XnQc3lO4
JDs
•Who do you recognise?
•Where from? i.e. From a particular Genre of film, or
a film institution?
•What can you imply from the trailer about the film’s:
Genre?
Setting- Time and Place
Types of characters
Themes

2. The Boat That Rocked
What are the main
features of these
promotional posters?
What do these imply
about the films:
Characters?
Themes?
Audience?

3. Context
1) Some of the 2) This poster
posters recall deliberately reminds
audiences of this
the work of poster of The Beatles,
Andy Warhol, a who gained fame and
notoriety for their
famous 1960s music, which drew on
1950’s Rock and Roll,
artist. as well as
Psychedelic Pop. The
group came to be
perceived as the
embodiment of
progressive ideals,
seeing their influence
extend into the social
and cultural
revolutions of the
1960s

4. Context Continued... Pirate
Radio!
 "Pirate radio" in the UK first became widespread in the
early 1960s when a number of pop music stations, such as
Radio Caroline started to broadcast to the UK from
offshore ships or disused sea forts. At the time these
stations were not illegal because they were broadcasting
from international waters. The stations were set up by
entrepreneurs and music enthusiasts to meet the growing
demand for pop and rock music.
 By 1968 21 pirate radio stations were broadcasting to an
estimated daily audience of 10 to 15 million.
 The 1967 Marine Broadcasting Offences Act officially
outlawed pirate stations.
 Tony Benn, Postmaster General attempted to have Radio
Caroline shut down.
 Although this clash comes to a dramatic head in the film,
this never actually happened!

5.  The Boat That Rocked is Curtis's first
non-romantic comedy, inspired by his
own childhood memories of listening
secretly on his transistor radio to the
broadcasts of pirate stations such as
Radio Caroline, anchored just outside
British territorial waters before it was
shut down by the Marine Broadcasting
Offences Act of 1967.

6. Factual Information
 Released 1 April 2009. Running time: 135 mins
 Directed by Richard Curtis for Working Title.
 Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Hilary Bevan Jones,
with Richard Curtis, Debra Hayward and Liz Chasin as
executive producers.
 Principal Photography begun 3 March 2008 and continued
until June.
 It stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick
Frost, Katherine Parkinson, Tom Sturridge, Talulah Riley,
Kenneth Branagh, Jack Davenport, Emma Thompson,
January Jones, Gemma Arterton and Sinead Matthews
 The film cost £30 million to produce, but only took £6.1
million in the U.K. in its first 12 weeks of release, with
film critics complaining the film was too long.
 It was rereleased in the US as ‘Pirate Radio’, where it
earned $5 million in the first two weeks.

7. Pre-release marketing
Synergy
 On the 16th March,
The Sun promoted The Sun ‘This prize will make
waves’
‘The Boat that
Rocked’ through a
competition offering
the winner tickets
to the premier as
well as a night in a
London hotel and a
copy of the sound
track.

8.  On the 28th March, The Mail online
offered readers free MP3 players in
connection with the film. For one week
consumers were also offered free
downloadable music and interviews
from the cast and crew.

9.  In a bid to further the marketing of the
music in ‘The Boat that Rocked’
Universal signed up Spotify (the peer-to-
peer music streaming service).The site
created playlists for the main characters
which were available on a microsite, with
a competition mechanic involving the
playlists thrown in to increase click
incentive. Fans could download the
playlists for all the different DJs and had
the chance to win posters and props
from the film.

10.  The tourism body Visit Britain under the
headline ‘Become a Superstar DJ’
offered fans the opportunity to take a trip
aboard the only surviving pirate radio
ship, The Ross Revenge that
broadcasted Radio Caroline. Winners
were also invited to participate in a
broadcast. Radio Caroline celebrated its
45th anniversary broadcast over the
Easter weekend (11- 12th April 2009) and
so this happy coincidence tied in nicely
with ‘The Boat that Rocked’ release date.

11. Cinema and DVD release
 ‘The Boat that Rocked’ premiered in
London on 24th March. The cast were
met by many fans dress appropriately
in 60s attire!
 The film was released nationwide at
the cinema on 1st April
 The DVD was released on 7th Sep
2009

12. Post release merchandising
 Posters  Tour Books
 T-Shirts  Albums
 Clothing  Ringtones
 Key Rings  downloads.
 Calendars

13. From the information you have
gathered, who do you think is
that target audience of ‘The Boat
that Rocked?’
How do you know?