Resumo

This article explores how prior knowledge about the film’s director shapes viewers’ expectations and responses to the film. We examine how film audiences use directors’ names and stylistic peculiarities as interpretive tools, during the selection and viewing process. For the empirical part of the research, we conducted focus group discussions, and based on the results, revealed how viewers rely on previously gathered knowledge, rather than actively searching for new information. In some cases, a single viewing experience significantly shifts a viewer’s perception of a director’s brand, reinforcing positive expectations or forming negative associations that prevent from further film experience with this director. The article argues that directors can function as brands whose names and styles operate similarly to genre labels, guiding interpretation and influencing selection. While not all directors achieve brand status, viewers of various audience types demonstrate the ability to interpret directors’ presence, thereby shaping their individual reception of a film.