Stuart Hall said "we want our audience to decode our films" and said there were three readings that audiences go through whilst watching or after watching a film; these are dominant reading, negotiated reading and oppositional reading.
Dominant or preferred reading- the meaning the producers and directors want the audience to have is usually accepted. This is most common in genres like romantic comedy as it follows strict codes and conventions that are found in most typical films of this genre so the audience don't get any nasty twists of emotions.
Negotiated reading- The dominant reading is only partially recognised or accepted and audiences might disagree with some of it or find their own meanings. For example, in the film Harry Brown, the Negotiated reading may say that, yes the youths in the film do act thuggish and commit acts of needless and terrible violence BUT there may be a reason behind it. The audience member may look beyond the 2D stereotype while still agreeing that Harry had a right to act as he did.
Oppositional reading- The dominant reading is refused, rejected because the reader disagrees with it or is offended by it ,especially for political, religious, feminist reasons,etc.
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