BBFC Film Classifications

These are a copy of the guilines the BBFC (British Board of Film Classifications) folow in order to protect vunerable and influential members of society, aswell as giving a guidline of what you can exspect from the particular classifcation of film. We are aim are film and trailer at 15 year olders and above, and will stick to this age classfications guidlines, however we are aware that in order not to restrict the dristribution, show times and places of our trailer we must make it as univerally suitable as possibe whilst attracting potential viewers.

 Universal – Suitable for all

It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. ‘U’ films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror.

• ·       Discrimination is clearly disapproved of and is not permitted
• ·       Drugs No references to illegal drugs or drug misuse unless they are infrequent and innocuous, or there is a clear educational purpose or anti-drug message suitable for young children.
• ·       The outcome of all scary/horror sequences should be reassuring, they should also be mild, brief, and mnot cause anxiety.
• ·       Realistic or easily accessible weapons and dangerous behaviour that young children may copy is not permitted.
• ·       Mild bad language is allowed if used infrequently.
• ·       Only natural nudity with no sexual content is permitted.
• ·       The only sexual content permitted are mild for example references to ‘making love’ and kissing.
• ·       The sensitive treatment of problematic themes may be present but must be appropriate for young children.
• ·       Violence although violence is not acceptable, occasional theat, menace and mild violence are allowed occasionally.

                 

Parental Guidance

Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.

• ·      Discrimination is clearly disapproved of and is not permitted, unless in an educational or historical context
• ·       Drugs No references to illegal drugs or drug misuse unless they are infrequent and innocuous, or there is a clear educational purpose or anti-drug message suitable for young children.
• ·       Fantasy settings may allow horror or frightening sequences, but these must not be intense or prolonged.
• ·       Realistic or easily accessible weapons and dangerous behaviour that young children may copy is not permitted.
• ·       Mild bad language is allowed only.
• ·       Only natural nudity with no sexual content is permitted.
• ·       Sex mild sexual references and innuendo are permitted and sexual activity must only be implied if discreet and infrequent.
• ·       If serious issues are raised within the themes they must be shown to be unacceptable.
• ·       If violence is justified in the context it may be allowed if moderate and not detailed.

Suitable for 12 years and over

Exactly the same criteria are used to classify works at ‘12A’ and ‘12’. These categories are awarded where the material is suitable, in general, only for those aged 12 and over. Works classified at these categories may upset children under 12 or contain material which many parents will find unsuitable for them.

The ‘12A’ category exists only for cinema films. No one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult, and films classified ‘12A’ are not recommended for a child below 12Discrimination is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly condemned and cannot run throughout the work .

• ·       Any drug use must be infrequent and clearly not acceptable.
• ·       Horror or frightening sequences may be permitted but these must not be intense or prolonged.
• ·       Realistic or easily accessible weapons and dangerous behaviour must not be glamorised or dwell on in detail that could be copied.
• ·       Mild bad language is allowed stronger language such as ‘f**ck’ must be infrequent.
• ·       Only natural nudity but in a sexual content must be brief.
• ·       Sex mild sexual references and innuendo are permitted and sexual activity must only be implied if discreet and infrequent.
• ·       If serious issues are raised within the themes they must be shown to be unacceptable.
• ·       If violence is justified in the context it may be allowed if moderate and not detailed.
• ·       Sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed. Sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for young teenagers. Frequent crude references are unlikely to be acceptable.
• ·       Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must be suitable for young teenagers.
• ·       Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.

Suitable only for 15 years and over

• ·       Discriminatory language and behaviour must not be endorsed.
• ·       No promotion or encouragement of drug use is allowed, however it may be shown, easily accessible substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.
• ·       Sadistic or sexualised horror is not permitted.
• ·       Filming should not dwell on or glamorise dangerous behaviour.  
• ·       Strong language for example ‘fuck’ may be used, however frequent uses of the strongest language ‘cunt’ may not be accepted.
• ·       Nudity in a non-sexual or educational context has no restraints, however nudity of a sexual nature may not be allowed in strong detail.
• ·       Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable. Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail as well as strong verbal references, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context.
• ·       Themes must be appropriate for 15 year olds.
• ·       Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images and strong sadistic or sexualised violence are unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence.

Suitable for adults

No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema,  rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video.

In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, at ‘18’ the BBFC’s guideline concerns will not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. Except where:

• ·       material is in breach of the criminal law.
• ·       has been created through the commission of a criminal offence.
• ·       material or treatment appears to the BBFC to risk harm to individuals or, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts,

-        or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals.

-        sexual or sexualised violence which might, eroticise or endorse sexual assault

• ·       where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context,  images may be appropriate in ‘R18’ works, and in ‘sex works’. 
•       In the case of video works (including video games), which may be more accessible to younger viewers, intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films.

Sex education at ‘18’- Explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted if the purpose is to inform and educate.

Sex works at ‘18’- Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation. -Sex works containing only material which may be simulated are generally passed ‘18’. Sex works containing clear images of real sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images, or other very strong sexual images will be confined to the ‘R18’ category. Material which is unacceptable in a sex work at ‘R18’ is also unacceptable in a sex work at ‘18’.

 

 

To be shown only in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied only in licensed sex shops, and to adults of not less than 18 years

The ‘R18’ category is a special and legally restricted classification primarily for explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and video works may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. ‘R18’ video works may not be supplied by mail order. The following content is not acceptable:

• material which is in breach of the criminal law, including material judged to be under the Obscene Publications Act 1959
• material (including dialogue) likely to encourage an interest in sexually abusive activity
• the portrayal of any sexual activity which involves lack of consent (real or simulated). Any form of physical restraint which prevents participants from indicating a withdrawal of consent
• the infliction of pain or acts which may cause lasting physical harm, whether real or (in a sexual context) simulated. Some allowance may be made for moderate, non-abusive, consensual activity
• penetration by any object associated with violence or likely to cause physical harm
• any sexual threats, humiliation or abuse which does not form part of a clearly consenting role-playing game. Strong physical or verbal abuse, even if consensual, is unlikely to be acceptable.

These Guidelines will be applied to the same standard regardless of sexual orientation.

We have chosen to classify our film as fifteen, as we wanted it to appeal to a wide range of audiences, involving scenes that would make it an eighteen would be too restrictive. To keep within the constraints of a 15 classified film below you can see all the aspects we decided not to include.

• Discriminatory language and behaviour must not be endorsed.
• No promotion or encouragement of drug use is allowed, however it may be shown, easily accessible substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.
• Sadistic or sexualised horror is not permitted.
• Nudity in a non-sexual or educational context has no restraints, however nudity of a sexual nature may not be allowed in strong detail.
• Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable. Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail as well as strong verbal references, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context.

Below are some of the aspects we included in our film.

• Strong language for example ‘fuck’ may be used, however frequent uses of the strongest language ‘cunt’ may not be accepted - We used some mild language in our trailer, however if this was to be publicly shown we would have to cut this out, in order for it's distribution and aired times not to be restricted. In the completed version of the film their would be the use of some mild language.
• Themes must be appropriate for 15 year olds - after showing are trailer and discussing it's plot with our target audience we came to the conclusion that all our films themes are appropriate.
• Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images and strong sadistic or sexualised violence are unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence. - Our film will show some violence and gory scenes however these are limited as we have focused on tension building. As we were targeting a fifteen classification we did not include many of these scenes, we also discussed that they would be hard to create to look realistic. Again, any violent of gory scenes are not shown in our trailer so it can be shown to all ages watching the television.
• Filming should not dwell on or glamorise dangerous behaviour. - Although we show reckless driving in our film and trailer we do not believe it to be glamorised.

Film Genres

Genres are important for audiences, to predetermine the feel and style/type of plot.  It’s an agreement between the audience and producer concerning what the film will contain, helping audiences choose the film most suitable to their needs. Using genres media producers can create a clearer image for their footage and appeal directly to the lovers of their chosen genre.

We have chosen to create a film trailer of the Horror/ Thriller genre and have looked at typical elementsof these combined genres, that we will be able to use succesfully.

 

Typical element we use:	Typical element we haven’t used:
o   Scary      o   Psychologically uncomfortable           imagery      o   Weapons      o   Violence      o   Venerable people      o   Darkness      o   Screaming      o   Night time      o   Miss-haps with plot      o   Villains      o   Relatable Characters	o   Actual violence       o   Graphic Images

We do not have the facilities to use CGI (Computer generated Imagery), or the resources to create accurate, realistic graphic violence and disturbing images, for example; bood and gore. As we want to create a profesional trailer, and do not want are efforts to come across cheesy or amateur we have decided to leave out these aspects create a more phycologically disturbing effect, as a result of this we will aim to create a lower viewer age classification, targetting a wider audience.

Genre Views

Marxists - See genre as an instrument of social control, which reproduces the dominant ideology.

Andrew Tudor - It becomes the end point of the critical process to fit film into such a category – what we collectively believe it to be.

Linda William - Argues that horror, melodrama and pornography all form a category called ‘body genres’. Cause a physical reaction for example, sexual stimulation or physically emotional reactions.

Janet Staiger - Hollywood films blend genres, e.g. romantic with comedy, leading to them merging into the same formula.

Four theories of Classification

‘Idealist method’ – judges the genre of a film by pre-determined standards.

‘Social Conventions’ – classification is based on the accepted cultural consensus.

‘Empircial method’ – identifies the genre of a film by comparing it to other films.

‘Priori method’ – uses common genres elements identified in advance.

Animatic

On the link below you will find a short animatic we have created, in a storyboard format. It will give an idea of our story, but is only a guide line, as aspects of our trailer will change over time and throughout the creative process.

http://www.slideshare.net/rosiea2media/animatic-7357990

Whilst creating our animatic due to practcalities, one of the members of our team had to go out alone to take the photo's. Unfortunetly, this ment we were limited in the fact we could not get all the characters in our practice shots, we can see this in our first shot where we were unable to show all the characters we intended, however we are still able to visualise the scene. As we had not created the poster for the rave we did not include it in our animatic, later we decided as this rave was illegal it would be more appropriate for the characters to spread the word through a text message, we adapted this in our 2nd storyboard. Originally we planned to have a shot of all the chracters, ready for the party in the car, with the camera on the dashboard however as the shot was too close to get everyone in, we could only show the driver, when filming to reinforce the image of reckless teenagers we showed them to be irresponsibly driving with loud music playing. We found it difficult to drive close enough to a tree in order to give the illusion that we'd crashed, as we wanted a realistic effect we decided to change the plot, to the car braking down, we change this in our second storyboard. Although we had not arranged our props we took various photos of the trees and the setting around us in order to get a variety of different angle shots we'd use and to get a feel for the setting, we also had a shot of the back seat of the car where one of our characters would lie injured from the crash however as the plot changed we cut this scene. When we came across a dark scary hut we also decided to developed some of are errie out side scenes and move them into this dank scary room, this can also be seen in our second storyboard.

Storyboard

A storyboard is a series of frames, usually resembling a comic strip. We have created a storyboard of our film trailer, and made notes of any props, camera angles and significant scripting needed. The storyboard is created in rough pencil, but it could be designed using colour, art, photos, 3D figures, photography of a combination of all of these. Our storyboard will help us through the filming, giving us a step by step plan of the shots we need to create our trailer.

In film and television storyboards are used as the first step to illustrate a visually complex scene and attempt to conceptualize its workings. After our storyboard, our next step isto produce an animatic, as the artwork from a storyboard is usually either too rough to produce the final animatic.