How do films get classified?

The British Board of film classification.

There are five different commonly used ratings for films in British cinema.

Firstly there is the lowest rating, universal, which is normally referred to as U. All films with this rating must comply to strict guidelines. These films should be suitable for all people. The guidelines are as follows:

There mustn't be any discriminatory language or behaviour unless it is shown as being wrong.

There can't be any reference to illegal drugs or drug misuse unless they are being used in a way to show a anti-drug message.

Scary sequences have to be mild, brief and unlikely to cause undue anxiety for young children.

No potentially dangerous behaviour that young people are likely to copy.

Rare use of very mild bad language.
Occasional natural nudity.
There may only be very mild sexual content such as kissing and the infrequent reference to "making love"
Only mild violence. Occasional mild threat or menace only.
As a group we don't see this to be a suitable for our genre as from the survey that we have conducted there must be violence which we wouldn't be allowed to do if we were to rate our film as a universal.


The second rating in terms of having the strongest guideline is parental guidance often called PG.
This means that any child is allow to go and view it alone. The content should disturb childeren over the age of eight. Parents should know that the content could disturb younger and sensitive childeren. The guidlines for this classification are as follows:

Discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly disapproved of or in an educational or historical context.  Discrimination by a character with which children can readily identify is normally acceptable.

References to illegal drugs or drug misuse must be innocuous or carry a suitable anti-drug message.
Frightening sequences should not be prolonged or intense. Fantasy settings may be a mitigating factor.
No detail of potentially dangerous behaviour which young children are likely to copy. No promotion of realistic or easily accessible weapons.

Mild bad language only.

Natural nudity, with no sexual context.

Sexual activity may be implied, but should be discreet and infrequent. Mild sex references and innuendo only.

Where more serious issues are featured nothing in their treatment should condone unacceptable behaviour.

Moderate violence, without detail, may be allowed, if justified by its context.

As a group we don't see this to be a suitable for our genre as from the survey that we have conducted there must be violence which we wouldn't be allowed to do to the extent required if we were to rate our film as a PG

The third rating is 12 or some times refered to as 12A. This means that childeren under the age of twelve may find these films slightly disturbing. Only people that are aged twleve and above should watch this alone. 12A's may not be watched by children under the age of 12 without guidance of an adult over the age of 18.

Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be endorsed by the work as a whole. Aggressive discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly condemned.
Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or give instructional detail.
Moderate physical and psychological threat may be permitted, provided disturbing sequences are not frequent or sustained.
Dangerous behaviour for example suicide should not dwell on detail which could be copied, or appear pain or harm free.  Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Moderate language is allowed. The use of strong language for example ‘fuck’ must be infrequent.

Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief and discreet.

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.

Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated, and must have a strong contextual justification

We don't feel that this is approriate for our film as we intend swearing to be more frequent and our target audience didn't recommend this.

The fourth rating that I will explain is 15. This means that no one under the age of 15 can got to a cinema to watch the film nor can they buy or rent the D.V.D.

The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.
Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.
Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised.
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

There may be frequent use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’). The strongest  terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.

Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.

Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceotable.

No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds.

Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.

We think that this is suitable for our film as this fits most of the criteria that we intend to use in our film and it is also what the target audience recomended.

The final rating that I will explain is the highest rating used in cinema, 18.

No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may 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. Exceptions are most likely in the following areas:
where the material is in breach of the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence

where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which might, for example, eroticise or endorse sexual assault

where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context. 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.

We don't feel the need for using a rating the need for a rating this high. Our target audience didn't sugest this either.

By Joshua Mugridge