Film Classification- The BBFC
The BBFC is the UK’s regulator of film and video, providing age ratings such as U, PG, 12A, 15, 18 and 18R they are a designated body so they have legal powers to rate, and sometimes cut or even reject works. All their decisions are based on public consultation and our Guidelines, which form a contract between the public, the film industry and themselves. Their aim is to ensure that children, and all filmgoers, are protected from harm and illegal material, and that they can make informed decisions about their viewing choices. They provide BBFCinsight on all cinema films. BBFC insight offers succinct information about the issues raised by the film. It is written especially for parents and those responsible for younger viewers.
source: BBFC Homepage
Types of film ratings:-
The BBFC is the UK’s regulator of film and video, providing age ratings such as U, PG, 12A, 15, 18 and 18R they are a designated body so they have legal powers to rate, and sometimes cut or even reject works. All their decisions are based on public consultation and our Guidelines, which form a contract between the public, the film industry and themselves. Their aim is to ensure that children, and all filmgoers, are protected from harm and illegal material, and that they can make informed decisions about their viewing choices. They provide BBFCinsight on all cinema films. BBFC insight offers succinct information about the issues raised by the film. It is written especially for parents and those responsible for younger viewers.
source: BBFC Homepage
Types of film ratings:-
What does the 12A symbol mean? Films classified 12A and video works classified 12 contain material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults planning to take a child under 12 to view a 12A film should consider whether the film is suitable for that child, to help them decide, we recommend that they check the BBFC insight for that film in advance.
What's the difference between 12A and 12?The 12A requires an adult to accompany any child under 12 seeing a 12A film at the cinema. This is enforced by cinema staff and a cinema may lose its license if adult accompaniment is not enforced for children under 12 admitted to a 12A film. At home, the companies cannot guarantee that a 12a rating will be accompanied by an adult. Therefore they change it to a 12 instead.
Is there a lower age limit to a 12A film?
No however the BBFC considers the content of a 12A rated films to be suitable for 12 year olds or older. and they do not recommend younger children to watch these films. Works classified as these categories may upset younger children.
How important is the tone of a film at 12A or 12?
the tone of a film/ video, and the way it make the audience feel may affect the classification, for example, a film/video which has a very dark, unsettling tone which could disturb the audience, would be less likely to be passed as a 12A.
the BBFC guidelines state that strong language, for example F***, may be passed at 12A or 12 depending on the manner it is being used, who is using the language, it's frequency and any special contextual justification. Any discriminatory language or behaviour will not be endorsed by the work as a whole.
Do 12A films contain sexual behaviour? Sex may be slightly portrayed at 12A or 12. Verbal sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for young teenagers. Comedy may lessen the impact of some moderate sex references or innuendo but constant inappropriate sex references are unlikely to be accepted at this category. There may be nudity in 12A films but nudity in a sexual context should only be brief and discreet.
What's the difference between 12A and 12?The 12A requires an adult to accompany any child under 12 seeing a 12A film at the cinema. This is enforced by cinema staff and a cinema may lose its license if adult accompaniment is not enforced for children under 12 admitted to a 12A film. At home, the companies cannot guarantee that a 12a rating will be accompanied by an adult. Therefore they change it to a 12 instead.
Is there a lower age limit to a 12A film?
No however the BBFC considers the content of a 12A rated films to be suitable for 12 year olds or older. and they do not recommend younger children to watch these films. Works classified as these categories may upset younger children.
How important is the tone of a film at 12A or 12?
the tone of a film/ video, and the way it make the audience feel may affect the classification, for example, a film/video which has a very dark, unsettling tone which could disturb the audience, would be less likely to be passed as a 12A.
the BBFC guidelines state that strong language, for example F***, may be passed at 12A or 12 depending on the manner it is being used, who is using the language, it's frequency and any special contextual justification. Any discriminatory language or behaviour will not be endorsed by the work as a whole.
Do 12A films contain sexual behaviour? Sex may be slightly portrayed at 12A or 12. Verbal sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for young teenagers. Comedy may lessen the impact of some moderate sex references or innuendo but constant inappropriate sex references are unlikely to be accepted at this category. There may be nudity in 12A films but nudity in a sexual context should only be brief and discreet.
What does the 15 symbol mean? The 15 symbol means that the film is not suitable for ages under 15. The work as a whole cannot use discriminatory language or behaviour but may contain racist, homophobic and any other type of discriminatory theme and language.
drug use is acceptable but must not be shown in a way that promotes/encourages it. Also the use of easily obtained drugs such as aerosols is most likely not going to be acceptable.
Any behaviour that could be seen as dangerous such as suicide or self harming must not dwell on detail which could be copied. Also the depiction of easily accessible weapons will be accepted based on realism, context and setting.
strong and very strong language is acceptable but only based on the way it is used, who is using the language, the frequency and any special contextual justification.
nudity is acceptable in a non-sexual or educational context. nudity in a sexual context is allowed if not in strong detail.
drug use is acceptable but must not be shown in a way that promotes/encourages it. Also the use of easily obtained drugs such as aerosols is most likely not going to be acceptable.
Any behaviour that could be seen as dangerous such as suicide or self harming must not dwell on detail which could be copied. Also the depiction of easily accessible weapons will be accepted based on realism, context and setting.
strong and very strong language is acceptable but only based on the way it is used, who is using the language, the frequency and any special contextual justification.
nudity is acceptable in a non-sexual or educational context. nudity in a sexual context is allowed if not in strong detail.
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 work. Adults should be free to choose their own entertainment.
The guidelines for an 18 rated film are a lot more lenient, for example material or treatment appears to us to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society. For example, if the detailed portrayal of violent and dangerous acts, or the use of illegal drugs, which could potentially cause harm to public health or morals. This could include sadistic or sexual violence which could encourage violence as it could make violence look appealing to the viewer because it could imply that the victim enjoys sexual violence.
If there are more explicit images of sexual activity in the context of a sex work (see below) or where the primary purpose of the images in question is sexual arousal In the case of video works, which may be more accessible to younger viewers, intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films.
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.
R18
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.
Our rating
We have chosen to do an age of 15 rating because we feel that it best suits our sub-genre of a slasher and the content that a 15 rated film contains is what you can expect from our film, this age rating will also make us a lot more money as we will have a bigger audience as the most common age group to watch horror are films teenagers and young adults.