The BBFC and film certificates

 The BBFC

Who the BBFC are and what they do

The BBFC stands for The British Film Classification, and they are the board that regulate the British film industry. They are the ones who make the decisions of what can and cannot be shown in films, and also set age certificates for every film in the UK- a film cannot be released if it hasn't gone through this process. 

What do they consider when awarding film certificates 

These are the age certificates in the UK, and a number of things are considered before films get an age rating, such as: 

• Scenes including violence of all kinds

The way violence is shown is something considered. The BBFC consider aspects such as is the violence shown as self defence? 

Is it "play fighting"?

 What are the injuries and are they 'gory'? 

Is it the hero or the villain  carrying out the violence?- If it is the hero this would give children a bad image of what is acceptable but if it was the villain n they may be more likely to know that this is 'bad' behaviour and they are doing this because they are the bad guy. 

How realistic the violence is?... 

• Sex and drugs
• Obscene and discriminatory language 
• Dangerous behaviour 
• Criminal activity....

The list goes on and these are just some examples. 

Another thing considered is the context of the film. 

The BBFC consider whether the film is fantasy or realistically based. Films that are animated often allow more violence because the BBFC think that audiences won't think that it is real. 

A further consideration is the way the issue is handled. 

If a film is showing substance abuse, but shows it in a negative light, and shows its not a good thing, the age rating is likely to lower than a film that shows drug use as a "fun, everyday"activity. Eg teenagers doing for fun at a party- This would be given a higher age certificate. 

The format released

What films can and can't include to be awarded certain age certificates 

PG-  👶  (Parental guidance) 

These films are generally for everyone to view but some scenes may be slightly unsuitable for young children- (under the age of 8)  These films cannot include- 

• No detail of any dangerous behaviour 
• Drugs
• Discrimination of any kind
• Nudity 
• Sexual activity - mild sex references only
• violence 
• threat and horror
• Language

Sometimes in Disney films, adult jokes are included that children won’t understand. When watching it when older again, audiences might pick up on a joke that they never understood as a child. 

For example, in Toy Story 3, a sexual joke is made when Lotzo Bear takes Mrs Potato Heads mouth and Mr Potato replies "No one takes my wife's mouth except me" 

12A-

These films cannot be watched/ distributed to children under the age of 12. 12A means these films can be watched under the age of 12 with an adults consent. 

• No dangerous behaviour that children could copy should be promoted. No "glamorisation" of knives...
• Miss use of drugs should not be glamourised
• There may be moderate bad language and some strong bad language depending on who is using it
• Nudity must be brief and discrete and consensual
• Sexual activity must also be brief and discrete
• moderate violence but shouldn’t be detailed
• Threat and Horror- moderate and not sustained. Some scenes might be disturbing but overall not.
• Sexual violence and sexual threat- there may be verbal references but not graphic 
• Discrimination- should not be endorsed as a whole.

15-

• Dangerous behaviour- Dangerous behaviour-suicide, self-harming... should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Whether the depiction of easily accessible weapons is acceptable will depend on factors such as realism, context and setting. 
• Discrimination The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour, although there may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory themes and language. 
• Drugs Drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse (for example, through detailed instruction). The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable. 
• Language There may be strong language. Very strong language may be permitted, depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification.
• Nudity There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context. Sexual nudity may be permitted but strong detail is likely to be brief or presented in a comic context. Sex Sexual activity may be portrayed, but usually without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour. Repeated very strong references, particularly those using pornographic language, are unlikely to be acceptable. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal are unacceptable.
•   Sexual violence and sexual threat There may be strong verbal references to sexual violence but any depiction of the stronger forms of sexual violence, including rape, must not be detailed or prolonged. A strong and sustained focus on sexual threat is unacceptable. Threat and horror There may be strong threat and horror. A sustained focus on sadistic threat is unlikely to be acceptable. 
• Violence 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 violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. 

18- Suitable for adults ONLY.

What film certificate my coursework would get 

The opening to our group opening sequence is not going to show active violence occurring, but will show someone who has clearly had violence acts happen to her. 

The pool of blood is also graphic and gory imagery, and the wounds, cuts, bruises etc wont be very pleasant to look at and will not be suitable for young children. 

In terms of just the opening sequence, I personally think it would be a 15. Even though a rating 15 states that "The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable", our images won't be too strong. Blood and wounds will be shown, but in my opinion, this is not the"strongest" imagery.