BBFC Age Certificates

What is the BBFC?

The BBFC stands for the British board of film classification. The British board of film censors was set in 1912 to age categories films. Local councils may overrule any of the BBFC’s decisions, passing films they reject and banning films they have passed. Cutting it short the BBFC is an organisation that chooses the sensible age restriction for films in the UK.  The BBFC was set up to stop younger viewer viewing older material. This is to make sure that younger viewers cant be traumatised or scared by any actions in older rated films. Age ratings on films can also give parents guidance on what to let their children watch and to see if the film is suitable for their child's age. Without the BBFC and age restrictions, children could access content which would be very inappropriate for them.

The different ratings:

Age Certificate U

U stands for universal. A U film should be suitable for a young audience i.e. 4 and older. A U film will not show drugs, sex, discrimination or strong violence because of the young audience. A children’s film rated at U will generally contain positive messages about loyalty, honesty and friendship, particularly amongst children. The film may will usually have a happy ending for the child and the overall tone should be one of happiness. U films are unlikely to contain bad language or behaviour unless it is clearly disapproved of. The odd word like "crap" or "bloody" could be used.

Example film with U certificate

Toy story is a perfect example of a U film. Toy story tells a tale of a group of toys exploring the outside world. The film has a happy feel to it for most of the way through it however there are some scenes of distress when one of the characters can't find his friend. This is quickly resolved when the two toys find one another again. The film even has a slogan telling children to trust there friends and to look out for one another. This film has no sexually or very violent scenes in it. This is why it fits so perfectly into this category. It has no reference to bad language and they overall feel of the is positive.

Age certificate PG

PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, However some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A PG film should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older. A PG film will not contain any theme which is inappropriate for a child. PG works can explore challenging issues such as bullying, bereavement or racism. Even films with reference to bulling or racism usually end up with a happy ending. There may be mild swearing or bad behaviour in PG films but nothing that can offend the viewer. Sexual references are usually in existent in PG films however there may be small snippets of it i.e. a kiss or an intimate moment. These snippets of film would usually last a few seconds and in no way should affect the child viewer.

Example of PG film

Despicable me is a good example of a PG film because it is child friendly and it has a positive story line and happy ending. Instead of using bad language the film characters use mad up words to express when they are angry or hurt. This is a positive thing to do because it shows that children don't have to use bad words even when they are hurt. This film has mild violence in it but it is made funny to watch  so it doesn't affect the child viewer. Despicable me was loved so much by children world wide that they have made another film "Despicable me 2". What makes the film enjoyable to watch is the minions. They bring joy and laughter to children because of there funny actions and amusing language.

Age certificate 12A



Films classified 12A  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. The BBFC's Guidelines state that strong language (e.g. 'f***') are allowed at 12A, depending on how it is used and who is using the language. There may be moderate language (e.g. uses of terms such as ‘barstard’ and ‘twat’ at 12 or 12A). At 12A, moderate violence is allowed but it should not be shown into much detail. This is to make sure that the young viewer doesn't become disturbed by the actions shown on screen. There shouldn't be any injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if they can be justified for being used. Some horror films are passed at this category. Moderate physical and psychological threat are permitted at 12A as long as horror scenes are not too frequent or carried on over a long period of time.

Example of a 12A film



The hobbit is a good example of a 12A film. It is a tale about a young hobbit who goes on an adventure and gets himself in all kinds of trouble. It is family friendly but does have some violent battle and fight scenes. There are small references of blood which are only shown for short periods of time. There is no bad language except for the odd "shit" and "bollocks". They are some horror scenes in this film especially when the 'orcs' first appear. Again this is not shown for too long so it would have no affect on the young viewer. This film is very popular with the older generation because of its gripping story line and amazing edited graphics.

Age certificate 15







"No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema or buy/rent a 15 rated video. 15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age". You are likely to see sexual scenes and hear bad language at 15 rated films but films at this age category should not show nudity or have frequent strong language in the script. References to drug taking and racism are allowed because the viewer is old enough to know that the scenes that occur on screen are wrong and that those actions are not permitted in real life.

Example of 15 film

American pie was made in 1999 and is considered to be the funniest film of its era. The films portrays 5 boys lives and how they cope getting through school. This film is placed in the 15 category because of the excessive use of strong language, sexual references, drugs and nudity. This is the reason why this film is so popular because people there age can relate to situations the characters are put in. The film is classed as a comedy and is frequently covering up bad behaviour with comical moments. This is the reason why it is a 15 and not an 18. Overall the film is aimed at 15 or older generation because people this age understand the story better and are not affected by any bad behaviour portrayed in the film. 

Age certificate 18

"Films rated 18 are for adults. No-one under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film at the cinema or buy / rent an 18 rated video. No 18 rated films are suitable for children. "Adults are free to choose their own entertainment provided the material is not illegal or potentially harmful, so it is possible some themes tackled at 18 may be offencive even to some adult viewers". 18 rated films are allowed to contain very strong violence including gore. They are also allowed to include strong sexual scenes and even strong nudity. There is no real restriction in 18 films so families should think hard about letting younger viewers watch 18 films at home. Younger viewers could be left confused or scared but actions in 18 films because that age viewer wouldn't be able to understand everything that takes place. Racism often occurs in 18 films with words like n**** and other discriminatory language being used.  There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language at 18, and the film could explore themes relating to discrimination. This is allowed in 18 films because the viewer is old enough to understand what is going on and that what is happening is wrong. At 18, horror films may contain very strong horror, gore or sustained threat.

Example of 18 rated film

 Dead snow is about several friends who take to the mountains to experience some quality time together, their peace is soon interrupted by a mysterious old man, warning them of a local curse that during the German occupation of the local area that these Nazi invaders were brutal and harsh in their methods of control. Telling of the legend of the villager's revolt that drove them up into the cold, dark mountains where they perished, that is until rumour of their return in the form of zombies, evil Nazi zombies. This film is classified as an 18 because it has content of strong language, Strong violence/gore and strong sexual references. It has a sense of horror to it too which is not suitable for younger audiences. 
Conclusion

 

In conclusion, This research has really helped inspire me to what age certificate I want to give my thriller sequence. I know now that I have to be mindful to stay within the regulations of that specific age rating that I will chose so that I don't cause harm or offense to the viewer. This research has shown me that age ratings are so important because they stop younger viewers seeing films that really aren't suitable for them. This stops the younger viewer becoming scared or confused about the events which have unfolded in that film. Without doing this research, I wouldn't have a clue what an age certificate is and I wouldn't be able to decide what age of viewers should or shouldn't be aloud to watch my film.