Age Restrictions

Age Restrictions

Films are given age classifications in order to protect children from potentially upsetting and unsuitable material in the film industry. In the UK film classifications are decided by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) according to the BBFC classification guidelines set, based on general context (plot, characters, outlines of individual scenes), timings of key moments (including camera angles, type of shots and on/off screen moments), bad language, sexual references and drug taking. 

Of the films that I have studied the BBFC awarded The Woman in Black a 15 for strong supernatural threat and horror, Shutter a 15 for strong supernatural horror, threat and gore and The Blair Witch Project a 15 for frequent strong language and horror, as the trailer I am planning to put together will contain mostly the same themes as the 3 films I have studied e.g. supernatural horror and strong language.

The BBFC list the guidelines for an age 15 certified film as the appearance of strong violence, frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***'), portrayals of sexual activity, strong verbal references to sex, sexual nudity, brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence, discriminatory language or behaviour and drug taking. Strong threat, horror, supernatural horror (as long as no prolonged focus on sadistic or sexual threat).