CLASSIFICATIONS

12A

12A movies are only shown in a screening at a cinema, once they are published as DVD’s they are classified as age 12. This is because a parent can accompany a child in a cinema, however, there may not be an adult present in the home. Age 12 is not recommended for children younger than this age however its is up to the adult (18 +) whether a child younger than 12 is mature enough to view the film. In cases where the adult decides the younger child can view the film, the adult must accompany the child and watch the movie with them. Strong language is allowed however it must be infrequent, some allowances are ‘Bitch’ and ‘twat’. Nudity must be brief. Violence should not have too much detail and weapons should not be glamorised. Sexual violence should have strong contextual justification. Horror films can be passed at this category. Gory images such as death should not dwell on detail and discriminative behaviour should not be promoted buy the movie itself. An example of a 12A movie is Batman Begins.

15

Any children under 15 are not recommended to view a 15 rated film.15films are stronger than '12' or ’12A films and could include any of the following:
• strong violence

• frequent strong language (e.g'f***'). 

• sexual activity

• strong verbal references to sex

• sexual nudity

• brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence

• discriminatory language or behavior
• drug taking.
At’15’ there can be strong threat as long as it is not sadistic or sexualised. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Horror movies are also published at this classification.
An example is inside man.

18
No-one under 18 is allowed to see an ‘18’ film at the cinema.
In an 18 film they are likely to show things such as:
• very strong violence
• frequent strong language (eg 'f***') and/or very strong language (eg ‘c***’) 
• strong portrayals of sexual activity
• scenes of sexual violence
• strong horror • strong blood and gore
• discriminatory language and behaviour
An ‘18’ work could also contain depictions of real sex under the conditions that it is justified by context.
Drugs can be shown but are not allowed to be glorified
Although 18 film are for adults there will be interventions of the following:
• 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.
An example of an 18 rated movie is Texas Chainsaw massacre.

The horror movie I do will most likely be either 15 or 18 as there are less restrictions and we can show more stronger conventions through these classifications.