LO3 Understanding the regulation of the media sector

Film Classification and Censorship

Who are the BBFC and what do they do?
The British Board of Film Classification is a non-governmental organisation,
that is run by the film industry and responsible for the UKs censorship within
the country. The BBFC has the right to classift DVDs, Videos and some video
games under the Video Recordings Sct.
Films for theactral release are normally classified by at least two examiners
using the published guidelines. DVDs are usually seen and watched in the
home, there is a higher risk of underage viewing. All decisions are based on
public consultation in their guidelines. The main aim is to ensure that children
and all filmgoers are protected from harm and illegal material and people
would view it which influences decisions on what rating it would be. They try
to prevent any offense being caused for example if someone at a young age
watched a film that should be 18, this could cause offense to parents and
influence a childs behaviour .




What are the 6 UK classification certificates?
The 6 UK classification certificates are what we see on Films, DVDs and
Cinemas. These are U , PG , 12A, 12, 15, 18. These are guidelines for us in what
Is suitable for children to watch due to the content in films. Which the BBFC
rate in these classification ratings.
U U symbol means Universal, this means it is suitable for audiences aged 4
and over. Although it may cause offense to some young children as this cannot
be judged. This should show no use of discrimination, drugs, crime, bad
language, sex and nudity, or violence as this will as this is not suitable, in a U
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film the allow language to its furthest extent allowed is Damn and Hell.
Sexual behaviour will go as far as kissing and cuddling. But there is no sexual
focus in U films. There may be brief scenes which could scare children and
scenes where danger could happen, Evil characters could be carrying a weapon
of some sort but there is no impact on this where we will see lots of blood and
violence. A child may copy bad behaviour influenced from a film, dangerous or
anti-social behaviour. This is why we have ratings.
PG PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means suitable for general viewing.
Byt some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A child will be able to
watch the film with parental guidance during it. Parents should consider
whether content may upset children.
A PG film will not contain anything inappropriate for a child, this will include
violence, sex, drugs, crime, anti-social behaviour. PGs can go as far as bullying,
bereavement or racism. Sex references are not made in a PG as the child most
likely will not understand this. In terms of bad language words such as Shit or
son of a bitch may be in the content which can be ok in some circumstances,
but it depends on the use of tone, say for example this was used aggressively,
this can be seen as explicit content which could offend parents and influence
children. Children may copy dangerous and anti-social behaviour, such as
bullying or copying activites like trying to be superman or spider-man which
could end up in hospital if trying to replicate these events.
12A & 12 12As contain content that is not genrally suitable aged 12 under.
No one younger than 12 can see a 12A film in a cinema unless they are
accompanied by an adult. Adults should consider vefore going to watch the
film if it is suitable for their child to see. The difference between 12 and 12A is
that 12A could contain more explicit footage, which you need to be
accompanied by an adult, where as a 12 is suitable for 12 years and over.
Strong language such as f*** may be passed but this will not be used
frequently at all as this may cause offense. This also depends in the tone as if it
in a aggressive tone this probably will not be used as it increases chances of
offense. Sex may be in briefly but not to an extreme level, this has to suit a
young teenagers standards.
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15 No one under 15 is permitted to watch a 15 rated film. In a 15 rated film
you expect to see
-Strong Violence
-Frequently strong language
- Portrayals of sexual activity
- strong verbal references to sex
- sexual nudity
- brief scenes of sexual or verbal references to sexual violence
- discriminatory language or behaviour
- drug taking

In a 15 rated film there could be a a lot of strong language, there is no limit to
how much is in e.g F***, there could be strong language such as c***but this
depends on the tone it is used to see whether it is acceptable or not. Sexual
activity can be portrayed, but usually without strong detail, sex scenes can be
long, but we cannot see anything as this may offend some people. Though
nudity may be allowed in some contexts. In a 15 you may see strong language
and violence; strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable as this may
be seen as to much for a 15 and could offend and cause illness to some people.
18 films rated at are only for adults and no one under the age of 18 is
permitted to watch the film. There is no theme to an 18, it can be anything
allowed, adults are allowed to choose what they want to see and how they
react to it is down to them. This still may be offensive to some viewers but this
allowed as this is an 18 rated film. In an 18 you expect to see ..
- Very strong violence
- Frequent strong language e.g C***
- Potrayals of sexual activity
- Scenes of sexual violence
- Strong horror
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- Strong blood and gore
- Real sex
- Discriminatory language and behaviour
There is no limit to strong language in an 18, so words like F*** and C*** may
be used frequently to suit whatever film it is, so for example a horror or
gangster film may contain strong language, this is allowed to be passed at 18,
they could be used in different tones tho as aggressive or casually. You may
also see racial behaviour, homophobic or other discriminatory language at an
18. This is down to the audience to decide whether they want to watch the
film or not knowing what content is in it. There most likely will be strong sexual
references involved, meaning sex scenes which includes nudity, sexual
language and innuendos to match the content of the film. There can be very
strong violence in an 18 and also portrayed in very strong detail in some cases.
Pain and injury could be shown and strong scenes of gore and blood, a good
example of this is the SAW series.


Why does the BBFC classify films?
The BBFC classify films to prevent offense and protect younger people against
more explicit footage. For example a film such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre is
rated at 18 to protect against younger ages, so this prevents a younger child
from watching this footage and becoming extremely scared and effected by
what they have seen, this may also contain strong gore and violence scenes,
and scary scenes which could have a massive effect on a child and offend
parents. If the BBFC didnt classify films this would have a massive influence on
the younger generation of our world today, films are classified on what we
perceive it to be, and what is suitable, so children watch films with minor
violence and language such as PG rated films and 12s, in this way this will
cause so offense and upset in most cases, but it is impossible to predict what
children and adults will be offended by. All films need to be rated by law,
otherwise if this didnt happen this would be against the law. The BBFC has to
note any dangerous or criminal activities in video or DVD, such as scenes that
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are shown in detail, such as sexual language, violence, and discriminatory
behaviour to protect children against this.

What is censorship?
Censorship is a committee where they get the chance to review and a film and
see if it is deemed fit for the rating it has been given, they may ban a film, or
they may require you to delete a scene which may make it suitable for the age
rating. For example American Pie always have a Directors cut, this is because
this has been censored, so a scene would of have to of been deleted to fit the
guidelines of a 15. But a directors cut will be available in the DVD. They may
Ban a film completely because it would have been seen as too offensive, scary,
or rude for the audience to see, the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was
banned from 1974 1999, 15 years of being banned until it was seemed okay
to see again as society changes, the audience in 1974 would of been much
more offended then and now as we are used to this footage, as seen in many
other horror films, society changes and in some cases this happens with films.





Give an example of censorship. (Include film title, complaint/reason for censoring and
outcome)
The Texas Chainsaw massacre as I previously stated was banned in 1974
1999. In 1974 this was seen as far to scary and gory for people back then to
see, as they would of felt this could of cause much upset and offense as people
wouldnt be familiar with this type of content and could give major offense,
and mental harm people. Stephen Murphy regarded it as a very good well
made film, but felt strongly towards the end of the film, there was high levels
or terrorisation, and the films focus on abnormal psychology was unsuitable
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for a BBFC X certificate to be issued. The Distrubutor made minor changes to
the film and there was a different version on the 12
th
march 1975. The film was
refused a certificate on 14
th
march 1975, as it was likely to prove unacceptable
to the majority of local councils. They felt the film itself created an effect upon
madness, threat, and impending violence, footage was to gory scenes was in a
very explicit detail. In 1998 a new print of the film was submitted to Came
Council in London and was awarded an 18 certificate and was given a late night
screening at London film festival and then ran at the beginning of 1999. This
was because it wasnt deemed not as harmful as it once was in 1975, as people
had been more used to the footage that was being seen, and this became
more of a reality to what footage was in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, people
didnt find it as bad as people may of did before, as it was less likely to disturb
adult viewers of todays society. The film was passed 18 uncut for cinema
release on 19
th
march 1999 and 18uncut for video and DVD release.




How do you make a complaint about a film?
you can make a complaint about a film by contacting the BBFC or the
producers of the film, you may be complaining due to you do not agree with
the scenes involved with the film which you found extremely offensive, you
may be complaining because your son or daughter watched a film with a 12
Classification rating and you feel it should have been a 15 example. You can
speak to official members of the BBFC and put your point forward, or you
could try and contact the producers and put your complaints forward there
too. As a result they make take your complaint into consideration if there is a
large majority of others making the some complaint, and would do this to
make the viewers more happy and comfortable, but if it is just you they most
likely wont take any action.