The BBFC is an independent, non-governmental body which classifies cinema films. It's a not for profit organisation, it's income is from the fees it charges for its services.
How are films rated?
The age ratings for films and TV programmes are reached by a consensus and the examiners watch the films alone - solo viewing however, if it is a foreign film, which requires aid there would be a translator in the room. The examiners watch the films and make notes referring to key scenes, bad language, sexual content, drugs and general cinematography and context. Distributors can also request an age certificate to the examiner and they would take this into consideration but if the decisions by the examiners are not consensual then it would be past down to senior examiners.
The issues faced when categorising a film?
They need to consider whether the material is:
in conflict with the law
harmful to the viewer
unacceptable to appear to a wider audience
acceptably portraying the dominant issue
problematic within its tone
Violence
Sex
Sexual Violence
Drugs
Horror
Imitable Behaviour
Discrimination
Language -
U - 'Infrequent use only of very mild bad language'
PG - 'Mild bad language only'
12A/12 - 'Moderate language is allowed. The use of strong language must be infrequent'
15 - 'There may be frequent use of strong language. The strongest terms may be acceptable if justified by context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable'
18 - No constraints on language
Controversial decisions - 'The Dark Knight'
The main issues that arise in 'The Dark Knight' is violence and threat. The BBFC guidelines stated that 'violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries and blood.' Although there is no emphasis on blood itself, there are indications of violence which are strong. The rating was given due to the identification with Batman and the fact that the previous Batman was also rated a 12A. Although the antagonist, the villain, The Joker, uses a knife, the use of the weapon is not accentuated or glamorised to encourage the use of the violence. The BBFC received 364 complaints about the age rating. Parents and viewers thought that the tone of the film was too dark to show to younger audiences without making them feel uncomfortable or scared, which then raised the subject of tone being problematic in some films and should be a factor that is considered alongside the more prominent themes.
Guidelines for a 15 Certificate
15 Certificate - 'There may be frequent use of strong language. The strongest terms may be acceptable if justified by context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable'
'Mad Max' classification
Mad Max (1979) was rated X and the film also required cuts, however in 1992 the film was classified within the BBFC's guidelines as an 18 rated film, without the cuts. Now in 2015, the film was screened for modern audiences and was classified a 15 due to the strong threat, violence and injury detail. The scenes that were cut initially fit into the 15 classification because of it's implied nature and lack of visual detail. This shows just how different generations change their ideologies towards particular films and scenes.
Film London aims to ensure the capital is a thriving centre for creative industries sector that enrich the city's businesses and its people.
Microwave films fund films; they also develop and mentor short listed projects.
London Calling offer funding, training and mentoring for people with exciting talent.
Lilting
This film is a British drama and due to the use of the foreign language we can tell this is a art house film. Due to the narrative involving homosexuality I do not think the target audience would be older because elder people would stereotypically be traditional and set in their ways whilst younger people tend to be more accepting and thrive for change therefore, the target audience would be mid 20's.
Borrowed Time
This comedy seems like a very unique concept as the narrative has not been done before therefore, highlights how the film is independent. Furthermore, the binary opposition of the characters reveals the conflict and the intriguing narrative. The target audience would predominately be 15-24 year old's, however I also think there is a possibility for elder audience demographics to want to watch this film too due to the character identifications such as the youth portrayal and the elder man.
Freestyle
This film is appears like a low-budget film due to the use of the mise-en-scene, it does not appear to be very high budget. I think the target audience for this film would be balanced so both males and females would like this film due to the subversion of the stereotype of all girls not being sporty, which would therefore appeal to the female demographic. This would also appeal to youths due to the content such as the language and the characters themselves being quite young so youths would therefore identify with the characters.
I need to identify my protagonist and make sure there is a clear narrative where my target audience are able to identify and relate to my main character
I need to make sure I know exactly who my film is for and I need to stick to that audience and make sure the film will suit their requirements and appeal to them
Finally, the narrative must be interesting and intriguing in order to engage the audience; I need to include enigma codes and features to keep the audience guessing and compelled
This week they are showing; A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Blackmass and Spectre.
They have a wide range of audience from adults in their mid 20's and over. The target audience is also children. On their website there are separate categories for kids and adults and it shows what is on right now in the cinema from alternative films to big named films such as Spectre. They also have a section for alternative content like ballet and opera.
Greenwich Picturehouse
Greenwich High Road
This week they are showing; Black Mass, Bridge of Spies, The Hunger Games, Spectre, Grandma - so a variety of different genres.
This cinema is an independent cinema which shows mainstream to foreign language films. There is a wide target audience for this cinema due to the various films playing, from independent films to very high end mainstream films like The Hunger Games. I think on average, they would have elder people visiting this cinema as the price for a student ticket is over £13 and for a teenager to go to the cinema, they would usually want to buy popcorn and other snacks and not spend too much money.
Electric Cinema
Portobella Road
This week they are showing; Bridge of Spies and Carol.
It screens mainstream and art house films. The target audience is again quite broad, however the pricing of a standard ticket is £18, which is very pricey for younger audiences, such as teenagers. Also, the décor in the actual cinema is Edwardian and very classy and sophisticated, which would therefore appeal to middle class adults.
Films are extremely inspiring, therefore films with the strongest
labour attached to it will achieve the best successes and be spread to a wider
audience.
Films have an impact socially and
commercially so they connect with their audience. The distributors must
identify and deliver the largest possible audience for their film; they must
promote in the title and competing distributors.
The distributor must identify its
audience; consider why they'd go and see it; estimating the revenue potential;
persuading exhibitors to play the film; building awareness of the film and
aiming to convert as much possible interest in film visits.
The UK has 6 major distributors and many
independent distributors, who tend to make films outside the major
studios.
Larger studios often work with major
producers and sometimes, particularly with big blockbuster films, a studio
would sell their international rights to another major international
distributor. On the other hand, the independent studios would often work with
independent producers. When considering acquiring a new film distributors would
normally look for distinguishable features in order for the film to sell and become
a success. They would also consider the target audience. The distributors also
put together a detailed marketing spend and organise film festivals to make
wider audiences aware of the film's release.
Distributors sign a formal contract with the producer, sales
agent or studio, specifying the rights they hold in respect of the title.
A distribution plan then needs to be prepared in order to plan the
release.
They need to then consider what type of film it is, so consider the bbfc
certification, which they must pay a fee in order to have classified. When the
film should go out so the worst times are when things like finales of popular
mainstream TV shows are taking place or worldwide events such as the olympics or
the world cup are taking place. Also, the weather is an issue as if it's really
cold many people may not want to go out and actually watch the film which would
therefore be a disadvantage in terms of profit. Also, they need to consider
where the film will go, so will it be in a multiplex cinema like Vue or a small
arthouse cinema or maybe even an imax cinema or somewhere else. Then how the
film is going to be released, so the marketing strategy that they will undergo
in order to promote the film.
Film marketing is extremely important because if the film has no
awareness then no one will know about the film and therefore no one will watch
it. Therefore, it is the distributors job to market the film in the correct way
in order to promote it successfully to a vast amount of people. The film
artwork must be creative and eye - catching, the trailers must be engaging and
intriguing and exit polls should be taken after a screening in order to get
feedback on the film. Also digital marketing as we are in a digital era, where
nearly everything involves technology, therefore there should be online
advertising and websites, also the use of social media is important in today's
generation, therefore if there is one positive review on twitter for example it
will positively promote the film and cause more people to watch it, due to the
positive user generated content. However, this could also be negative because
if someone hates the film and vocalises it, this will then be a disadvantage
which would stop people from seeing the film. Premieres, festivals and awards
are all great places to promote the film too. Promotions, like advertisements
are also very key in order to promote the film.
Media advertising campaigns are constructed using the concepts of paid,
owned and earned channels. Paid is bought advertising; owned is maximising the
distributors own channels and earned comprises social network and editorial
coverage. Big name blockbusters tend to need heavy advertising spends in order
to present their film to a wider audience. Research also shows the distributor
what type of audiences will be interested in the film.
Distributors
The Blair Witch Project
Distributor - Artisan Entertainment (independent American studio)
The film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and was released after months of publicity such as internet websites that portrayed the film as a series of real life events. The film grossed $248,639,099 worldwide on a final budget between $500,000 and $750,000, showing notable success.
The Falling
Distributor - Metrodome UK
The film was shown at the BFI London Film Festival and had limited releases in the UK. The film grossed £359,082 and then a further $9,296 grossed from New Zealand on a budget of $750,000. Box office; $368,378, this figure against the budget shows that the film was not notably successful.
Monsters
Distributor - Vertigo Films
The film was shown at South by Southwest Film Festival, Cannes Film Market and Edinburgh Film Festival, also twice at Los Angeles Film Festival. The budget was less that $500,00 and on box office the film earned $4.2 million and a sequel was then released from this success. In the opening weekend in the UK the film grossed $550,110 and was screened in 164 theatres; the number then decreased however the overall gross in the UK was $1,442,633, which is a great success against the very low budget.
It Follows
Distributors - RADiUS - TWC (Mini-major film studio)
Dimension Films (Owned by The Walt Disney Studios)
The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and had limited release in the US and then a wide release in 1,200 theatres. The film earned $163,453 from it's opening weekend from 4 theatres and was the best limited opening for a film that was released in the USA and Canada in 2015. The film then showed on 190 screens in the UK and grossed $573,290. Overall the film had a domestic gross of $8.9 million, an internation gross of $1.6 million and a worldwide gross of $10.3 million. The budget of the film was $2 million and on box office the film earned $19.4 million, which shows the substantial success of the film.
Antichrist
Distributors - Nordisk Film Distribution, IFC Films and Artificial Eye
The film premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and won a number of awards. The budget of the film was $11 million and the box office earnings were $791,867. The film earned $26,000 just from one screen, which highlights the success of the film as respectable.
Curzon Artifical Eye
Curzon Artificial Eye is a British film distributor, which specialises predominantly in independent, foreign language and art house films. It's parent company is Curzon World.
Trailers:
Kiss of the Spider Woman
In this trailer the most significantly interesting feature was the slow zoom from the monochrome to colour. I thought this was particularly compelling as it was quiet unique and something that I have never seen before therefore, I think it would useful to include in my production. In addition to this, the use of the contrapuntal non-diegetic sound added a mysterious atmosphere to the trailer so I think it would benefit my production if contrapuntal sound was used as it creates this unique feeling for the audience.
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Refelcting on Existence
I really like how this clip is just filmed from one point; the several doors and the mise-en-scene of the setting is really atmospheric and it made me think about how important mise-en-scene actually is as this scene is still so powerful due to the setting of the long corridor and the several doors, which highlight the different rooms. I think the use of keeping the camera in one position is so iconic and so powerful and therefore I really would like to include this in my production.
Still Alice
The narrative told within this trailer is so compelling and appealing; my initial idea was to produce a production about a girl with an illness or some sort of disorder but a narrative more sombre and chilling moving towards the horror genre rather than drama. The use of the establishing shots in this trailer are amazing, they look so captivating and mesmerising and would work so well within my production. The cinematography is key as it is so iconic, therefore the wide shots and establishing shots need to be included to establish the setting.
WWW: A solid evaluation that uses media terminology
effectively and picks out some key strengths and weaknesses in the production.
The section towards the end when you identify aspects that communicate
characterisation to the audience is by far the strongest. Finally, you’ve also
reflected on the production process – this will help with the real MEST2
coursework.
EBI: Overall, I have to be honest and say this is not the
level I expected based on your previous track record in Media (including your
top-grade Film Language assessment). Your written English is a problem – it’s
quite informal and lacks a sharpness and clarity that you need with academic
writing. Although this is on your blog, it’s a trial run for the 1,500 word
evaluation in March and you’ll need something much more comprehensive and
formally written when you complete that. You’ll also need to bring in all the
key concepts and plenty of media theory too. Hopefully this exercise has given
you a lot to learn and reflect on to help you reach a top A grade later in the
year.
LR: Copy and paste this feedback into a new blogpost and
write three specific aspects you will look to improve for the real MEST2
evaluation in March.
I need to write more formally and more in depth, analysing every detail
I need to include media key concepts and link it to the theory
The Haxan Films Production Company produced The Blair Witch Project and it was the company's main success. The company is most famous for producing this independent film. The company also produced Fox TV series FreakyLinks; the company wanted to promote the film using an amateurish website to try to get the same feel as The Blair Witch Project, however once the show was aired, it was not a success. Other films they produced such as 'Altered' got mixed reviews, with some critics saying that is was 'half interesting and semi-creepy,' whilst others said 'good old fashioned effects mixed with wicked gore.' The most notable success was The Blair Witch Project due to the captivating realism that was captured before, during and after the release of the film; the official website for the film featured fake police reports and information with missing students.
The Falling
The Falling was funded by the BFI, it was premiered at the BFI London Film Festival; the reception was mainly positive and The Guardian even rated the film 5/5 stars. The BFI is a charitable organisation which helps to fund films. It was also produced by BBC Films. BBC Films has produced some of the most successful films such as Truly, Deeply and Madly. The Falling was also up for nominations for an award for the Best British Newcomer and Best Film but didn't win.
Monsters
The production company that produced Monsters was Vertigo Films. The film received mostly positive reviews and was released in 19 countries. Vertigo Films produced Bronson, StreetDance 3D and Monsters; Monsters won awards for Best International Film, Best First Film, Best Achievement in Production, Best Director, Best Technical Achievement, Best Technical/Artistic Achievement and Top Independent Films. The production company's most notable success is StreetDance 3D and It's All Gone Pete Tong.
It Follows
It Follows was produced by Animal Kingdom, Northern Lights Films and Two Flints. It Follows was one of Animal Kingdom's most notable successes alongside Short Term 12. It Follows received significant praise for it's acting, cinematography, writing, musical score, direction and interpretation of old-fashioned horror devices. The film was a great success and was considered one of the best horror films in the decade.
Antichrist
The production companies that produced Antichrist were Zentropa Entertainments, arte France Cinéma, Canal+, Danmarks Radio, Film i Väst, Svenska Filminstitutet and Sveriges Television. The film became a huge success in Denmark and won awards in seven different categories. Zentropa is best known for producing the Dogme 95 movement. It was also the first mainstream film company to produce hardcore pornographic films for women. Canal+ is best known for producing The Straight Story,
