Age Restriction Rating- BBFC

If our film opening were to be part of a real film to be released in cinemas, an age restriction would need to be enforced to restrict and more importantly protect viewers of a younger age of a more sensitive and delicate nature from viewing inappropriate content which may otherwise be deemed as offensive or inappropriate towards younger audiences. For this reason, an age rating would help to guide viewers towards a judgemental view as to whether our film opening in its entirety would be suitable for them to view and enjoy without being duly put off by offensive words, or lexis, or dark themes used and explored in the opening.  Having studied the criteria that is required for an opening to be classified into an appropriate age bracket, we as a group have come to the conclusion that our film opening would be classified into the “15” age rating restriction.   This is because the majority of the content featured within our film opening would benefit the restriction of a ‘15’ age bracket being applied to the material due to the themes and ideas explored within the opening. (E.G.: the theme of drug taking is explored in its recreational use, a practice that is widely condemned in modern, everyday society.) Below are the guidelines as outlined by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) and how they fit into our film opening, creating a suitably appropriate restriction for younger viewers other than the demographic in the event that they are able to be protected from hurtful, hateful, upsetting and obscene material that may be expressed within our film opening.

BBFC official guidelines state that a film placed under the ‘15’ age restriction bracket could include any of the following:

       Strong violence- In our film opening there is a brief altercation between two males over alleged allegations from Creegan that Toby has accepted a bribe to hand him over to the ‘pigs’. (The Police), whilst no violence is actually shown in our opening, although a physical confrontation is implied through make –up of blood, sustained threat is a common theme/attribute that is associated with our film opening due to the tentative and sensitive topic matter of the negative effects of drug taking and the profound impact it can have on all members of the supply chain.

       Frequent strong language (e.g.: 'f***')- Strong language is a feature within our film opening used to represent the harshness, gritty and often brutally unforgiving way of life within the hardening urban environment which we wish to showcase within our film opening.

       Portrayals of sexual activity- We do not aim to portray any sexual activity within our film opening, as it is not part of the angle of social realism that we are aiming to look at, or address within our film opening. However, in the event that we were to follow this angle towards our film opening we would aim to show the sexual activity portrayed with both dignity and respect. We would refrain from the sexual activity being displayed or represented as pornographic and would aim to show it in as non-obtrusive nor intrusive light as possible out of the respect that portrayals of sexual activity deserve. 

       Strong verbal references to sex- As with the above, we do not aim to display within our film opening any strong verbal references to sex as this is not the angle of social realism we are aiming to portray within our social realism film opening.

       Sexual nudity- This is an area that will not feature in our film opening however as with the portrayals of sexual activity; if it were to feature within our film opening it would be dealt with, observed and represented with upheld dignity. However on the other hand, this might contrast and as such have an adverse effect on what we are aiming to represent within our social realism, as we are aiming for our film opening to be represented as harsh, brutal and gritty to effectively represent and replicate on camera the harshness of living in an economically deprived area. 

       Brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence- As an area, or topic, of social realism that we primarily will not be focussing upon to represent this is an area that will not be featuring within our social realism film opening.

       Discriminatory language or behaviour- This is an area that will feature during our social realism film opening as discriminatory and invective  terms and lexis are used to describe and refer to the police such as; ‘pigs’, this is significant in the way that Creegan refers to the nearest figure of authority as ‘pigs.’ As he is firmly under the belief that he is above the law. This is something that comes back to haunt him at a later stage in the film opening.

       Drug taking- This is an area that will feature as a predominantly major theme and issue that is addressed within our film opening as it is fundamental to the representation of the socially inept and economically weak and deprived areas. Within our film opening it will be represented as harsh and gritty and brutal to reflect the status and quality of life unfortunately experienced in the day to day society of modern Britain, despite people perhaps thinking issues raised within social realism films are a blissful thing of the past.

In conclusion, I believe that were our film to be released in cinemas it would be entirely appropriate and reasonable for the film to warrant a ‘15’ age restriction certificate as I believe, along with the others in my group, that the age restriction acts as a protective barrier for younger viewers and shields them from inappropriate, frightening and mature content. It also opens viewers eyes into a dark and shady world heavily impacted and negatively influenced by drugs, unfortunately all too common problems that are associated and relatable to in today’s society.