The document discusses the various British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) ratings for films in the UK. It explains the criteria for each rating level - U, PG, 12A, 12, 15, and 18 - in terms of what types of content are considered appropriate and permitted at each rating level. For example, a U rating means a film is suitable for all audiences, while an 18 rating means a film cannot be viewed by anyone under 18 due to explicit content such as strong violence, sexual violence, or discriminatory language. The document concludes that the author's film opening will likely receive a 15 rating in the UK due to containing horror elements with violence and strong language, but not as much gore or behavior as an

1. Certificate Rating
By Chelsea James

2. Rating U
• U stands for universal this means that the film is
suitable for all audiences.
• U films should not include any references to drugs,
discrimination, imitable behaviour, language, nudity,
sex, threat or violence.
• ‘A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four
years and over’.
BBFC . (2014). U. Available: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-
classification/u. Last accessed 7th October 2014 .
• A U rating can have any type of film as long as it is
suitable for a young audience. A film would be usually
classed as a U if it has a positive meaning in the film for
example loyalty, trust and friendship.

3. Rating PG
• PG stands for parental guidance.
• This implies that most scenes will be alright for a general
audience but young children might find some scenes
upsetting.
• A PG film should not upset a child age 8 or older.
• Not all PG films are aimed at a younger audience a recent
example of this is ‘saving mr.banks’.
• A PG film can not feature anything that would upset a
child but can include elements of bullying and racism.
• A PG film could feature some bad language but excessive
bad language would mean that the film has to be rated in
a higher category.
• There can also be mild references to drugs although this
should not be referenced excessively throughout the
whole film.

4. Rating 12A and 12
• No one who is younger than 12 should be allowed in to see a
12A film as the content could be unsuitable for there viewing.
• A 12A means that any child under 12 should have a adult
accompany them to the film, Because this cannot be enforced
in an audiences home the 12 is always put on the DVD cover
so that the person buying it knows what content may feature
in it.
• The 12 rating on the DVD cover means that retailers cannot
sell the movie to someone who is under 12 years old.
• Bad language can get passed at a age 12A or 12 depending on
what manner the swearing is meant to be in.
• Aggressive use of bad language would mean that the film
would no longer be a 12 it would be put up to a 15.
• Sexual references in 12 films could appear but they have to be
discreet and acceptable for young teenagers. For example this
could appear in a comedy.

5. Rating 15
• Anyone under 15 should not be allowed to view or buy a 15 rated
film as it has unsuitable content for anyone under that particular
age.
• In a 15 rated film there could be elements of any of these:
- Strong violence
- Frequent strong language
- 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
- Drug taking
• Although a 15 can feature all of the above referencing to self-
harming or suicide should not be a main point of the film and
should not be carried on through the whole film incase of potential
copying from a teen audience.
• Misuse of weapons can be shown in a film but this depends on the
setting, context and realism of the events going on.

6. Rating 18
• Films rated 18 cannot be viewed by anyone under the age of 18
as this is completely unacceptable and the content is to explicit.
• 18 rated films can include the following:
-very strong violence
-frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***') and / or very strong language
(e.g. ‘c***’)
- strong portrayals of sexual activity
- scenes of sexual violence
- strong horror
- strong blood and gore
- real sex (in some circumstances)
- discriminatory language and behaviour
• Anything that is featured in a 18 rated film and is going to put
teenagers or adults in harm if they copy it may be cut but this
would only be on very rare occasions.
• Horror films at a 18 rating would contain very strong gore or
sustained threat.

7. Our Film Opening
• Our film opening will be rated a 15 because it
is going to be a horror which means it will
most likely contain elements of violence and
strong language.
• It will also include gory moments which
means that it will be classed as a 15 however
it will not be as bad as a 18 because it won’t
contain as much gory violence or behaviour.