1. Target audience for thrillers
The majority of thrillers are targeted at 18+ viewers. As some scenes may be disturbing to
sensitive viewers. The film information usually includes warnings as to why this film is
unsuitable for younger viewers.
The target audience in which are film is directed towards are 16+. This is because we feel
that we are able to relate to the issues and our audience as we are in the same age range.
Age catagories
U – universal
Suitable for all. Should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over.films should be
set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any
violence, threat or horror.No discriminatory language or behaviour unless clearly
disapproved of. No references to illegal drugs or drug misuse unless there is a clear
educational purpose or anti-drug message suitable for young children.Scary sequences
should be mild, brief and unlikely to cause undue anxiety to young children. The outcome
should be reassuring.No potentially dangerous behaviour which young children are likely to
copy.Infrequent use only of very mild bad language.Occasional natural nudity, with no
sexual context.Mild sexual behaviour (for example, kissing) and references only (for
example, to ‘making love’).Mild violence only.
PG – Parental Guidance
General viewing but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. Unaccompanied
children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or
older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or
more sensitive children.Discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable
unless clearly disapproved of or in an educational or historical context.References to illegal
drugs or drug misuse must be innocuous or carry a suitable anti-drug message.Frightening
sequences should not be prolonged or intense.No glamorisation of realistic or easily
accessible weapons. No dangerous activities that children will copy. Mild bad language
only.Natural nudity, with no sexual context.Sexual activity may be implied, but should be
discreet and infrequent. Mild sex references and innuendo only.Moderate violence, without
detail, may be allowed, if justified by its context.
12A/12 – suitable for 12 years and over
Material is suitable, in general, only for those aged 12 and over. Works classified at these
categories may upset children under 12 or contain material which many parents will find
unsuitable for them.The ‘12A’ category exists only for cinema films. No one younger than 12
may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult.Discriminatory language or
behaviour must not be endorsed by the work as a whole. Aggressive discriminatory

2. language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly condemned. Any misuse of
drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or give instructional detail.
Moderate physical and psychological threat may be permitted, provided disturbing
sequences are not frequent or sustained.Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging,
suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied, or appear pain
or harm free. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.Moderate language is
allowed.Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief and discreet.Sexual activity
may be briefly and discreetly portrayed.Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell
on detail.
15 – suitable for 15 years and over
No one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No one younger than 15 may rent
or buy a ‘15’ rated video work.Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not
promote or encourage drug misuse.Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic
or sexualised.Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should
not dwell on detail which could be copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be
glamorised.There may be frequent use of strong language. Nudity may be allowed in a
sexual context but without strong detail. Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong
detail.Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The
strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.
18 – suitable only for adults
No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema or rent or buy an ‘18’ rated
video.The Human Rights Act 1998, at ‘18’ the BBFC’s guideline concerns will not normally
override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment.
Exceptions are most likely in the following areas:
■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.
■where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by
context.
Information gained from http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

3. Films that have a similar age range and issues to our film
The Others
Orphan
The Baby
Child in the night
Film names from IMDB.com
Advertising for thrillers
Thriller adverts usually feature a dark but striking image, which draws the potential
audience towards the image and information about the film. Adverts would have an eye-
catching and catchy tag line, this gives the audience a sample of what to expect when
viewing the film. You would find a thriller advert on a bus shelter, cinema, television, film
websites, video website such as YouTube and social networking e.g. Facebook amongst
many other locations. On mobile sites the thriller would feature a trailer to entice the
audience in.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
The recently released Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol the fourth instalment of this
highly successful film franchise. A contributing factor to the successfulness of this film is the
advertising and marketing.
The official website for this film advertises it in many different ways. It advertises tickets
being sold to see the film in IMAX, ghost protocol live premier, to download the film on your
iphone, M: I 4 game with reviews from game reviewers and to ‘discover the BurjKhalifa the
tallest structure in the world where the some of the film was shot at, this would entice
people to see the film. At the top it has links to various social networking websites such as
Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr so that people that have visited the website can ‘like’ the
website which then advertises the film to others who are connected with them on thesocial
networking site.

4. In Japan anew TV spot and poster were released for Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol. It
was open on December 16 for IMAX sneak previews before its December 21 wide release.
This would give the audience a sense of suspense as they would want to know what
happens. The film would also gain free advertising in the form of word-of-mouth, as people
that had seen the sneak previews would recommend to their friends and family and on
reviews to go and see the film as it looks promising.
The International Movie Data Base (IMDB) provides information on films, celebrities and
television. It is the world’s biggest movie data base. When a new movie is out they will
feature it on their home page under ‘new releases’ and feature trailers, stills and
information on the film. In the case of M:I 4 a month after it has been released is it featured

5. on IMDB’s home page again for the most weekend earnings in the UK Box Office, this
wouldagain contribute to the marketing and advertising of the film.
Cinemas are contribute massively to advertising a film as they advertise it on the internet
using social networks and their own websites, for example The Odeon. On the homepage it
showcases the films in the centre of the screen complete with a trailer, as the viewer would
already b naturally drawn to the middle of the screen they would also be attracted by the
image and what is usually an action shot in the film. The possible audience would not have
to search fort he trailer as it would already be complete with the image. Outside of the
building they also feature large posters and times of the films in which they are currently
showing.
Trailers are also a major method of marketing and advertising as this is often the first
glimpse on what the potential viewer judges the film on. They decide if they would want to
go and see the film or not. Below id the official trailer for Mission: Impossible Ghost
Protocol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0LQnQSrC-g&feature=player_detailpage
Magazine reviews, newspaper cinema timetables, advertising on bus stops/buses, in
supermarkets and on billboards gain a large amount of awareness of the film. Many
companies use bus advertising because it exposes their films to many different groups of
people within the public. Usually the advertisement shows an interesting image which sums
up the film and its genre, and also when and where the film will be showing. These are more
likely to encourage the potential viewer to go and look up the trailer or cinema times via the
internet, and lead to word of mouth advertising.

6. Image from http://dailybillboard.blogspot.com/2011/11/duo-day-mission-
impossible-ghost.html
Image from
http://www.ibelieveinadv.com/page/17/
image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/35759580@N03/5109990952/
Institutions
An institution is a society or organization for which is set up for a religious, educational,
social or similar, such as school, prisons, family (social purposes) Sony, Disney (Corporate)
church (religious). The BBFC is a film institution which is not organised for profit, and its fees
are adjusted only as required to cover its costs.