Certificate ratings

BBFC research and expected certificate rating for film and why
The BBFC is the British Board of Film Classification. They are an independent non profit organisation which regulates media content in the UK. They are a self/co-regulated organisation who are a trusted classification and labelling system for the UK. Classifications of films in its basic terms are the minimum age for viewers.
Classifications of films are set on the BBFC's guidelines. These guidelines are regularly updated and are the outcome of research and experience as well as public consultation.
These guidelines for age ratings are:

The people who examine the media deciding on which rating the media is look at many issues. These being issues related to discrimination, nudity, sexual violence, theme and imitable behaviour. The examiners also look at the context and the tone of the film, as this is how it makes the audience feel. These are important as they help the examiners to decide if young people e.g. under 12s can watch the film. For example: a film may be a thriller containing nudity and sexual violence, this would be given a rating of 15 due to the content and the nature of the film.

To make sure the ratings of the films are up to date, every 4-5 years the BBFC consults the public to see what the public think of the age ratings before they are released. This finding out what the public thinks age groups should be exposed to. There fore making sure that they are fitting in with the publics expectations of age ratings.

Expected certificate rating for our film and why?

The expected certificate rating for our film is 15. This is because our target audience are people aged between 16 and 25. This meaning that we are targeting an audience younger than 18 as well as older meaning that we would like a rating of 15. As well as the target audience, the content of the film we hope would also give the film a rating of 15. The genre of the film is psychological thriller, this giving it a scary context and tone to the film due to the themes put through it. Although the film has very dark and gloomy themes, there will be no nudity, sexual violence or discrimination during the film, this causing it not to be classed an 18. But in the film there will be imitable behaviour of the abduction, even though this is a feature of the film, it still makes it accessible for people aged 15 due to it being behaviour that is unlikely to be imitated as well as this being the only feature of the film that will increase the age rating.