The BBFC and Film Certificates

What the BBFC do

• The BBFC is responsible for classifying films that have a cinema and DVD release. The BBFC uses published Classification Guidelines for certain age ranges, ensuring that the content of the film is age appropriate and that children or young people do not see films that are unsuitable for them.

• When a film is being considered on what the age rating should be two compliance officers will watch the film and use the BBFC guidelines once they have gone through the guidelines they will go to the head of Compliance and they make the final decision on whether they have accurately assessed the film and if it is deserving of the age certificate it was awarded.

• For a film that has a Universal age rating this means that the film is most likely animated and does not explore any mature themes at all. A PG rating is very similar to a Universal rating with the difference that younger children may require an adult to attend the film with them. If a film was awarded a 12A certificate this means that children under the age of 12 may watch the movie but they have to have an adult accompanying them throughout the whole of the movie. A film with the rating 15 means that only kids aged 15 and above are able to watch the film as the film may include mature themes such as drug use, sex references, and other mature themes. An 18 age rating means that only people aged 18 and up are able to view the film as the film may include extreme violence (gore), sex, drug use etc.
  

• Personally I believe that our film would be awarded a 15 age certificate as it contains themes such as kidnapping, murder and explores other mature themes. So a 15 rating would be appropriate for our film opening sequence.