Research into age certificates and the BBFC- Miss Georgiou

In this post I will be researching into age certificates for films and the different classifications that there are. I will also be researching the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and what their job is when it comes to classifying films into certain age certificates.

The BBFC:

The BBFC's job is to watch and examine films before they are released and based on what they have seen, put them into age certificates in order to protect children from unsuitable and even harmful content in films. The BBFC look at  issues such as the discrimination of drugs, horror, dangerous and easlily imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex and violence when they make the decision of what age certificate to put the film under. They also consider context, the tone and likely impact of a work on the potential audience. The possible age certificates that a film can be put under are, U, PG, 12, 12A, 15 and 18.

U- This means universal. A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and older. Films and videos that are seen as U's are, for example, In The Night Garden and The Teletubbies. A U film may include a brief scene where a character is seen in danger but will be balanced by reassuring elements such as music. An example of a U film would be The Muppets. There is no violence or any scenes of a sexual nature. The children in whom are watching the film can watch without any disturbances. The film is based on puppet animals which will feature maybe an insight to adventures with nothing that would disturb any child. U films, such as The Muppets, are child friendly. The plot of a U film would be easily understood because of its intended audience. U films are seen to be about friendships and loyalty which will always likely lead to a happy ending, it is great for children to enjoy and have a positive experience out of watching it. 

PG- PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means that a film is suitable for general viewing but may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. There may be mild bad language in a PG film but nothing too explicit. There should be no detail of violence, there may be some blood but we should not see how the injury was inflicted in great detail. An example of a PG film is 'Scooby-Doo' the movie. It is about a group of 'meddling' detectives who try and solve the mystery of why a theme park is haunted. Before this film was produced, there was a TV series in which most children would know the story line, in which is repetitive as it involves the gang finding the villain and putting him away. Because of the repetitive narrativem the children will not find this film scary, and parents would agree that the film is apprpriate to watch. Although the crimes in which are commited can be seen as dangerous, the injuries they recieve are not seen and are not shown how the injury may of been inflicted. There is minimal use of bad language and only use of mild violent action, making it suitable for the PG rating. The relationship between Shaggy and Scooby is seen as funny and the audience can relate to it. The idea of a talking dog is accepted by children and the adventours they get up to add to the comical effect of the film.





12A and 12- 12A means that anyone aged 12 and over can go and see a film unccompanied. The A stands for 'accompanied' or 'advisory' . Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are accompanied by an adult. There may be strong language used in a 12 or 12A work but it must be infrequent. Violence is allowed but not in detail and there should be no emphasis on blood or injuries. An example of a 12 certificate film is The Hunger Games. The plot is about a game that takes place in order for only one survivor. Although it may seem brutal, the violent actions taking place cannot be seen. The characters within The Hunger Games are aged between ages 13-18 so the language barrier is lifted due to their age and maturity. The language and sexual content is very limited within this film as it isn't acceptable to be showing any nudity within the film. If any disruptive language is used then it is very minimal and nothing that could possibly harm or affect the child in any way. The accompany of adults within 12 films is advised as the violence could possibly influence the child in a certain way or the child may be frightened of the weapons used. 

The example of a 12A film is Spider Man, which was the first ever film to be given the certificate of 12A in 2002. At first, the film was given an age rating of 12, meaning that most of the films targetted audience could not view the film in cinemas. Therefore, after many complaintes the film was given a 12A so that children under the age of 12 could go and see the film with adult supervision 

15- 15 films are suitable for people over the ages of 15 and not suitable for under.  15 film is much stronger than a 12A or 12 film because they include strong violence, portrayals of sexual activity, strong language and drug taking. The violence can be strong in a 15 film but not dwell on the infliction or injury too much. An example of a 15 film is The Hangover. which is about a planned bachelor party and the events that happen within the lead up to the main characters wedding. There is strong language used within this film and many references to sex, although this is not focused on too much as the film is about a group of men all suffering from a hangover, trying to remember the previous nights events. The film is a comedy and some events taken place keep the audience amused and turnt away from the bad language and drug us. Thus, making it suitable for the 15 rating.







18- 18 films are for adults and no one under 18 is allowed to see them. 18 films contain very strong issues such as strong horror, blood and gore, real sex, strong portrayals on sexual activity and sexual violence. Violence is portrayed with strong detail. Strong, gory, images are usually shown in this category.  An example of an 18 film is Saw V. Huge amounts of horror, violence, gore, blood and strong language are used throughout this film. Groups of people are put through a series of gruesome traps in which may lead to freedom, however, these traps lead to many deaths which are shown to the audience very explictly and gruesome. The plot is very scary and horrifying which can lead to any younger viewers, under 18, to become extremely disturbed. The large amount of blood and death leaves adults to become disturbed so any child younger can be seriously disturbed because of the outcomes. The ending in itself is bad, the horryfying tasks the people have to endure leave the audiences on the edge of their seats.




Researching into age certificates enables us to know what age certificate to put our thriller into. We are now aware of what age certificates include specific details in which can only be shown to the age group. This allows us to know what appropriate age group to put our thriller in to. I have decided to put our thriller into the 15 certificate. This is because, the 15 age certificate allows for violence to be used and injury can be used, aso.

Research into Cinematography- Miss Miller

The clip that I watched from The Conjuring used many different camera angles and camera shots. They all created an eerie and tension building feel to the scene. The audience are led to feel certain emotions towards the scene due to the different camera angles used.

At the beginning of the clip, a high angled shot is used when she is turning on the light and she beings to walk down the stairs. This high angled shot it used to make her look smaller than she is. Because she is by herself and seen to be smaller than she is, she is portrayed to be the victim. The audience begin to feel on edge and scared for her because the high angled shot makes it feel like anything could happen at any time. This ultimately builds a relationship between the characters and the audience as we are led to feel unsafe on her behalf. This is a common feature of the thriller genre because it does make the viewer believe she is unsafe. It can also be used effectively to make a person or an object look small look create fear. 





Another movement in the clip was handheld. This is found when she is falling down the stairs. The movement is very unsteady and and quick and these jerky and unsteady images make the audience feel a sense of chaos. This is conventional to a thriller film because it brings a sense of urgency to the film and making the audience feel on edge and uncomfortable. The handheld movements as well as the images we are seeing build the relationship between the audience and the characters, we feel uncomfortable for the girl and 



Point of view is another shot used, this is seen when she is looking around the basement. We get to see

exactly what the character is seeing. This has an effect on the audience because we are seeing what she is seeing, it gives the audience a clear view of what is going on and  we feel scared for her and then begin to build a relationship with her because we feel as if we are part of the scene and experiencing what she is. Point of view is conventional because it builds tension within the clip and makes the audience engaged.

Towards the end of the clip and she is looking around the room and there is a close up of her. We are only focused on her facial expressions and this is effective because this allows us to feel sorry for her and portrays the fear within her. The audience are allowed to see what she is feeling and therefore our relationship with her increaes. As we can see the emotion she is feeling, we feel sorry for her and want her to stay safe. This is conventional to the thriller genre because its another way of presenting fear to make the audience feel scared, also. 




There is use of a long shot when the girl is sitting on the floor looking around her. We get to see half of her and a large amount of the background. This creates a sense of tension as the audience do not know what may appear in the background and the low key lighting suggests that something may happen. Ultimately, this brings fear to the viewers and makes them sit on edge. Long shots are conventional of the Thriller genre because it builds fear and tension within the scene. Because of the long shot here, the audience are able to build their relationship with the girl as we become scared for her and are also on edge as we unable to know what is going to happen, then, hoping that she stays safe.



Overall, there were few shots and angles in which were used with this clip from The Conjouring to present fear and horror to the audience and most of which are conventional to the Thriller genre. From this analysis, I will be using most of these cinematography elements within my opening sequence in order to engage the audience and present horror.;

Editing styles used within the thriller genre- Miss Georgiou,

In this post I will be look at editing styles used within the shining, the "here's Johnny" scene. I will be explaining what effect it has on the audience and how it is conventional of the thriller genre.


Throughout this clip I noticed that there was use of slow editing, there was never use of quick clips and flashing images. Using these long clips built up the tension and suspense because we are unsure of what may happen to the girl, leaving more for the audiences imagination and allowing us to prepare for what may possibly happen. This makes the audience sit on edge because the mystery and tension make the audience feel uncomfortable. This ultimately makes us build our relationship with the characters as we feel a sense of insecutiry and unsafeness for the girl, we are made to feel sorry for her and therefore hope that she escapes. With use of the setting, in a house, the audience also begin to feel vulnerable as it gives a feel of reality making it seem as if they were involved within the film because it feels extremely realistic and makes the viewers believe that it could happen to them at anytime. . This is conventional of the thriller genre because it increases the shock and surprise elements, also, building the enigma as we are unable to know what may happen to the girl.

In this clip there was also use of jump cuts. I noticed a jump cut when it shows Johnny then shows the girl trying to escape out of the window. Going straight from Johnny to her draws our attention to her trying to escape, presenting how scared she is and highlights the panic on her face. The audience then begin to build a relationship with the character because we worry and feel sorry for her. The audience also feel on edge and tense because we are not to know if the girl will make it out of the window also increasing mystery within the film. Jump cuts are typical of the Thriller genre because we can build relationships with the characters and we can fully engage in the film.

Reaction shots are also used within this clip of The Shining. Reaction shots are any shot in which reacts to the previous shot. We see the boy looking up at the girl who is trying to escape which is shown by the previous frame, hence, making it a reaction shot. With use of the long shot when we are shown the boy, we are given the setting of the scene which appears to be an abandoned house that has been caved in. From this reaction shot that shows the boy, it gives the audience hope that he will get help, however, it is made clear that if help is available, they may not be able to get into the house and therefore not being able to save the girl. In doing this, the audience are able engage within the scene and towards the girl. We are able to feel emotion towards the characters,
 we feel sorry for the little boy and the girl. Yet, mainly feeling on edge for the girl hoping she will be able to escape. The reaction shot is an indication of the Thriller genre and enhances the fear and horror. 

Research into Mise-en-scene- Miss Miller

In this blog I will be analysing a clip from Insidious looking at the visual information that is presented to us infront of the camera in which communicates essential information to the audience. This is called Mise-en-scene. The five elements in which I will be looking at are setting, costumes/hair and makeup, facial expressions/ body language, lighting and colour and the positioning of characters/ objects within the frame. 



Setting

This clip that I watched from Insidious has a setting of within the house, mainly within the bedroom. The iconography used within this scene are typical of the bedroom. Such as, the bed, beside table and the lamp. These make the scene feel more realistic for the audience, as it is based in a family environment and makes it seem anything can happen at anytime. The audience are then led to feel a uncomfortable and a sense of reality, as we don't know what may happen, also building the enigma. It builds up the suspense within the scene, allowing the audience to build a relationship with the characters. As we don't know what may happen next, we feel on edge for the characters and scared on there behalf. The setting also makes us feel as if we are part of the film and that it may happen to us. The setting is conventional to thrillers as if gives a more realistic and suspense building feel.





Facial expressions

Facial expressions play an important role in portraying fear and horror in thriller films. When the loud noise is heard the characters immeadiatley turn their heads to the door. The mans face shows a concerned look which connotes to the audience that he is worried as to what the noise was. This makes the audience feel scared also, we are unaware of what the noise is too therefore the mans face is reflecting what we feel as well. We are then able to build our relationship with the character as we are both feeling the same emotion which is scared and concerned, making it seem we are part of the scene as well. The womens face portrays a stern look towards where the noise came from, this makes the scene more interesting and makes us even more eager to watch and see what happens. It makes the audience feel suspicion to what may happen next.

Colour and lighting

The mise-en-scne elements used within this clip are used to create a dramatic and scary feel throughout. Another key Mise-en-scne element used within the clip is the lighting. The lighting is very low key and very limited and at times quite dark. These dark colours give the scene an eerie feel and therefore build the fear within the clip. The lighting used within the bedroom is again very low key, yet, the iconography in which is the bedside lamp, gives out a light in which makes us focus on the characters in the bed. Because we are focused on the characters, we are led to believe that something bad will eventually happen to them. This builds up the enigma and suspicion within the clip, leading the audience to wonder what may happen to them and ultimately making the audience sit on edge and feel uncomfortable to what may happen. We are also led to build our realtionship with the characters as we are feeling scared for them and apprehensive to the outcome.

Positioning of characters and objects 

The positioning of key characters and objects is a key mise-en-scene element which makes this scene thrilling and scary. At the beginning of the scene when we are introduced to the characters, the man and women are sitting upright with stern facail expressions. With use of both of these things, this connotes to the audience that something has happened and they are both concerned about it. The long shot camera angle, with use of their body language, implies to the viewer that something is disrupted and that something bad could possibly happen. The audience are led to feel a sense of uncertaincy to what has disrupted them and eager to find out more.
Another postitioning of a key character is seen when the women walks into the babies room to find a man standing behind the babies bed. Immeadiately, we are led to feel shocked and scared as to why the man is standing there. Placing the man here gives the audience a feel of uncomfortability, making it seem that something bad will happen to the baby. This makes the scene more thrilling and suspicious. We are also able to build our relatiobnship with the characters as we are led to feel what the characters are feeling, making it seem that we are part of the scene. We feel scared for the women and on edge for the baby as we are not sure what may happen. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it builds enigma and mystery, making the audience question who he is, why he is there and what is going to happen next.


 

 

Reasearching into mise-en-scene within this clip, will help me plan and make my own thriller clip. It has given me more understanding of what 5 elements I must look at and concentrate on to create a thrilling and scary clip. I now know that setting, facial expressions, lighting and the positioning of key characters and objects, used correctly, will help to create and eerie and tension building atmosphere to the audience.