For my film trailer I started researching age ratings that would be appropriate, as most horror films have age ratings of "15" and "18" due to violent contentor gore. I realised that my trailer would fall into one of these categories. I went onto the BBFC website to obtain information on what would define a 15 and what would bring the age rating up to an 18.
i felt that i needed to do this due to the amount of gore and its extent that i intend to include in the trailer.
I found that:
What might I see in a 15 rated film or video?
Any of the following:- strong violence
- frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***').
- 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
How much strong language is allowed in a 15?
There could potentially be a great deal. At 15 there is no upper limit on the number of uses of strong language (e.g. ‘f***’).Occasionally there may be uses of the strongest terms (e.g. 'c***'), depending on the manner in which they are used, who is using the language, its frequency and any special contextual justification. However, continued or aggressive use will not normally be passed 15.
What about discriminatory or offensive terms?
There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language, and the work could explore themes relating to this.However, at 15 the work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.
How much sex and nudity is allowed at 15?
At 15 sexual activity can be portrayed, but usually without strong detail. Some sex scenes can be quite long at this category.Though nudity may be allowed in a sexual context there will usually be no strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.
There can be strong references to sex and sexual behaviour, but especially strong or crude references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context.
Sex and sex references are treated the same irrespective of sexuality.
What about sexual violence?
There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence (for example descriptions of rape or sexual assault in a courtroom scene or in victim testimony) but any portrayal depiction of sexual violence must be discreet and justified by context.In an 18 Film....
Are there any limits on what sort of theme a work can have at 18?
No theme is prohibited at 18. Adults are free to choose their own entertainment provided the material is not illegal or potentially harmful, so it is possible some themes tackled at 18 may be offensive even to some adult viewers.What sort of issues might I find in an 18 film or video?
18 works are for adults and can contain strong issues such as:- 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
How much strong language can there be in an 18?
There is no limit on the number of uses of strong (e.g. 'f***') or even very strong language (e.g. ‘c***’) which can be passed at 18. Uses could be aggressive, directed, frequent or accompanied by strong violence.What about discriminatory terms?
There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language at 18, and the work could explore themes relating to discrimination.Though a work as a whole must not be in breach of any relevant legislation, it is possible for discriminatory language or themes to be the main focus of the work, and for main characters to engage in discriminatory behaviour.
How much sex and nudity is allowed at 18?
There can be strong and detailed portrayals of sex at 18, including full nudity. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.Very strong, crude and explicit sex references are permitted at 18.
An 18 film or video might also contain depictions of real sex, as long as the film or video is not a sex work.
Can there be strong violence?
Yes, at 18 violence can be strong and be portrayed with strong detail. There may even be dwelling on the infliction of pain or injury, or scenes of strong sadistic or sexual violence.The strongest gory images are permitted at this category
After reading these guidelines I have concluded that the full film feature overall would have to be classified as an 18 production, due to the rape scene and the strong portrayal of violence (eg. someone hanging.) However as the trailer only presents the implication of rape without nudity, only showing the legs of the characters, and does not show any strong gore/contain bad language, it is more accessible by a wider audience.
