What Is BBFC? They are the British Board Of Film Classification, they serve a function in the social society which protects us as an audience from watching films that are suitable to watch at certain ages, (U, PG, 12, 12A, 15, 18, R18). The BBFC provides the parents of the child with information of the age certificate so they know the age that they can watch a film with their child in the cinema. Also with the age certificates and the banning and cuts of films they can protect the vulnerable viewers of the society which have/are being protected because of the BBFC.
Age Certificate: - U (Universal) This age certificate is suitable for all ages to watch, which means even pre-school children are able to watch this film as well, without the parents having to be afraid of what their child is watching and thinking if it may be harmful for the child to watch.
- PG (Parental Guidance) The age certificate PG is aimed for people that are 8 years old and above, with a parent when watching a film with this age certificate, a child that watches a film with this age certificate could disturb the child. With this age certificate it is the responsibility for parent to check if the film is suitable for the child when watching this film as the child may become disturbed when watching a film of this age certificate. - 12&12A With these two certificate is they both are for the audience 12 and above not below. The children at the age 12 may not become disturbed, but the children that are 12 and below may be disturbed when watching a film that isn't for there age. Also the difference between the two certificates you may be wondering is that the 12A is when a parent is advised to see if it suitable for the child, as the child may be sensitive and may not be able to watch that film. Also the reason why there is 12A, is because of the fist spiderman film because at first it was a PG and the audience complained that the film was to violent for that age group. Then they made it a 12 rated certificate, even after increasing the age group the audience has still complain about the film, so that when the BBFC decided to make the 12A as it would provide the parents with the power of their child being able to watch a film that they feel it is suitable for them, as the parents can advise the child if it is suitable for them.
- 15 This age certificate is for the audience of the ages 15 and above, because it isn't suitable for the audiences under the of 15, also with a 15 rated film no - one under the age of 15 wouldn't be able to buy or rent a film with this age certificate. - 18 This age certificate is aimed at the audience 18 and above as the content is not suitable for the audiences that are younger because it has content on illegal drugs uses, criminal acts, sexual and sexualised violence. An 18 age rated film below. Thriller Age Certificate: The thriller age certificate is 12A and above as the storyline and the content can scared and make the audience think about the film, for example psychological thriller films make the audience think deep into the film to keep them interested but the storyline is confusing if the audience isn't used to figuring it out as it may confuse the audience, also the reasons that the thriller films are at the age rated 12A and above because of the illegal drug uses, sexual violence, criminal acts, and strong violence the BBFC rated thriller films at the 12A, 15 and 18 because the films can only suit these age certificate because of these content. Conclusion: In my conclusion i have gain lots of knowledge about the age certificates and be able to judge on my own thriller to know what my audience it may be aimed to with the content that is shown. My personal opinion is i think that age certificates is great because it is able to separate films with a certain type of age groups because it can protect the audiences from what is shown, also with the content that is shown in the 15 and 18. If there was no age certificate i think that the young would be corrupt as they grow older if they can watch anything that is in the cinemas because the content that there is may influence the child and it could start the child's mind thinking that killing is fine and there is nothing wrong and the child grows up to be a murder for example. Because of the age certificates it protects the young from being corrupted at a young age until, the children understand that killing, drug use and sexual violence ETC is wrong and they would know the difference between the real world and the film world.
What is film censorship? Film censorship is when a film is needed to be re-edited or even have cut outs in the film, or change some of the films scenes. Maybe due to the amount of content that the film has shown as it could be said has harmful to the audience watching the film. Also the films can become banned from the country or go through loads of cuts from the film so that it doesn't have the content too disturbing and if the BBFC finds the film suitable for the age group that they think is right to the audience.
Role Of BBFC: In the UK the BBFC is responsible for all the national film classification that the british citizens watch in the cinemas or any where else. What the job of the BBFC is, to protect the public from any harmful and offensive type of content that is shown in the film that could possibly harm the members of the public by stopping it being released in UK cinemas unless the film has been changed or edited that the BBFC wants. For example; censor the scene or cut out the scenes. They could ban the film if the want if they think it is too harmful towards the public. What Gets Censored? - Strong Violence - Sex & Nudity - Sexual Violence - Language - Controversy And The Press - Corrupting The Young - Religion - Drug Abuse - Class - Graphic Representation Of Realism Difference Between Cut & Banned: The different between banned and cut is when a film is banned it is then banned completely removed from the cinema viewing to the public audience due to harming and offensive content. And the cut from the film is cutting things out of the film to protect the audience from what they are viewing. The people that do this, does it to protect the public from the harmful content that the directors make, that the audience may become exposed from watching the film. Also things in the trailer may be cut out because it could possible be too harmful for the young audience to watch. Forna & Kemode.... These two people are fighting for and against the censorship of films. These two people was on a TV show in 1999 on channel 4 on a short season about censorship. During this show there was a case about the censorship of films which these two people have debated about. Four arguments made by Forna for censorship were: - To protect the audience from racist view social stereotypes. - To protect the audience from the bias views. - To protect the audience from being influenced by the movie. (E.G. Think being raped is good/pleasure.) Copycat Killing. - Human manipulation in real & film world, thinking it's okay in film but not real life. Four arguments made by Kermode against censorship were: - Being told what you can't and can see watch - difference between right and wrong. - Fear of expression - freedom of speech. - The public should be able to distinguish between action and non - fiction. - Everyone has their own response to things - not just a general emotion. My View: I think that i am more on Forna's side because i do think that i should be protected in watching certain things in the cinema's, also while the BBFC is putting age certificates in what goes into the cinema of what i can watch and also is cutting and banning films in the UK, i think this is right because it wouldn't allow me as an audience to become effected by the films that i watch. For me i do agree a little bit with Kermode because i do feel controlled by the things i watch, but thats where feeling protected and knowing that certain things is wrong. But if there was no control in the film industry of banning and cutting films i think i would have been influenced because of the films. Conclusion: What i have learned about the film regulations i that not to be to explicit in the thriller that i am going to make. Also not to show any sexual violence or nudity. Because knowing that i have boundaries will allow the thriller i make not effect the audience in where they will not know the difference or be manipulated from the thriller.
What Are Themes? Themes is the most understanding in common ideas that is in the story, themes is simplified word to which is summed up in one. (E.G. Love, Obsession, Revenge). Themes are important because the audience will understand what they are watching because of the theme of the film, for example obsession will be the antagonist wanting something so bad until they will get what they want (the female victim). The themes are dependant on the genre because the genre will help the audience understand the theme in the film which can empathises the emotions the audience can create when watching the film. Common Themes In Thrillers: Love - Love is common in the thriller films because it can show the whole story of the film which can create new types of thriller in the film industry. Obsession - This is common because it can show how the obsession of one character can make a whole film and give thrills to the audience. Death - This is common in the thriller film because the death of someone in the film can create a emotion to the audience which can thrill the audience when watching the film. Impact of themes: The impact of themes towards the audience is that they can have emotions created from the theme of the film, which allows the audience to empathises the emotions that the film is trying to create. Th certain themes in a film can create different types of emotions towards the audience, because of the theme. The theme can impact the audience because it can change the way the audience starts to think after watching the film, this is because of the way the director has shown the theme in the film which can create this effect. Conclusion: The themes that i am going to use in my thriller is obsession, death and love. These three themes can create lots of different emotions towards the audience so they can see how the characters are and how they feel, the reason why i have chose these themes are because of the storyline of the thriller i am making and my thriller has been created around these themes to create this idea of my storyline.
Narrative Theory: Narrative is lots of different events that are linked together to help create a story from it. As we are the audience the narrative is what allows us to make sense of the storyline and what is going on in the film, without the plot in a film the audience would become mislead as the film wouldn't have created any type of mood to the audience and the audience wouldn't have the effect what the director would want. Narrative is aimed to explain the narrative structure and the relationship with all the different genres related. Propp's Theory: Propp's is the person that has looked that the characters and has made the characteristics, all the characters have a narrative function in the film; they all provide a structure for the narrative of the story.
The Hero - This is the main person in the film, they are the character to protect something or someone in the film. The Villain - This character is another main character in the film, but they are the opposite of the hero because they mess up or destroy what the hero is protecting. The Helper - This is the person that helps the hero in his/hers time of need. The Dispatcher - This character could be someone that helps the hero, or be the villain. The Donor - This character is the helper in the film because they will help the hero in a way. Complication - The hero plans action against the villain Transference - Hero reacts to the donor Struggle - Villain has to be overcome Return - Hero arrives home and is not recognised Recognition - The false hero or villain is unmasked Todorov Theory: Todorov had a simple theory in the narrative while allowing the narrative to be more complex film with the theory being balanced and unbalanced in the narrative. In this theory there is, equilibrium, disruption, resolution, restored order and new equilibrium. There is a start middle and end. (equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium). Equilibrium - How the character appears stable in the beginning. Disequilibrium - Something in the film that has disrupting has happened and a change has occurred which needs to be resolved. New Equilibrium - Usually disruption is sorted and the narrative is sorted and the narrative is closed. Aristotle Theory: This theory has a beginning, middle and a end to the narrative which has to link towards the audience. This is important because it is to arouse the emotions of the audience. Exposition - The audience gets to know the main character. Rising Action - Protagonist understands his or her's goal and begins to work towards it. Climax - The turning point of the story, where the main character makes the decision that defines the outcome of the story. Falling Action - Greatest overall tension; the phase in which everything goes mostly wrong.
Body Language: The body language of the character is the way that they act, move or is positioned in the film shown towards the audience. The way the character has been positioned in the film for example the whole body or parts of the body, the levels that they are at like crouched or standing tall and proud towards the audience. Depending on the on the character in the thriller film there body language shown would be conventional to the thriller film and the same with other genres. Facial Expressions: Facial expressions in a film is a way that character has been portrayed to the audience, the look on the face of the character and then this creates meaning towards the audience. Depending on the facial expression of the character the audience can tell what the characters emotions are, also the facial expression of shock could show in the thriller scene that someone has approached the victim and there is something bad going to happen.
Costume, Hair & Make Up: Costumes are conventional in amongst all genres in the film industry, a common convention of costume for the antagonist is dark clothing to show the evil of the character. This is evident, because in all thriller/horror genres the antagonist is wearing black clothing all over, this is because when killing someone the blood wouldn't show as much also you can become almost invisible to people in the dark. The common conventions of a protagonist in a thriller film is that they wear light colours to show the innocents of the character. This is most evident in when victims are in the scene because they mainly wear white coloured clothing to show purity and this is the complete opposite of the antagonist.
In this photo you can see that casey has been shocked or is scared of what she is hearing over the phone, the body language of hers is shown as closed up and all together as she is trying to find comfort in her to not be as scared from the antagonist over the phone. This creates emotion to the audience because they can emphasis with the female victim as they will have emotions towards her. Also the common convention of a female victim's facial expression is screaming and crying as they are scared. This allows the audience to feel sorry and scared for her but still wanting to know what is going to happen to her. As well as the body language and facial expression the costume in the scene/film is important because the common conventions of the characters costume will allow the audience to know what the characters role in the scene/film is. Protagonist common conventions: - Organised look - White/Light Coloured Clothing - Clean - Mainly Blonde Female Victims Antagonist common conventions: - Dark Clothing - Tall - Hood - Facial Defect - Dark hair
Setting: Setting is the place where the scene has been set in the film, what the setting can do to the audience is allow them to know where the scene has been set and also to know if the area is a bad place, like being in a isolated area which makes the setting of the scene even more scarier to the audience because they know that there might be something that would happen there since it is in a isolated area which makes the characters vulnerable.
Iconography: what iconography is a subject/object that has some importance in a scene or film. Why iconography is important in a thriller film because the object can connote to the audience what the pbject might have done, to become important in the scene/film.
Conventional settings:
Forest
Deserted house
Warehouse
Basement
Alleyway
Place of work
Street
Scene Analysis: In the beginning of the scream scene the location of the scene has been set in a big house alone with a near field to it. The house could show to the audience how the female victim is weak and vulnerable as it has been set at night and she is alone at home preparing to watch a movie. This allows anything to happen to the female victim, because the audience can sense that there is something wrong going to happen because of where it has been set they start to feel tension and scared for the victim, and if anything happens as she is in an isolated area it would be easy to hide anything without being noticed.
Mise En Scene 5 Elements - Setting - Lighting - Body language & Facial expressions - Iconography What lighting can help create:
What lighting can help do is create mood and atmosphere in a scene or the film. Lighting can also do is allow the audience to be guided to a particular person, object, emotion or a gesture. For Example: if you see a character being shown, but only the shadow of that character. This can create suspense, tension or mystery for the audience as they don't know who the unseen character is. Under Lighting:
Under lighting comes from the bottom point of the character, as this can create a effect. This effect that can be made with this type of lighting can distort the shown character. Top Lighting: Top lighting that comes above the character. This has a spot light type of effect that can make the character stand out to the audience as it can make them look glamourous to the audience. Back Lighting: Back lighting comes from the back of the character, this can create silhouette's. The silhouette that is made can create a scary and eerie type of effect towards the audience, this is used to hide the identity of the character which makes it more mysterious for the audience. Low Key Lighting: Low key lighting has small amount of light that can create a eerie can scary feel. This is used in a isolated areas to scare the audience and give them a eerie feel towards the area. High Key Lighting: High key lighting has more light that has been added to the scene or film, more brighter than the natural lighting.
Coloured filters:
The different coloured filters can represent different meaning or mood in a thriller film depending on what the director is trying to show to the audience. for example; the red filter can represent blood, danger, anger, love and death with this filter the director can put this filter in a scene to show one or more of the meanings. Examples Of Colours And Meanings: Red - Horror/Thriller Dark Blue - Thriller Grey - Thriller Grey/Blue - Action Orange - Action/Adventure Green - Sci - Fi/Crime
How did the light create meaning and understanding in "the mood and gutter" scene? The red lighting in 'the mood and gutter' scene creates understanding towards the audience showing the audience that there is something that is going to happen to the female character. As the red lighting is shown in the scene it may represent blood or danger also as the female as walking the red low-key lighting started to hit her pure white innocent dress as she walked and increase faster and faster. The director has used low key lighting in this scene because the audience is able to see that the female victim is in an isolated area with very little lighting other than the dim street light and the red lights and the moon light, with the moon being shown a number of times this could mean to the audience that something dangerous is going to happen to the female as it is a full moon night. The full moon can represent that there are future happenings. Also adding on that back lighting has been used when she has been shown when trying to run away, also using the back lighting shadows can be created and to show the audience an understanding that some bad is going to happen to her.
