Target Audience Analysis

By Rachel Whitewood

Films which we analysed

We analysed three films these were called: The Exorcist, The Woman In Black and The Shining. These films were rated at 18, this is because they quite a bit of violence and gore in the footage of the scenes, the film producers of the films have created an eerie atmosphere and the events which happen in the plot may be disturbing to the members of the audience, this would therefore not be suitable for a young audience.

The rating system

In the UK movies are regulated by the BBFC, which stands for the British Board of Film Classification, this is the organisation which regulates which age ranges can watch each film. How are the films rated?

General Guidelines of the BBFC

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/sites/default/files/atta chments/BBFC%20Classification%20Guideline s%202009_6.pdf

Rating

Guidelines Suitable for all from 4 years and up. Only very mild bad language but it has to be justified. Violence in a universal film may only be brief and moments of emotional stress will be quickly resolved and also moments where characters are placed in danger but these moments are balanced by music or comic relief. The following guidelines apply: Bad language and swearing may only be used mildly, also the use of references to sex may only be used mildly, violence should not be shown in detail, behavior which children might copy. An example of this would be if playing with electricity was made to look safe or fun.

Universal-

PG- Parental Guidance

12A- Anyone over the age of 12 can go and see the film unaccompanied

The guidelines are: Theyre may be use of strong language but it must be infrequent. Theyre may be moderate language and discriminatory language may not be endorsed at all. Sex may be discreetly portrayed in a 12 film, there may be nudity briefly in the film and verbal sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for young teenagers. A 15 rated film can include any of the following: Strong violence, Drug taking ,Frequent use of strong language ,References to sex ,Nudity, ,Discriminatory language or behavior ,Brief sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence.

15- Only 15 and up can view the film

18-

This rating can include: strong horror, strong blood and gore, real sex, discriminatory language and behavior, scenes of sexual violence, strong portrayals of sexual activity and very strong violence.

R18- Only adults can watch

Works which show sex in extreme detail, they can only be seen or shown by adults.

The decision making process

At first we thought about using the 18 rating but then josh said Although our introduction does have blood but it doesnt have feature any real sex, discriminatory language and behavior, scenes of sexual violence, strong portrayals of sexual activity and very strong violence. We then considered rating it at 12 or 12a, this was because our sequence didnt have any nudity or verbal sex references. But then marc said what if the introduction is encouraging and influencing behavior which could be dangerous to the young and mid teenagers?

15 Rating
What about dangerous behavior or things teens might copy? We consider the risk of potential harm to impressionable teenagers. For example, dangerous behavior such as hanging, suicide and self-harming should not dwell on detail which could be copied. This is why we finally decided on the rating of 15 because the audience of fifteen and up are less influenced than a audience of twelve and up. And also because the film would build up into a more intense horror film after the introduction and the amount of detail which was used in the introduction which could easily be copied.

Our Film Rating

The rating we chose for our film was 15, this was because we do not want to influence young people because we have included quite a lot of detail in our footage and young people might be influenced if they watched this, it may also be quite disturbing to the audience because we are planning on building the tension and making the film gradually more scary after the introduction, we have also implied that there is paranormal activity this would therefore not be suitable for a young audience.