Certificate Ratings

• It is important to know the classification as it is important to understand what is appropriate for the different types of certificate ratings.

• Using this research, during filming our opening, we will be able to pick a certificate rating for our film and make sure everything that we include is appropriate for that rating.

The Universal Rating

Language for the U Rating

• U rated films will only allow mild bad language, with words like “damn”. Other bad words may be included if they are “justified by the context”.

• A science fiction film of this genre will usually not have any bad language, if it does then it will usually be mild.

Nudity for the U Rating

• Hardly any nudity will be shown in a U rating film. If there is any nudity, it will be very mild. There may be scenes in which characters will kiss or hug, there won’t be any focus on sexual things or euphemisms.

• Science fiction films of this genre will usually not have nudity due to it being universal.

Violence for the U Rating

• There may be moments in which characters are emotional, but these usually don’t last for very long and there will be little violence used. There may be a scene in which violence would be used in a, for example, 15 rated film, but in a U rating the scene will have a reassuring element such as comic value and usually won’t have violence.

• A common thing for science fiction films is some sort of battle, so a U film may have some sort of fight or battle scene.

Drugs for the U Rating

• There is usually no mention of drugs in U rating films. If there is mention of drugs in U rating films then it is usually to give an anti-drug message, which the younger age watching will understand.

• Science fiction films at this rating will usually not have any reference to drugs.

The Parental Guidance Rating

Language for the PG Rating

• There is usually mild language used, if it is important to the context and if the language is used appropriately. However if there is too much bad language then it wouldn’t be classed as a PG.

• Science fiction films of this rating will usually have no bad language.

Nudity for the PG Rating

• Mild nudity will be used in a PG rated film. Things such as innuendo and euphemisms will be used if they are mild, have a comic element and if children are unlikely to understand it.

Drugs for the PG Rating

• There may be references to drugs in a PG rated film although there wouldn’t be a strong focus on this.

The 12A Rating

Language for the 12A Rating

• It is likely that there will be some bad language used in a 12A film, more than there would be in a PG or U. The context is important of the language. If the language has comedic value then it is more likely to be allowed.

• Science fiction films may use mild language, but it is usually infrequent.

Nudity for the 12A Rating

• Some nudity will be used, less mild than in a PG or U. Sex references will be allowed also if they have comedic effect or use innuendos or euphemisms, but nudity should be brief.

• Some science fiction films have nudity or references to sex.

Violence for the 12A Rating

• moderate violence is allowed if not in detail. Fight scenes may be allowed if it is to do with the context, for example many action adventure films may have fight scenes and are 12A/12.

• Science fiction films often use violence possibly if there is some sort of battle happening.

Drugs for the 12A Rating

• There may be scenes of drug usage if they are infrequent in a 12A.

• Science fiction films may not usually reference to drugs as it may not be part of the genre.

The 15 Rating

Language for the 15 Rating

• There is a considerably larger amount of bad language used in a 15, much more than would be used in a 12A, although they will usually be infrequent. Science fiction films of the 15 rating would be more likely to use bad language, though again it may be infrequent in a science fiction film.

Nudity for the 15 Rating

• Nudity will be allowed, though only if they are quite infrequent and not too long, and sex references or scenes may be allowed. They may be allowed in science fiction although as long as they are brief, for example in the film Prometheus there is a brief scene of nudity.

Violence for the 15 Rating

• Violence will be allowed more than it is in a 12A.

• In science fiction it is a common thing to have fight scenes or battle scenes as it is a common generic convention for the science fiction genre.

Drugs for the 15 Rating

• In a 15 drugs may be shown and will be shown more than in a 12A film, they won’t likely be shown in a science fiction film as it isn’t a part of that genre.

The 18 Rating

Language for the 18 Rating

• Unlike the other ratings, 18 rated films will not have a limit on what bad language can be used. Science fiction films with bad language will be rated 18, such as the film Alien.

Nudity for the 18 Rating

• Full nudity will be allowed in a rated 18 film, and sex references or scenes will be allowed.

• Science fiction films with the 18 rating will sometimes have nudity scenes, sex references or scenes, though due to the genre they may be brief.

Violence for the 18 Rating

• there will usually be violence used in rated 18 films, unlike in the other ratings in which it is just brief. Films that are considered to have a lot of violence are usually rated 18.

• In science fiction films there is usually some sort of fight or battle and at the 18 rating it isn’t just brief, for example in the film Alien there are many fight scenes.

Drugs for the 18 Rating

• Drug usage may be shown in a rated 18 movie, though they usually don’t promote the use of drugs.

• In science fiction drug usage isn’t usually shown, though in the 18 rating it may be shown due to the rating.