Regulation Research

Regulation research 

The British Board of Film Classification is an independent, non-governmental body which has classified cinema films since it was set up in 1912 and videos/ DVDs since the Video Recordings Act was passed in 1984.All classification decisions are based on the BBFC’s published and regularly updated Guidelines. BBFC insight will tell you what certificate a film was given and what sort of audience we believe the work is suitable for.

Main Issues 

BBFC insight highlights the key issues in a film then expands on this giving examples of the sorts of things you will see or hear. These may include, for example, violence, bad language, and sex references.

BBFC insight also notes any other issues that might be important for parents, or those wishing to take younger viewers to see a film – for example themes of divorce or bereavement or use of discriminatory language or behavior.

The U symbol stands for Universal. A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. However, it is impossible to predict what might upset a particular child, especially at this lower end of the category range.

PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content might upset younger or more sensitive children.

12A means that anyone aged 12 or over can go and see the film unaccompanied. The A stands for 'accompanied' and 'advisory'. Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are accompanied by an adult (eg someone over the age of 18), who must watch the film with them.

 

 

 

 

 

No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema or buy/rent a ‘15’ rated DVD.  15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age.

 

Films rated 18 are for adults. No-one under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film at the cinema or buy/rent an 18 rated DVD. No 18 rated works are suitable for children.

Discrimination: I will not be including any discrimination in my film.

 

Drugs: May be shown but I'm not including any drug taking in my film. 

Horror: A small amount of threats will be included in my film two minute opening.

Imitable behavior: Dangerous behavior is included in my film but it doesn't dwell on detail which could be copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorized, in my film its only a knife shown but not in a clear view.

Language: There is no use of language in the opening of my film all language is moderate no use of the strongest language example "C**T"

Nudity:Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context, however this is not included in my film.

Sex: Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail.There may be strong verbal references to sexual behavior,

Theme:No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year old, which mine is perfectly fine for 15year olds. 

Violence: Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction

of pain or injury. we include infliction of pain but  is cut out so people can't see so it's suitable.

What have i learnt?

I have learnt by doing this regulation research page what the bbfc stands for and what cant and can be included in a film. The bbfc helped me a lot in finding out what can be included in my thriller film and I've managed to give my film a certificate and read the guidelines to my certificate for my film.

The certification of my film is a 15 this is because our film is aged at teenagers and young adults and most of our content of the film fits into those guidelines.

 

These guidelines will not effect my film at all because we had planned to aim our film at our own age group and slightly older.

Reading the guidelines has helped me with my movie, by showing me the limits of what material I can and cannot show.I have learnt that if anything in the film conflicts with the guidelines then we can't use it. I have also learnt that it's difficult to classify a film.

Target Audience

Target Audience 

We think our video would appeal to a young adults and teenager type audience (late teens to mid twenties). This is mainly down to the fact its a thriller and the content involved in the video.

Kimberley.

Kimberley is a 15year old girl.

I think Kimberley would be a good target audience for my film because she is interested in films which include some tension, thrills and fighting.
Kimberley's interest are hanging around in groups with her friends, chilling watching films also messing around.

I think many people like Kimberley would enjoy my film, she has thrilling side to her. 

In her spare time she likes to go around with her friends joking around and has a crazy personality.

I've showed Kimberley my film plan and she is very interested in it.

Dominic Evans

Dominic is a 16year old boy.
I think Dominic would be another good target audience for my film because he is a typical teenage boy who says they like scary/thriller films.
Dominic likes to spend Sundays watching films and has watched many films.
I think many teenage boys Dominics age would like thriller films, such as "taken" because its a film filled with tension.
Dominic likes to hang around with his friends in his spare time which are also interested in being lazy watching films also they like to pretend to be like film stars copying their actions.

Audience Research

Audience Research

This is a reasearch audience questionaire, we have used this method to find out peoples opinions on thrillers. 

      These are our results.

Whats your idea of a thriller?

| Infographics

 These results have told us what the people think is included in a thriller.

What have i learnt?

I have learnt from doing a audience research questionnaire what people of my own and other ages think should be included in a thriller film. I have also learnt what people think should be included in a thriller film for example people have voted of gangsters as the main thing which should be included in an action thriller film.

Textual Analysis

Reservoir Dogs Textual Analysis

The next piece of work that I am going to complete, is a textual analysis of the crime thriller film, reservoir dogs which will include screenshots.
I am going to watch the opening of the film a number of times so I get familiar with the openings so that i can analyse what happens in each shot, including camera shots, angle, movement and framing also characters, music and setting.

I am then going to screenshot all the shots i want to include and write notes about each one, these will be beside the screenshot, this is so it will be easier to understand what i am talking about.

This will help me understand how to plan the first two minutes of a film and construct it.

In the first two minutes of the film we are introduced clearly to each of the characters.

In order to analyse the opening of Reservoir dogs I will focus to the 8 main areas of discussion:

• Narrative
• Setting
• Sound
• Titles
• Atmosphere
• Genre
• Character
• Theme

Blank screen with "A film by 'Quentin Tarantino' 

Background speaker.
music playing in background under the speaker, sets the feeling for opening of film.

A shot of the back street alley
Two men in suits walking on to the scene
slow motion shots to make them look like the serious men
In the city

Characters are introduced throughout the opening scene
Group of men in suits
Slowly walking
Music still playing in the background but nobody speaking

Mid shot
introducing the characters
Name of character

There are eight males altogether however only six are wearing suits - this could indicate their more superior status within the film compared to the other two in everyday casual wear. This signifies that perhaps the six men in suits are part of the main gang and the other two males are 'helpers' within the piece. Their role in the film may be just as important, however within the plot line they may be seen as less important. 

City/countryside

Shot of all the characters in the group

What I have learnt?

In this piece of work I have learnt what's included in a crime thriller film which is the genre of my film, this is the first film i related my ideas to, I am planning to take some ideas from this film for my opening two minutes of a thriller.
I have learnt from this film many filming ideas for exapmle including close ups introducing the characters with a text including there names also a shot of the whole gang which is used at the end of the first two minutes and slow motion is used to show they are coming across to people they are more important.
I may use some of the techniques and filming i've seen in this film as part of my film.

synopsis of my film

Untitled from KayleighGill on Vimeo.

Jacob is a teenager, he is a well behaved boy and doesn’t like breaking rules, he enjoys doing work and loves school. He is getting bullied by this group of older people because he is a bit nerdy and uncool.

He is constantly being harassed by this group of people until one day he decides enough is enough. He has just finished his work in the English classroom and is on his way home. He hasn’t even left the school gates before the gang of people approach him and start pushing him around and intimidating him.

Some conversation is exchanged between Beth and Jacob and we as the audience can see that Jacob has had enough and that he is finally standing up to the bullies. Beth takes it a step too far with Jacob and Jacob pulls out a gun, another member of the gang Adam steps in and pushes Jacob.

Jacob reacts by pushing Adam to the ground and aims the gun at Adam’s face. The other two members of the gang run off and leave Adam on the floor as Jacob threatens to shoot him.

What i have learnt?
I have learnt from doing this synopsis that you need to know what happened in the whole film to see what you need to include in your first two minutes of a film.
I found this very useful because it helped me notice what we needed to include in the first two minutes of the film i'm doing.
This is a step by step guide on what my whole film would be about if i made a whole film.

Codes and Conventions

 Codes and conventions of a thriller film.

The first piece of work I need to complete to start my task of making a film is to research the conventions of my film genre which is a thriller.
I have many ideas of what Is included in a thriller film, but I need to do research so that I can extend these ideas and conventions into my work.

 
There are three main codes and conventions which are shown in the opening of thrillers, they are portrayed exceedingly well, to make the audience ask questions and give a mysterious feeling to the audience.

Camera Movement/Angles. 

This convention helps to give a film its thriller genre, as different camera angles create different senses of body language and emotions.
Thriller films also use Camera Angles such as facial close up shots and mid – range shots.
An example of a close up was used in a film called Band of Brothers, in the film there is a close up of the mans face after he has been shot, showing that he is in pain.

These help to show facial emotions/expressions and also shows body language, which helps to show tension, and helps the audience to feel as if they are in the film and gets them to start asking questions. Some Camera Movements also make the audience feel tense and also helps to make them feel like they are actually in the film. 

Editing.

The other important convention that makes up a thriller is Editing, this gives films things like quick cuts. These quick cuts can also be seen in films such a psycho, when the women in the shower is getting stabbed there is a lot of fast cut, as it shows different angles of her being stabbed. This makes the film fast paced and makes it more tense. 

Another one is fade to black. This has been used in the film Three Monkeys, at the It makes the film more suspense, because you don’t know what is going to come up next.

Sound.

This also contains very important elements which make up a thriller. For example themes and stings are shown in this era, as the different music themes produce a different mood and feel for thriller films. For example jumpy and and quite scary music which are played in each scene, can be named as themes/stings as they produce different moods and settings for thriller films. Another sound element which is very important is high pitched sounds/orchestral stabs such as screeches, This adds suspense and horror/thriller to the film to give it its thrilling genre. Other sound elements which are used to give the films their thrilling genres are; diegetic/ non-diegetic sounds, synchronous/asynchronous sounds, ambient sounds.

Mise-en-Scène.

Mise-en-Scène contains a few important elements which help add thriller to films and also help to add suspense as well. Lighting such as colour design has to be dark to help give the film a gloomy mood and helps to make the audience feel more suspense towards the film. Another thing which also makes the opening off a thriller stick to its thrilling genre is props, as in thriller films there is a lot of sharp objects and weapons like glass, knives, guns etc….In films such as Train-spotting, they use props such as drugs, needles and fags, to show that the characters are druggies and to show the audience what type of personality each character has. This shows the audience that the objects are going to be used to kill someone or something. The set design/ location also helps the genre of the film stick to thriller, as the right set/location such as a gloomy warehouse or dark woods give a thrilling film as it shows mystery and suspense/tension towards the audience.

Characters 

The first convention of a thriller is the characters. The protagonist is usually a brave male who seeks to remove injustice and/ or save an innocent female whose life is in danger. The antagonist is normally a mystery but has the characteristics of being a number of the characters although it could range to a sweet innocent little girl. Even though the antagonist changes in every film, they all share similar reasons for their actions: anger, revenge or has misinterpreted an event. Their dress codes tend to change according to the plot. For example, a spy is conventionally well-dressed, in smart dark clothing. For boys, the costume normally empowers their appearance by showing their muscles proving how strong they are whereas girls are normally dressed in a
seductive, revealing manner showing their vulnerability.

What I have learnt?

I have laernt from doing this research on codes and conventions what is included in a thriller, i have also learnt What filming techniques and skills should be used for example you would want to use a fast speed of filming to create tension also use close angle shots and different types of shots to show body language.
I will take some of this work into consideration in my own piece of work.
Researching this information has been very helpful towards the planning of the opening of my film.
This information has informed me about what type of characters should be included in a thriller making it look more realistic also sound and camera movements which is very useful for a thriller film.
In this piece of work i have learnt new things such as what things mean such as mis-en-scene and different edits.

My practice film

 
kayleigh, harriet, dani and kate from KayleighGill on Vimeo.

What have i learnt?

I have learnt by doing this practice filming how to film two minutes of a film and learn differents skills and techniques of filming such as side shots, close ups and two shots.
In this work we had to follow a sheet on what our filming was about which made it easier compared to what our real film task will be because we will have to do that ourself.