The regulations of the film industry in the UK & the US

United Kingdom:

The BBFC was established in 1912 as the British Board of Film Censors by members of the film industry. It began operating on 1 January 1913. Its legal basis was the Cinematograph Act 1909, which required cinemas to have licenses from local authorities. The Act was introduced for safety reasons after a number of nitrate film fires in unsuitable venues (fairgrounds and shops that had been hastily converted into cinemas) but the following year a court ruling determined that the criteria for granting or refusing a license did not have to be restricted to issues of health and safety.

In order to protect children from unsuitable and even harmful content in films and videos and to give consumers information they might need about a particular film or video before deciding whether or not to view it, BBFC examines and age rates films and videos before they are released. This ensures the highest possible level of protection and empowerment.

U- suitable for all                                              15- sutiable for 15 years and older

PG- parent guidence                                        18- adults

12- suitable or 12 years and over                  R18- adults work for licensed premises only

 America:

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is an American trade association that represents the six major Hollywood studios. It was founded in 1922 as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) to advance the business interests of its members. In its formative years it took on the role of devising guidelines for film content which resulted in the creation of the Production Code, and currently administers the MPAA film rating system

1968:  G- general audience

            M- mature audiences (changed to PG)

            R- restricted audiences (no-one under 16, then changed to 17)

1980’s/1990’s:

           G- general audiences                                                 R- restricted audiences (under 17)

           PG- parental guidance                                       X- adults only (changed to NC-17 in 1990)

           PG-13- between PG and R                              X- added to the pornography industry 1980

 Comparisons:

·         US rating system is voluntary, film makers aren’t being forced to submit their films to the board for ratings. People signed to the MPAA agreed to submit all of their theatrical releases for rating.

·         Both of the film ratings follow the main theme of keeping a gap of five between each categories.

·         Both were set up by their respective film industries, but operate independently of these bodies. The full time examiners in both countries (around 16 people in the UK and 12 in the US) are not required to have any specific qualifications to train for the role, but are drawn from a variety of backgrounds, in an attempt to provide as wide a selection of views as possible, and represent the diversity of their nations. The BBFC is based in London, and CARA in Los Angeles – both national centres of film production.

·       In the UK, the BBFC has been classifying videos/DVDs since the passing of the Video Recordings Act in 1984. Even if a film has already been given a category for cinematic viewing, the BBFC will separately classify the DVD version of it, to be sold or rented. It is possible for a DVD of a film to have a different classification to the version shown in the cinema.