Target Audience.

Each film produced has to be given an age certificate. This controls what age people have to be to view the film due to certain content.

U Universal –

Suitable for all

It is impossible to predict what

might upset any particular

child. But a ‘U’ film should be

suitable for audiences aged four

years and over. ‘U’ films should

be set within a positive moral

framework and should offer

reassuring counterbalances to

any violence, threat or horror.

If a work is particularly suitable

for a pre-school child to view

alone, this will be indicated in

the Consumer Advice.

Discrimination

No discriminatory language or behaviour unless

clearly disapproved of.

Drugs

No references to illegal drugs or drug misuse unless

they are infrequent and innocuous, or there is a clear

educational purpose or anti-drug message suitable

for young children.

Horror

Scary sequences should be mild, brief and unlikely to

cause undue anxiety to young children. The outcome

should be reassuring.

Imitable behaviour

No potentially dangerous behaviour which young

children are likely to copy. No emphasis on realistic

or easily accessible weapons.

Language

Infrequent use only of very mild bad language.

Nudity

Occasional natural nudity, with no sexual context.

Sex

Mild sexual behaviour (for example, kissing) and

references only (for example, to ‘making love’).

Theme

While problematic themes may be present, their

treatment must be sensitive and appropriate for

young children.

Violence

Mild violence only. Occasional mild threat or

menace only.

PG Parental Guidance –

General viewing, but some

scenes may be unsuitable

for young children

Unaccompanied children of

any age may watch. A ‘PG’

film should not disturb a child

aged around eight or older.

However, parents are advised

to consider whether the content

may upset younger or more

sensitive children.

Discrimination

Discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to

be acceptable unless clearly disapproved of or in an

educational or historical context. Discrimination by

a character with which children can readily identify

is unlikely to be acceptable.

Drugs

References to illegal drugs or drug misuse must be

innocuous or carry a suitable anti-drug message.

Horror

Frightening sequences should not be prolonged or

intense. Fantasy settings may be a mitigating factor.

Imitable behaviour

No detail of potentially dangerous behaviour which

young children are likely to copy. No glamorisation

of realistic or easily accessible weapons.

Language

Mild bad language only.

Nudity

Natural nudity, with no sexual context.

Sex

Sexual activity may be implied, but should be

discreet and infrequent. Mild sex references and

innuendo only.

Theme

Where more serious issues are featured (for example,

domestic violence) nothing in their treatment should

condone unacceptable behaviour.

Violence

Moderate violence, without detail, may be allowed,

if justified by its context (for example, history,

comedy or fantasy).

12A/12 –

Discrimination

Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be

endorsed by the work as a whole. Aggressive

discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely

to be acceptable unless clearly condemned.

Drugs

Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should

not be glamorised or give instructional detail.

Horror

Moderate physical and psychological threat may be

permitted, provided disturbing sequences are not

frequent or sustained.

Imitable behaviour

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and

self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be

copied, or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible

weapons should not be glamorised.

Language

Moderate language is allowed. The use of strong

language (for example, ‘fuck’) must be infrequent.

Nudity

Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief

and discreet.

Sex

Sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed.

Sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for

young teenagers. Frequent crude references are unlikely

to be acceptable.

Theme

Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must

be suitable for young teenagers.

Violence

Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on

detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood,

but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the content.

Suitable only for 15 years

and over

Discrimination

The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory

language or behaviour.

Drugs

Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not

promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily

accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example,

aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.

Horror

Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic

or sexualised.

Imitable behaviour

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and

self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be

copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Language

There may be frequent use of strong language (for example,

‘fuck’). The strongest terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be

acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated

use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.

Nudity

Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without

strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a

non-sexual or educational context.

Sex

Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail.

There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour,

but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable

unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is

sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.

Theme

No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is

appropriate for 15 year olds.

Violence

Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction

of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to

be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also

unlikely to be acceptable.

There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence

but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and

have a strong contextual justification.

Suitable only for adults

No-one younger than 18 may

see an ‘18’ film in a cinema.

No-one youngerthan 18 may

rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video.

In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public

consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, at ‘18’ the

BBFC’s guideline concerns will not normally override

the principle that adults should be free to choose their

own entertainment. Exceptions are most likely in the

following areas:

• where the material is in breach of the criminal law,

or has been created through the commission of a

criminal offence

• where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to

risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour,

to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of

violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use,

which may cause harm to public health or morals.

This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised

violence which might, for example, eroticise or

endorse sexual assault

• where there are more explicit images of sexual

activity which cannot be justified by context. Such

images may be appropriate in ‘R18’ works, and in

‘sex works’ (see below) would normally be confined

to that category.

In the case of video works (including video games),

which may be more accessible to younger viewers,

intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films.

Sex education at ‘18’

Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and

educate in matters such as human sexuality, safer

sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may

be permitted.

As i group we decided the certificate we would give to our film noir would be 15. We felt the film noir would be targeted at our age and above which was the most suitable option.

The History of Film Noir.

The 1940’s and 1950’s are usually known to be the classic period for American film noirs, most film noirs were low modestly budgeted features without major stars. Film noirs are usually shot in greys or black and whites this emphasized the brutal, shadowy, dark and sadistic sides of the human experience. The protagonists in film noir were usually driven by their past or by human weakness to repeat former mistakes.

Films noirs began in the 1940’s with films such as ‘ The Maltese Falcon’, this indicated a new and darker view on characters and the fiction. Film Noirs also usually refer to a historical period of time. Film Noir was coined by French film critics (first by Nino Frank in 1946) who recognized how 'dark' and black the themes were of many American crime and detective films viewed in French theatres following the war, Including The Maltese Falcon 1941, Murder My Sweet (1941), Double Indemnity (1944), The Woman in the Window (1944), and Laura (1944). A variety of films reflected the resultant tensions and insecurities of the time period, and counter-balanced the optimism of Hollywood's musicals and comedies. Fear, mistrust, bleakness, loss of innocence, despair and paranoia are the key success to a film noir, reflecting the Cold War period when the threat of nuclear annihilation was present. When men went to war, and left the women that’s how the women become dominant this led to the term ‘ femme fatale’. 'Stranger on the third floor' was the first full featured film noir. The popular noir couple were brought together in George Marshall's post-war crime thriller The Blue Dahlia (1946), with an Oscar-nominated screenplay by Raymond Chandler (the only work he ever wrote directly for the screen). Alan Ladd portrayed returning war veteran Johnny Morrison who discovered that his wife Helen (Doris Dowling) was unfaithful during his absence. When she turned up dead and he became the prime suspect, he was aided in the case by the mysterious Joyce Harwood (Lake) - the seductive ex-wife of his wife's former lover.

Opening Scene Analysis of ' The Blue Dahlia'

The Blue Dahlia was released in 1946. It is an American film noir directed by George Marshall and written by Raymond Chandler. A navy officer returns home to Hollywood after being put on an inactive list from the fighting in the south Pacific to an unfaithful wife, who is later murdered, this already indicates a typical noir character due to the ‘ femme fatale’ and the jelous husband. Halfway through the script, Chandler became unable to write, as he become a alcoholic, he'd become a teetotaler for health reasons but he decided that the only way he could get inspiration to finish the script was being drunk. For several weeks, he drank heavily, and at the end of that time, presented the finished script. His friends George and Buzz to memory lapses and headaches, and is often short tempered, all likely due to his head wound. Johnny finds his wife Helen living and partying in a hotel bungalow, he then spots her kissing her boyfriend Eddie Harwood the owner of the Blue Dahlia nightclub, he punches Eddie. Johnny is willing to try to mend their troubled marriage, but Helen is not. She then confesses to him that their son did not die of diphteria as she had said, but it was due to the fact that she got drunk at a party and crashed her car. Johnny pulls a gun on her, but decides she is not worth it. He drops the pistol and walks out, taking a photograph of their son. In a Noir film, this leads to the wife dying; and the husband being blamed for her murder, or at least give the circumstances. Johnny knows he has to prove his innocence or possibly face the consequences.

The opening sequence begins with a deep focus shot of the top of the bus titled ' Hollywood', the navy officer and two of his friends then step off and enter a daily bar, all three men are dressed appropriately in smart suits and hats drinking and smoking, this is a typical 'mise en scene' in a film noir, traditional old happy music can be heard throughout the opening scene, followed by a cut scene to another navy officer stood dancing by a duke box in his uniform beginning to cause trouble with the ex navy officer. As the sound of music increases, the camera then appears closer to the ex-officer, and focuses on the anger and tension building up in his face, which then results into a confrontation shot of the two officers arguing, which is then revealed he has a plate in his head from fighting in the South Pacific. This is is also a medium shot to represent equal authoirty and importance.

The Blue Dahlia

Mind map

Initial idea

I am working in a group with Amy Adair, Alex Mcmorris and Sam - Amy Kidson. We are creating an opening scene of a Film Noir, we are challenging a ' Film Noir' by having a female detective, as usually in a Film Noir detectives were always male.