Wednesday, 6 March 2013

How does film classification affect film production and distribution?



 

Films are classified by the BBFC to protect younger people from harmful and sensitive material the classifications are age restricting meaning, meaning that people who are of a certain age cannot watch the film in the cinema, but the movies in stores or watch them online. Film distribution is anything from where is it viewed in cinemas to where it is sold on DVD and Blu Ray even down to where the adverts are placed/shown.

If a film is rated ’15’ or ‘18’ the chances of adverts for the movie being shown for it after nine o’clock is higher because they will only be targeting audiences of people after the watershed. As were the position of the movie in stores and things is a movie is a high rating it is more likely to be on a higer shelf out of the way of children and younger people so they are not exposed to content or images on the packaging that they shouldn’t be.

However there is a lot of conspiracy that all this protecting doesn’t work once in is out of the cinemas and in to the household. For example if a fourteen year old asked his mum for an eighteen movie she might feel okay with him watching that and buy him it no questions asked. But there is not a lot the authorities can do once it is in the domestic setting it is there’s to do what they want with.

If I movie has a lower rating such as a ‘U’ or ‘PG’ the TV adverts are more likely to be shown on children’s television channels like ‘nicktoons’ or ‘citv’ this is because the sorts of young people who may be watching that channel are the target audience of the movie. As well the film production company could also get a deal with McDoalds or another food chain/product meaning that children are again opened up and exposed to the market. Movie marketing companies thrive on pester power; this being children keeping on at parents till they get what they want.

Again films that are targeted at children could possibly have a deal on through school holidays meaning adults go free so that is a method the movie companies and cinemas use. Similarly movies may be released at the start or just before a school holiday or Christmas so parents buy it to entertain the children while they are at home.

Nevertheless things like ‘Netflix’ and ‘LoveFilm’ have meant that DVD’s and Blu Rays may not be as popular because with these sorts of services you don’t even need to leave your house to catch a chartbuster. There are setting you can set up to protect children online, normally a four number pin but in cases I know many children know this pin and can watch what they want when they want. Again I think works well in a commercial setting but once in domestic cannot be policed.

 

 

 

 

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