Target Audience & Certificate

In this post I am going to be looking at my target audience and what is the best suited certificate for my film.

What is the difference between a 12 and a 12A?

   A 12A certificate 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 12A film if they are accompanied by an adult (eg someone over the age of 18), who must watch the film with them.

How much swearing is aloud in 12A's

    The BBFC's Guidelines state that there may be strong language (eg 's***') in a 12 or 12A, but it must be infrequent. The context of the strong language is important. Aggressive uses of strong language may result in a film or DVD being placed at the 15 category. There is some allowance for puns on strong language at this category. There may be moderate language (eg uses of terms such as ‘bitch’ at 12 or 12A). Any discriminatory language will not be endorsed by the work as a whole.  Aggressive discriminatory language (for example homophobic or racist terms) are unlikely to be passed at 12 or 12A unless it is clearly condemned.

Certificate 15

    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. 

Is 15 really stronger than 12A?

    Yes. 15 certificate films are stronger than 12 or 12A rated works and could include any of the following:

Strong violence

Frequent strong language (eg 'f***').

Portrayals of sexual activity

Strong verbal references to sex

Sexual nudity

Brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence

Discriminatory language or behaviour

Drug taking

    Our project wil be certificate 12A. We are aiming it at mature/young adults because it will appeal to them and connect to them, because it is about love and break ups and they may possibly have had previous experience's in these situations. We are setting it at 12A because it is suitable for them and not inappropriate of anyway, but I don't think it would really connect with people at the age of 12 and below, because I do not think that love would of come in to their lives at that stage, just merely setting the certificate at that age because it will be appropriate for them to watch.

    Some similar films with the same certificates are 'Crazy Stupid Love' which is rated 12. This will be the same rating as our production. We are aiming at the same target audience that this is aimed at which would be couples in a relationship, people who has been through the same situations and teenagers.

Class

    In many rom-coms, particularly those ones written by Richard Curtis such 'Notting Hill' and 'Four Weddings And A Funeral', are aimed at upper class people, made up of people who own very expensive houses and people who went to private school. The main man for the cast to portrays the image of upper class would be Hugh Grant.

     In my case, I am going to be targeting the more middle class, rather then upper class people. The reasons I am going to be aiming my opening scene at middle class people is because I would like to see my self as middle class. I would have the facilities such as the middle class house rather than the rich , luxurious Notting Hill type house and have most of the props needed and obviously we don't have our own Hugh Grant, but the main reason I am going to be targeting middle class is because most rom-coms are not aimed at middle class and have middle class characters or storyline in the films.