For a Film to be shown in cinemas or sold in any way the film must have a film certificate, some of which guide the viewers and there parents on wether the film may be suitable and some are a strict rule, allowing no-one under the age of the film to see it. Below is a list of the film certificates and what they involve.
| Definition/Notes | ||
|---|---|---|
 | Universal | All ages admitted, there is nothing unsuitable for children over 4. |
 | Parental Guidance | All ages admitted, but certain scenes may be unsuitable for children under 8. |
 | 12A | Cinema only. Introduced in 2002. Films under this category are considered to be unsuitable for very young people. Those aged under 12 years are only admitted if accompanied by an adult, aged at least 18 years, at all times during the motion picture. However, it is generally not recommended that children under 12 years should watch the film. Films under this category can contain mature themes, discrimination, soft drugs, commonly used milder swear words, and moderate violence/sex references. |
 | 12 | Home media only since 2002. 12A-rated films are usually given a 12 certificate for the VHS/DVD version unless extra material has been added that requires a higher rating. Nobody younger than 12 can rent or buy a 12-rated VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD or game. Films in this category may include infrequent drugs, infrequent use of strong language, brief nudity, discreet sexual activity, and moderate violence. |
 | 15 | Only those over 15 years are admitted. Nobody younger than 15 can rent or buy a 15-rated VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD or game, or watch a film in the cinema with this rating. Films under this category can contain adult themes, hard drugs, strong language, moderate-strong violence/sex references, and mild non-detailed sex activity. |
 | 18 | Only adults are admitted. Nobody younger than 18 can rent or buy an 18-rated VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD or game, or watch a film in the cinema with this rating. Films under this category do not have limitation on the bad language that is used. Hard drugs are generally allowed, and strong violence/sex references along with strong sexual activity is also allowed. Scenes of strong real sex may be permitted if justified by the context. |
 | Restricted18 | Can only be shown at licensed cinemas or sold at licensed retailers or sex shops, and only to adults, those aged 18 or over. Films under this category have material the BBFC does not allow for its "18" rating, thus the violence and sex activity will be stronger in R18-rated VHSs, DVDs and films than those rated "18," however, there is still a range of material that is often cut from the R18 rating. More cuts are demanded in this category than any other category. |
As we are making a Horror film we are most probably going to try and aim to get a 12, a 15, or a 18. We wouldn't want to get a U, a PG, or a 12A as this would stop us putting in many popular horror film cliches, and it may also deter Horror fans from seeing it as they might assume that it won't be scary as it is suitable for children. We also wouldn't want to get a restricted 18 as it might put off Horror fans as it may be too disturbing.
Beneath is a list of the top 20 grossing Horror movies and what certificate they are and a table and graph to show this. The highest grossing is at the top of the list.
1. What Lies Beneath - 15
2. Gremlins - 15
3. Blair Witch Project - 15
4. A Christmas Carol - PG
5. Godzilla - PG
6. The Ring - 15
7. The Grudge - 15
8. Paranormal Activity - 15
9. Paranormal Activity 3 - 15
10. Scream - 18
11. Scream 2 - 18
12. Sleepy Hollow - 15
13. The Haunting - 12
14. Scream 3 - 18
15. Saw 2 - 18
16. Amityville Horror - 15
17. Paranormal Activity 2 - 15
18. The X Files - 15
19. Dracula - 18
20. Freddy vs Jason - 18
After this research into how a film certificate affects the amount of money a film makes, it show how important the certificate is. As PG's, 12's, U's and 12A's clearly don't work well as Horror films as only a few have ever reached within the Top 20 most grossing. Due to this research I believe that the decision is between an 18 and a 15 as these are the highest two categories. There are benefits and disadvantages of using both. Using a 18 certificate would be good as it would attract an audience that likes violence, swearing and sex scenes, and it also means we can put in many famous cliches without worrying that they will be to gory. However a disadvantage of having an 18 is it majorly cuts down the box office audience as 15-18 year olds are one of the highest cinema attending audiences and you cut out many of them due to the age. A benefit of using a 15 certificate is that it will allow all of the target audience to watch the film, allowing for a larger profit. A disadvantage of using a 15 certificate is that you may be forced to cut out scenes of extreme violence. In conclusion I believe a 15 certificate would be best for our Horror film as it allows the whole target audience to view the film and will probably mean a larger profit.
I have chosen to use a 15 for my film.
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