Reconsidered Certification

We have decided to alter the certification of our Teaser Trailer to an 18, due to the mature themes and dark nature of the trailer. After doing research, we discovered that the theme of drugs is more relevant to 18-21 year olds and is a very serious issue. Because the audience is intended to be active, it is up to them to think for themselves when they view the film and we felt as though 15 year olds weren't the right target audience.

Our Trailer does not promote nor encourage drug use, although at the negative effects are not explicit until the second half of the trailer- which may mean it is not suitable for under 18s. Although our teaser trailer has no strong language, it is likely our film would as it is a hybrid between a Social Realism and a Psychological Thriller and it is a convention often adhered to in both genres. Our teaser trailer is comprised of a multitude of close ups of drugs, and overall, drugs are explicit throughout.

Audience and Certification

Our genre is Psychological Thriller, which typically is aimed at teenagers and adults. Some are rated 15 while others are 18, due to the conventions of this genre- drugs, alcohol, murder etc...

After researching on IMDB, 60% of the top Psychological Thrillers are certified 15 rather than 18. This broadens the audience more, allowing younger viewers to watch.

According to these rules from the British Board of Film Classification, our film would be rated a 15. It is likely that our film will contain strong language, and definitely drug taking. Our film would not 'endorse discriminatory language or behaviour'. As a psychological thriller that focuses on drugs, there would not be a strong focus on sex, but perhaps a few indications of it. Our film will not contain sexual violence and overall will display the negative effects of drugs rather than promoting them.

Production Companies

20th Century Fox (Black Swan)

This Production Company introduction is quite loud and orchestral which makes it particularly suitable for comedies and kids movies. (Ice Age, Big Momma, Home Alone, Night At the Museum and The Simpsons Movie.) Although it was used for the Psychological Thriller Black Swan, we feel that a different institution would be better, in order to hint at the genre of our Teaser Trailer before it actually starts.

Studio Canal (Before I go to Sleep)

This opening would be a really good choice to precede our teaser trailer. The rather quiet non-diegetic music combined with the flashing distorted lights, fits in well with the themes of our film. Although flashes of the Production Company's name come up, the audience doesn't find out what it is saying until the end. Studio Canal produced Before I go to Sleep which is one of our main inspirations and it is most likely that we will choose this Institution to introduce our Teaser Trailer.

Lionsgate (Requiem for a Dream)

We also liked the Lionsgate Production Company introduction- the almost monochrome colour scheme fits in well with the tone of our trailer. However, like 20th Century Fox, the music is orchestral and grand- which isn't exactly what we are looking for.