Research: BBFC Certification

When film companies produce a film before allowing the audience to see the film it has to be checked with the British Board of Film Classification.  The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), before 1985 known as British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films within the UK.

I have researched into perspective BBFC Certificates that may be in the genre of Documentary. This will help me decide a target audience for my trailer, the following Certificates maybe used for Documentaries:

U Certificate:

U symbol means Universal. A U film should be suitable audiences for age four and over. However, it is impossible to predict what might upset a particular child. The BBFC rate films and videos aimed at very young viewers, such as Chuggington or Tinga Tinga Tales, U. However, they give them special BBFC insight stating they are ‘particularly suitable for pre-school children’. Films or videos with this BBFC insight should raise no significant issues in terms of discrimination, drugs, imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex, threat or violence.






15 Certificate




A 15 means that teenagers over the age of 15 are allowed to watch the film. This is because the issues raised moderately in the 12 film's are stronger, therefore being unsuitable for people under the age of 15. The types of films that fall in this category is Documentaries with strong language and scenes not appropriate for under 15s.

PG Certificate

PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A PG film should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content may upset younger, or more sensitive, children.





12A and 12 Certificate

Films classified 12A and video works classified 12 contain material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults planning to take a child under 12 to view a 12A film should consider whether the film is suitable for that child. To help them decide, we recommend that they check the BBFCinsight for that film in advance.

The 12A requires an adult to accompany any child under 12 seeing a 12A film at the cinema. This is enforced by cinema staff and a cinema may lose its license if adult accompaniment is not enforced for children under 12 admitted to a 12A film. Accompanied viewing cannot be enforced in the home, so the 12 certificate remains for DVD/Blu-ray, rather than the 12A. The 12 is also a simpler system for retailers. It means they cannot sell or rent the item unless the customer is over the age of 12. These two certificates will be perfect for my trailer because children can view the documentary however with an adult this allows me to put certain elements into my trailer.