Research into Mise En Scene - Miss Georgiou

Mise-En-Scene

Mise-En-Scene means simply, everything that is in the scene. 
This consists of five main elements: 

- Setting and Iconography

- Costume, Hair and Makeup

- Facial Expressions and Body Language

- Lighting and Colour

- Positioning of Characters/Objects 

It is used in all films, especially thrillers to emphasise certain parts within a scene. Without Mise-En-Scene, a film would not be a success as a film is made up of all the elements included in Mise-En-Scene. Characteristics of each element can help to create different intended effects or atmospheres in a film and so researching into Mise-En-Scene

I am going to be analysing a clip from 'Shutter Island' as I found it had a high use of good examples of mise-en-scene. 

Setting and Iconography
The setting is in a mental prison which is shown to be very enclosed and creates a sense of entrapment. This instantly creates also a sense of fear from the way that a mental prison contains people that regular, common people may not be familiar with and therefore could leave the audience feeling on edge. Moreover, the sense of entrapment makes the audience build a relationship between themselves and the characters as they feel sympathetic towards them from the restricted setting in which they are in. This is conventional to the thriller genre as having characters trapped keeps the audience on edge and interested as to how they will escape. The fact it's not just a normal prison, makes the audience feel weary of certain characters for they know what they are and can be capable of. 
The main use of iconography in this clip is the lighted matchstick in which is being held (as shown in screenshot). This creates a sense of foreboding from the knowledge of the potential dangers that a lit matchstick could cause. Having this as the only main source of light here, emphasises it and draws the audience's attention directly to it. The audience feel on edge as they do not know what this use of iconography is going to be used for. Therefore, this makes them also feel worried for the characters but also sympathetic as the match could suggest lack of resources, for example, a torch could be more appropriate. It's conventional to the thriller genre as it creates that suspense in which a thriller is expected to create.

Costume, Hair and Makeup
Use of costume in this scene is minimal, but plain and bland if any. This reflects the environment they're in and their simple way of having to follow certain ways of life. The t-shirt being white connotes hope, so, maybe could reflect their hope in escaping and seeking freedom. This makes the audience feel sympathetic towards the character for the position and situation in which they are in. Having this type of costume is also conventional to the thriller genre as it is parallel to the environment and setting in which they are in and appropriate for the narrative.
Hair and Makeup isn't too emphasised in this clip - however, it doesn't give the impression of being well-looked after. One character in particular has dirt on his face (as shown in second screenshot), which demonstrates the bad conditions in which he is living in. This shows the lack of hygiene and normality of living making the audience feel sorry for this particular character. As for Leo in the first screenshot, he is shown to be quite sweaty and made to look tired. This mirrors the stress he could be feeling due to the situation he is in and so the audience emphasises with him and worries for how he is coping. This is conventional to the thriller genre as many emotions have to be portrayed to the audience. With the use of makeup in-particular, it helps illustrate the emotions and feelings intended for a particular character to feel.

Facial Expressions and Body Language
As shown in screenshot, the facial expressions throughout this clip get aggressive especially towards the middle/ end. This shows that they are mentally unstable but also how expressive they are as an individual character with a clear portrayal of a true sense of their personality. Audiences feel weary of these characters for their (on the verge of) violent behaviour could be seen as a warning. However, with this, it allows the audience to get to know the characters slightly more, with more knowing of their sensitive subjects for example that may trigger the aggression. These facial expressions and use of body language are conventional to the thriller genre as there is normally at least one distressed, mysterious character in a thriller and so this identification is shown through expressions and body language.




Lighting and Colour
In the clip the lighting is all low-key throughout, with the lighted match being the key light. Though, in part of the clip, the lighting significantly darkens as shown in the screenshot where we can see back light from the window - however, still very faint. This could represent the loss in hope for the characters especially the imprisoned one. It creates a tense atmosphere as well as creating that element of shock and surprise as it is not expected. Furthermore, it makes the audience feel on edge as they cannot see clearly what is lurking in the darkness and so could further the surprise and shock element that is conventional in a thriller film. 
The colour is very dull with tones of brown which reflect off of the surroundings but otherwise the setting makes the colour very restricted. There is no visible sight of outside of the prison and so no other colours enter this scene. The lack of resplendent colour shown in the clip is conventional to the thriller genre as the general mood and atmosphere of a thriller is mainly tense and dark. The lack of bright colour helps portray this atmosphere as dark colours connotes fear, danger and death/

Positioning of Characters/Objects 
The main characters in this clip, (the protagonist and other character) are positioned fairly close together as they are talking between an iron, barred wall. This allows the audience to realise that there is some sort of relationship between these characters and that they are most likely comfortable in each others presence. If the characters where talking while standing further away from each-other, it wouldn't have the same effect as it wouldn't be as personal and gripping. Audiences are aware of the gaps between the wall and so can expect some violent physical contact when the aggression kicks in. As shown to the right of the screenshot, there is a woman. She approaches the centered characters and creates a sense of foreboding, as though the danger is approaching them. Although, we only get this impression from her slow and plain body language but because of her brightly coloured attire, she could be seen as a positive influence to the scene. There are not really any objects in this clip and so not much to comment on them. \having the characters positioned so closely in this way creates a more direct effect and creates more of a tense and suspenseful atmosphere as the characters are capable of physical violent, however, the audience re unknowing to if they will commit any sort of violence at all.

In summary, this research will assist me with planning and creating my production as it has made me think of many ideas in which I could include. It has allowed me to explore different ways in which Mise-En-Scene can be used and analyse each element also. From this research it has outlined elements that I think work well in a particular way and maybe others that I don't feel work in another way. I like the use of lighting in this clip that I have analysed and therefore will have low-key lighting included in my own opening thriller sequence as it creates tension and suspense throughout from the lack of view of the scene. I also like the setting and use of iconography and have discovered that these elements hold a major role in Mise-En-Scene and further a major role within a thriller film. The setting is vital in order to compliment the narrative and keep the audience feeling on edge and sympathetic towards the characters and also iconography such as violent ones for example, lit match (as show in this particular clip) or a knife, shock is created which is an element which contributes to the level of conventionality to the thriller genre. Analysing all of the elements of Mise-En-Scene and how they are used in this clip in-particular, allows me to feel confident in using Mise-En-Scene in my thriller sequence whilst staying conventional to the thriller genre.

Research into Cinematography - Miss Miller

Cinematography

Cinematography is the art of camerawork and photography in film-making. It plays a massive part in the making of a film especially of the thriller genre. Cinematography can be used in different ways to enhance a film's audience reach. When used in a film of the thriller genre, it tends to make them more tense, jumpy and edgy. Cinematography, complimented with other elements included in film-making for example, sound, can create a stronger impact by creating suspense, surprise and shock - 3 conventional elements in a thriller film.

Within this essay, I am going to analyse a clip from 'House At The End Of The Street'. 
I specifically chose this clip because I noticed a portrayal of many different uses of cinematography. The cinematography is used throughout the clip to make the scene more tense and empathetic for the audience. 

At the very beginning of this clip there is a panning shot. This is from outside of the window and pans upwards showing the girl washing dishes in the sink (as screenshotted). This allows more of the surroundings to be in the same shot, making the audience more aware of the setting. At the end of the panning shot it ends up in darkness making the audience feel on edge and slightly suspicious. Furthermore, a relationship is built between the audience and the character as they feel scared and sympathetic for her. The shot is also at a higher angle at one point and show demonstrates the lack of power this character may have at this time. This strengthens the relationship between the audience and the character as they feel more attached to her now, knowing her lack of dominance at this time. Using this shot is a typical thriller convention as this makes the audience wonder what is happening and also creates a sense of foreboding as black connotes danger and possibly death. Moreover, the setting in a thriller is vital to it's narrative from the way it is usually isolated. Having a panning shot illustrating the majority of the setting in just one shot strengthens the conventionality of the sequence of the thriller genre. 

I noticed many handheld shots in the clip for example, the ones screenshotted. 

The first one enters very quickly and sharply with extremely jolty movements. It looks as if it is also a point of view shot, as it gives the impression that someone is running in the forest, so the camera is acting as if it's the view of the person running. A girl in a white gown is also seen running in-front, which (even though the gown is white which connotes purity and hope) creates suspicion and tension as her identity is not visible. The audience build a relationship between the character as they are unsure of who she is so they are weary of her existence however, keep close watch to see is she reappears as she must have some relevance. 

The other handheld shot is from the outside of the window looking at the girl who is peering out of the window (as screenshotted). It is not as jerky as the first handheld, however, creates the feeling that someone may be watching the character slyly. This creates a relationship between the girl and the audience as the audience feel worried for her and a sense of entrapment is created as it is as though the audience are outside in the freedom and the girl is in the house, looking out, as if she is trapped. This also makes the audience feel as if they are in the scene and so they feel empathetic towards the characters - especially the girl. It creates the idea that the girl is looking out but someone is also looking in at her - creating a tense atmosphere.

These handheld shots fit the thriller genre because they create that sense of suspense that a good thriller needs in order to make the audience feel on edge and unable to predict what will happen next. The shots also connect the audience with the characters more too, as they are made to feel a part of their situation and create empathy towards the characters on-screen.

Probably the most used type of shot in this clip was the medium shot. For example, when the girl looks out of her door and also when she is looking out and her friend jumps out on her - both of which are screenshotted. However, they could also be passed as eye level angle shots as, if you were looking directly at this character this would be the level in which you would look at her at. An eye level angle shot makes the audience feel more part of the scene and fits the thriller genre as it shows a way of seeing through the view other characters may view a scene - there are normally a large amount of characters in a thriller. 
Back to medium shots, this type of shot allows for roughly the waist up of a character to be seen and so all the expressions and gestures can be shown. The audience are able to get to know the characters a lot more with the use of a medium shot as they are more familiar with any personal continuous gestures that a specific character may have, for example. It also allows for part of the setting to be shown on screen, meaning that although not the majority of  the setting is shown, it is enough to show where the character roughly is. In the screenshotted examples, the character(s) are clearly positioned in the centre of the shot. With the character(s) in the centre, the audience's focus is on them and so they are able to appreciate what the scene offers to its full extent as the main main movement/activity is occurring central of the shot. These shots fit the thriller genre as there are often many characters and many movements that need to show detail. A killer is usually lurking in a thriller film and so the use of a medium shot can show the killer, setting and victim all in one shot. 

Furthermore, an over the shoulder shot is used in the clip, where the girl has just turned on the television. It builds up suspense as the shot gives the illusion that someone is watching from where the camera is positioned. In addition, it enables the audience to be able to see the setting and what's going on in-front of the girl, however, still be able to notice the girl's presence. A reltionship is therefore built as the audience are experiencing the same thing as the character. This creates empathy towards her and gives the audience a better idea of the situation the girl is in. This shot is conventional to the thriller genre to use this type of shot, as there are many 'jumpy' scenes which may be conducted successfully with the use of over the shoulder shots. This shot also builds tension and suspense due to the fact that although you can see the girl and a rough view of the surroundings, you cannot see what is actually directly in-front of her. So even though she is in shot, she actually shields some of the setting from the audience and so this builds tension because something could be lurking that is off screen at that moment.



A bird's eye view shot is also included in this clip. It's shown when the reoccurring girl in the white gown appears running up (isn't clear if up or down) the stairs - this particular shot appears extremely quickly, almost in a flash. The shot shows the girl's lack of dominance as she is demonstrated in this shot to appear smaller. This could be because she is young or that she has no identity, so audiences are made to feel weary of this character. The relationship between the audience and this character is weak as the audience don't have a real feel for her emotions and do not know her as a character in detail, the are made to feel suspenseful from the lack of knowledge they have of her. For the thriller genre, this shot is ideal as it gives the idea of perspective and gives a different look on a scene. For example, if this was a medium shot of the girl running up the stairs, you would be able to see clearly how the girl moves, as well as seeing more of her character physically. Whereas, using a bird's eye view shot, the audience is still restricted as to what they can see of this character and so creates an element of suspense.


Another shot portrayed in this clip is a shallow focus. This is illustrated when the girl opens the door and looks out. The focus on the girl emphasises her character's presence and so the audience and made to feel focused on her and her movements. A tense atmosphere is created through the fact that the surroundings are blurred so not everything in the shot is clear to the audience. This creates a sense of foreboding and that something soon after this shot is going to jump out or make an unexpected appearance. The audience are able to build a relationship with this character through this shot from the way that the setting is shown as blurred - this demonstrates the unknowing of what may be unknowingly lurking in the setting. The audience therefore feel worried for the girl and unsure of what is going to happen to her. This is conventional to the thriller genre as you want the audience to not expect the next event that will happen. With the use of these shots audiences feel on edge as they are unaware of what will happen next and so this shot is often used in many thriller films to create this very effect. 

I believe that all of these shots and angles/movements are used in thriller films because they contribute to creating tension throughout, which is what you want to create for an ideal thriller. Creating this build up of tension is vital in a thriller film because you want to shock the audience as much as possible, so to prolong the wait before something shocking or 'jumpy' occurs is key and is created through the use of cinematography. This clip in-particular has inspired me and is going to influence me when I make my thriller opening from the variety of shots and angles/movements actually included within it even though this was a very short clip. I really liked the way the point of view and handheld shots were inputted as they created suspense and made the audience feel empathetic towards the characters - I will use these shots in my thriller film. I feel that these two particular shots engaged and gripped the audience the most and therefore would contribute to my thriller in a positive way and to ensure success. The input of cinematography is extremely important for the making of a thriller and so will play a big role in my opening sequence of my own thriller. 

History of Thriller Films - Miss Georgiou

History of Thriller Films

1940's

Gaslight (1944)
Gaslight is an American 1944 American mystery-thriller film adapted from Patrick Hamilton's 1938 play. This was a fairly known thriller work of the time earning $4,613,000 at the box office. Fundamentally, it is about a girl, Alice, who is found by her niece, Paula murdered in her home. Years later Paula moves back into the house with her new husband however, he has a secret and will do anything to keep it from getting out. Audiences seemed to love the psychological side to the narrative with a husband keeping secrets and driving his wife insane. This specific character of the husband (Gregory) was very popular, for his interesting and mysterious character was very unique and different to what audiences had seen before - especially at this time of era. The way he managed to manipulate his wife and protect what he was hiding seems to appeal to the viewers - especially as they got to see how he was doing it too. George Cukor (director of Gaslight) wasn't actually famous for mystery-thrillers or thrillers of any sort particularly - he was known for directing mainly comedies. Although, he was also recognised for his directing of many adaptations, for example, Dinner at Eight (1933) and Romeo and Juliet (1936). A  high value of money was spent on making this film (over 2 million dollars) so although it was still popular, the income return was not exceptional. 


1960's


Psycho (1960)
Psycho was an extremely popular American horror-thriller film, directed and produced by Wilfred Hitchcock and is still watched to the present day. It smashed the box office earning 60 million dollars with only a budget of $800,000. Psycho is entirely filmed in black and white, due to such a low budget, however, this didn't stop the amount of recognition it received. It managed to earn four Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Janet Leigh and Best Director for Hitchcock. It's also considered one of the best films of all time by critics across the industry. It's about a Phoenix secretary (Marion), who is fed up with having to sneak out for lunch breaks to meet her lover (Sam) who is unable to get married due to the majority of his money going to alimony. One working Friday, Marion's employer asks her to take $40,000 (in cash) to the bank for deposit. Marion sees the opportunity to take the money and does so, as well as leaving the area in hope to make a new life in California with lover, Sam. After spending a night in her car, she cannot manage to make the whole way so spends her second night at the Bates Motel. She meets the owner of the motel who is highly dominated by his mother and eventually decides to give back the money to her employer but still stay at the motel. A week later, Marion is found to be missing and so a private detective gets involved to try and find her when eventually they come across the Bates Motel, where all is revealed. There is a very famous scene in Psycho where Marion is getting murdered in the shower and this is a vital piece of the films success. Because this scene was directed so well in the fact that you couldn't see the murderer, the music complimented the tenseness of the scene and great suspicion was built up - this is partly what made it so popular. Audiences of this time clearly regarded it as a forerunner of things to come so it was different to most horror-thrillers seen before it.


1980's

Fatal Attraction (1987)
Fatal Attraction is an American psychological thriller directed by Adrian Lyne and was very popular making a staggering $320,145,693 at the box office. However, the budget for the film was 14 million dollars so was expected to have a high income return. The film became the second highest-grossing film of 1987 in the United States and also the highest-grossing film of the year worldwide and also received six Academy Award nominations. In a very vague summary, False Attraction is mainly about a married man (Dan) who has an affair with a one night stand (Alex). Unlucky for him, Alex doesn't want to accept that a 'one night stand' was all it was. This results in emotional blackmail, stalking and obsession over him and his family. Alex springs on many violent and obsessional scenes with a finale of her death right at the very end. The psychological theme is a trend that seems to show as popular within an audience. I believe this is because it allows the audience to explore the characters a lot more with their complex and maybe deluded ways of thinking portrayed clearly on screen. Again, this is a unique narrative, making it even more appealing to an audience. At this time in the 80's psychological thrillers were progressing to be more gripping and edgy, Fatal Attraction setting a high standard for the genre.

2000's - Present

The Call (2013)
The Call is an American crime thriller that is about a 911 operator who takes a call from an abducted young girl who is at risk of tortured murder. To be vague, she realises that the best way to save her is try and find and confront the killer herself. When she does so, she finds the man to be a psycho, murdering girls for their hair, she just manages to escape her death. This film earned $68,572,378 at the box office and managed to get Halle Berry two award nominations. The fact that Halle Berry is a famous actress known for her realistic performances, could be part of the reason for this film's success. If the audience know an actor or actress in a film and know them for the good of their acting, this will make them want to go and see the film. There isn't many other films that I could find centered around an individual 911 operator, so the writer, Richard D'Ovidio, was clever in thinking up of such an original idea. The character of Turner (the 911 operator) is very emotionally sensitive, which audiences could relate to when feeling empathetic towards her in the situations she becomes to be in. When an audience is able to be empathetic towards a character it makes them feel more apart of the film and so they connect with the narrative especially, a lot more. Again, this psychological theme occurs in this film, clearly illustrating a trend right back from the 1940's to the present day that this type of thriller tends to be very popular.

All of these thrillers happen to be American, so this could demonstrate a strong audience liking to the style of American thrillers. Whether this be because of the larger budgets available as opposed to the British film industry or just the different elements that American thriller may include such as effects like CGI. 

Hannibal is the top grossing thriller film earning over 165 million dollars at the box office. Its narrative is very unique and is based on a mentally disturbing idea of murdering people and then digesting them. Furthermore, giving them to others to eat too. This twist of narrative is very different to most films of his kind. Therefore, this is shown to be extremely popular with audiences as this is number one in the chart . The weirdness and mental aspect of this kind of narrative obviously appeals to viewers and intrigues them as it is so unlike any realistic situation in everyday life. It may shock viewers in some scenes but that is what makes it so good - audiences feel to stop watching but also feel obliged to carry on. I feel that this is part of what makes it so popular - it's unfamiliarity to the thinking of a normal being and its power to make the audience want to watch more. 
The Cell is number ten in the chart shown and earned $61,334,059 and was released a year before Hannibal. It is based on a child psychologist (Catherine) who is an expert in an experimental treatment for coma patients, allowing her to be able to enter the minds of her patients. A serial killer (Carl) falls into a coma before the FBI can locate his final victim. This leaves Catherine the job of solving this mystery through the advantages that she has. Once again, this is another psychological thriller that proves to be supporting the favour in this type of thriller. However, Catherine is played by Jennifer Lopez, a famous actress and singer and so may attract more of a mass audience. 

Comfortably at number twenty in the chart is Taking Lives, still earning a successful value at the box office. It is another psychological thriller starring Angelina Jolie and Ethan Hawke - two famous actors. The narrative consists of a wanted serial killer who takes the identity of each new victim he has. The FBI profiler missioned to search for this man is made to travel across North America in seek of him. Though, she is forced to work with a new police force in a peculiar city of which she necessarily doesn't fit into. The way the audience are able to follow the profiler on her journey to discover this killer makes them feel empathetic towards the character. Angelina Jolie plays the role of the profiler and so makes the character more appealing to the audience for her known talent in acting. Therefore, audiences connect with her a lot more than say, an unknown actress as they may not be aware of her as much. This gains viewers for the film and makes it become more successful, so clearly the people who star in films can make an impact on the money the film makes. 

BBFC - Miss Miller

BBFC

The BBFC stands for the British Board of Film Classification. They ensure that every film released has the appropriate age certificate for the target audience. This is extremely important when a film is being processed as, an incorrect age certificate could determine the film's success. Having an organisation that deals with this solely ensures that each age certificate given to each film is accurate and correct and therefore, reliable when the public is seeking guidance. An age certificate also narrows an down audience to a niche one and is more likely to attract the film's target audience from the guidance of the age certificate that would be clearly displayed on the DVD cover/film poster. 

There are six different age certificates (U, PG, 12A, 12, 15, 18) each with specific features 

within them.

'U' stands for Universal and films with this rating are able to be watched by anyone over the age of four years old. Because this is the lower end of the category range, it's hard to predict how the film will affect the child depending on their individual personality and personal reactions to particular scenes. With a 'U' categorised film, the language is very mild bad language with no inputs of swearing and also no reference to drugs. This is because it is seen as immoral and inappropriate for a person of such a young age to witness scenes including elements such as these. Furthermore, there is a very mild use of violence and sexual references as the majority of a 'U' audience tends to be a very young one, so are not allowed to be influenced in any negative way. Anti-social behaviour is disapproved of meaning that it in no way can influence a young child that happens to be watching the film. Having these restrictions means that parents can feel confident in knowing what their child is watching and that it is appropriate for their child's viewing. The 'U' rating however, is appropriate for everyone and even if a film has an age certificate of a 'U' it does not necessarily mean that the target audience will be a young one - but most likely that it will be.

'Toy Story' is an example of a 'U' film as it has distinctive features specific for this type of age certificate. This Disney film has a young target audience which makes it complement the age certificate of 'U' perfectly. The film is like a cartoon with fictional, happy characters that put across positive messages about honesty and friendship - meaning being a positive influence on a young audience. There are no potential dangerous or anti-social behaviour within that may influence children, making it suitable for such a young age to watch. The problem at the beginning of the film is when the toys become separated from Andy (the toy's owner). This problem is resolved and so, shows a young audience how everything can work out in the end and that happy endings exist. The parents are able to feel comfortable with their child watching this as the narrative is so child friendly and the age certificate guides them to ensure that this film will be appropriate for their child's viewing.

'PG' stands for Parental Guidance. Fundamentally, this means that films with this age certificate are suitable for general viewing, however may contain some scenes that are slightly more inappropriate for children under the age of 8 years old. A 'PG' allows the parents to be able to decide whether or not the content may upset or affect their child. Not all 'PG' films are made for younger audiences, Grown Ups for example. Some films just contain content that shouldn't unsettle the majority of children over 8 years old and so are regarded as a 'PG'. It is possible that 'PG' films can include and explore challenging issues such as racism and bullying, though, will not include any themes inappropriate for a child's viewing. The language in a 'PG' work is mildly bad and sexual references are highly unlikely unless they are not in detail and also not frequent. Violence will usually be mild with no detail within, so maybe the witnessing of blood for example, but not how the injury occurred. Also, as long as they are not prolonged and extreme, frightening sequences and 'jump' moments may be included. In 'PG' works there isn't much for a child to copy as the including of weapons such as knives or guns is not enhanced nor shown to be a good thing. Likewise with drugs and smoking, if this is included, it is made sure to be shown as a bad thing to be involved with.

'Home Alone' is a 'PG' rated film that fits this age certificate due to its use of mild bad language and lack of detailed violence. It's narrative is appropriate for this target audience, however, some younger children may feel unsettled by the burglars, but as the film is also humorous as well, it takes that possible fear away. Due to the protagonist being a young boy also means that as the 'PG' audience is young, they can relate to the character and build a relationship with him. This makes the audience feel more involved in the film and more knowing of the character from the empathetic effect they create towards the audience. The fact that the antagonists here are the burglars show that burglary and crime is not glamourised at all and is shown as a bad factor. Therefore, it is not likely to influence the audience of a 'PG' from the particular way in which they are portrayed. The fact that the problem is resolved in the end also gives the young audience piece of mind and will distract the fear that they possibly may feel. 


Content of films with this particular age certificate is not appropriate for viewing of anyone under the age of 12 years old. '12' and '12A' works are quite similar in the fact that this 12 years old 'barrier' is in place, however, '12' rated films may contain slightly less uses of strong language, certain ant-social behaviour or drug or sexual references for example. Nudity, for example, is most likely not to be shown in a '12' certified work, though, may be shown in a '12A' work. This is because parents are able to control whether they would like their child to witness this kind of feature that may be contained in a certain film. Features are pretty much similar in both '12' and '12A' works, although the extent of some are slightly more in some aspects within '12A' works. 

'The Lucky One' is an example of a '12' rated film. Although it contains romance and some references to the sensitive subject of war, it is still able to be a '12' as it does not exceed the expectation for a 12 year old to watch. With a happy ending, it makes it more suitable for a 12 year old at least to watch because it's like the idea of a fairy-tale. There isn't any reference of drugs and so children from 12 years old cannot be influenced by it at all. The topic of war is quite a sensitive subject, however, in this film it is shown to bring a positive aspect to a certain character's life. This puts a positive perception on war but obviously not to show that war is a good thing as a whole. It reflects that hope can be retrieved from war and not every ending is a bad one. In addition, there is no extent of gore when injuries during war occur and therefore have no way in creating a squeamish feel within the audience. 

'12A' works have need of anyone under the age of 12 to be accompanied by an adult when seeing the film in the cinema (otherwise cinema's are at risk of loosing their licence). Material found in '12A' films may not be as suitable for children under the age of 12, so having this rating allows parents to decide whether or not a certain film is suitable for their child/children to watch. The overall tone of a film and the way in which it inclines the audience to feel, regulates what classification it falls into. A '12A' could be driven more to a '15' with some '15' certified film features contained in it, however, other features, say if the film is particularly positive making the audience feel comfortable, may stop this change in category. Language in a '12A' can be strong and may only be passed if it is used in an appropriate manner. For example, if strong language is used in aggression, depending on its extent, it may cause the film to be categorised as a '15'. Furthermore, moderate language is also sometimes included and probably likely to be. Sexual references should not go beyond what is suitable for the likes of a 12 year old and what they understand. Often in these works, humour is used, to dilute the impact of particularly moderate sexual references. Horror films may be passed at a '12A' or even a '12', as long as tense pauses are not too frequent and prolonged and there is a small risk of any physical or psychological effects on the audience, bearing in mind of a 12 year old. Other types of '12A' works can contain devastating events such as wars, earthquakes and tsunami's, etc. 

A good example of a '12A' film of this kind is 'The Impossible'. It's narrative is a devastating story (based on a true one) about how a family are separated due to an unexpected tsunami that hits their holiday location. Although the ending is happy, because of this sensitive subject different 12 year olds may be affected in different ways, therefore, parents can judge if the film will affect their child. For example, in 'The Impossible' there are scenes where open wounds are visible to the viewer, so, if a child is squeamish to this viewing, it may affect them. There are particular parts that can also be quite emotional when characters cannot find other characters but also frustrating for the viewer as you hope for the best. The way it is based on a true story allows such a young audience to appreciate what they have and the safe environment which surrounds them but to also be aware of what happens in other parts of the world other than where they are. 

Anyone under the age of 15 is not allowed to see a '15' rated film in the cinema nor buy/rent a '15' rated DVD/video. This is because the content in '15' works are not suitable for anyone for below 15 years old. Providing that the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds, no theme is restricted. Many features found in a '15' rated films are specific to this age certificate, for example if any of these features were in a '12' or '12A', it could push it to a '15'. Some content may have features such as sexual nudity, strong violence, frequent strong language, drug use and discriminatory behaviour. Sexual violence to an extent may also be included, for example, reference to rape - however, will not be shown intimately. Language may also have homophobic or racist references within and possible exploration of the subjects, however, is not regarded for the audience to express. Influential behaviour is not shown in detail for example self-harm, as for many teenagers it can be a sensitive, relative issue or easy to copy. Drugs may be used in a '15' film but not shown in good light and are not shown to create a good influence.

'Ted' is a '15' age certified film and contains many sexual references, however, of which are minimised due to the combination with comedy. Making comical remarks makes the content not seem as strong as it may be, therefore films with this style of content usually get passed for a '15'. Because the film contains humorous comments also, it allows the audience to get more involved with the film and understand what is going on a bit better. Throughout the film, there is no scary aspects in which should affect a 15 year old, only possible where a man kidnaps Ted. However, this may only affect the minority of 15 year olds as none of the content throughout is too extreme for a viewing of a young person. 

You are not allowed to buy/rent any '18' rated film if you are under the age of 18. Furthermore, '18' age certified films are not in any way suitable for children due to the content within. Being an '18' film, this means that there is no theme that is banned, so there is a risk that some themes at '18' may affect or offend viewers, even if they happen to be adults. Blood and gore in detail, very strong and sexual violence, strong language and anti-social or inequitable behaviour are aspects that are likely to be included in '18' works. There is literally no limit when it comes to an '18' work - pretty much everything is allowed. Language can be as strong as intended and used in a direct or aggressive way, due to the older audience, this should affect more the minority of audience if any at all. Homophobic or racist terms may be used for example, may even being discriminated - to an extent. Full nudity can be included also as well as sexual images. If an '18' happens to be a sex education film to inform and educate viewers, in such matters, stronger images of sexual activity may be permitted. Horror films will contain very strong horror images, many horror films are an '18' as the extent of the horror is strong. Drug taking can be shown, however must not be promoted to be misused. Criminal behaviour or behaviour that would cause great risk to a person may be cut so that audiences are not influenced enough to copy the behaviour. There are however some limits on '18' films and may have to be cut from behaviour against the law, where material can cause a risk of harm to viewers or where sexual activity exceeds the limit where context is not justified. 

'Scary Movie' is an '18' work which is actually a comedy horror spoof, so, even though it is mocking scary movies, the content is still not suitable for children under the age of 18. There is a fair amount of violence and strong language throughout the film and so makes the film unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18. Some content may shock viewers and so even though it is funny from the comedy side of it, it can still affect viewers. Although it is also not scary due to the input of comedy, some scenes may be scary to particular individuals depending on their personal feelings and reactions to certain films. 

In conclusion, this research has helped me understand the importance of age certificates from the certain criteria that is regarded specifically for each individual age certificate category. This has allowed me also to think deeply about the age certificate in which I will apply to my own opening thriller sequence as the content in-particular has a big influence on what category a film falls into. Knowing the criteria that falls into each will allow me to confidently state the category in which my film will fall into. I will know to be careful that certain features could push age certificates up or bring it down depending on the extreme of violence for example. However, I am quite sure that the age certificate that will be applied to my thriller sequence will be a '15' from the characteristics of the criteria that match the content that is most likely for it to contain. To ensure that my thriller will stay in line with the various regulations of a '15' certified work, I will make sure that violence for example, is not too extreme and the language used does not express controversial topics such as racism for example in deep exploration. The criteria for a '15' will be followed strictly to make sure that our target audience is met and we stay in the '15' age certificate category with no possibility of it falling into a different age certificate.