Certificates

Certification for all films shown in the UK is handled by the British Board of Film Classification, or BBFC. They decide which rating a film should receive based on its content.

Horror films tend to fall in the 12A to 18 range, with more violent films usually being given at least a 15 certificate.

12A - Films that show dangerous or imitable behaviour that could influence people younger than 12. Moderate bad language, sometimes with stronger language allowed if there is contextual justification. Drug use, sexual activity or nudity are permitted but must be brief and discreet.

"There may be moderate physical and psychological threat and horror sequences. Although some scenes may be disturbing, the overall tone should not be. Horror sequences should not be frequent or sustained. There may be moderate violence but it should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context. "

15 - More extreme dangerous behaviour is classified here. Drug use may be shown but not glamorised, and most strong language is permitted in a 15 certificate. There are no limits on nudity, except in a sexual context where strong detail is not allowed.

"There may be strong threat and horror. A sustained focus on sadistic threat is unlikely to be acceptable. Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable."

18 - Extreme language, sexual content or violence can cause something to be given an 18 rating.

What certification should I aim for?

A general rule in film is that the lower a certification you can get the better. This is because the more people can go see your film, the more money you are likely to make. However, there are exceptions to this. Horror and Thriller audiences expect a certain level of threat and violence from their films, and are often put off by a film having too low a certificate, as this implies it will not be as intense. Finding the balance for this is crucial to finding the right audience.

At first I thought that the best rating for my film would be a 12A, as it is all about social media and things that appeal to teenagers. However, when I did my research I discovered that even horror films that specifically reference social media (such as Unfriended, Friend Request, and Cam) all had 15 ratings.

Because of this, I decided that the certification I should aim for with my film was a 15 rating.