In the UK there's been a recent trend for producers to seek advice officially from the BBFC (our ratings board). They can actually do it at the script stage or certainly during the production process. While the MPAA is the be-all and end-all in the matter since the US rating is most important, there are differences. These are really noticeable in action films starring the likes of Liam Neeson or Bruce Willis. UK ratings are much tougher on violence and more liberal on sex and language. There aren't hard and fast rules on the use of precisely one f-word or whatever. If the subject is serious, you get more leniency.
Anyway, what we do end up with is that a film like Taken 2 is released as PG-13 in the US, and is then cut by the producers to get a 12A rating (the closest equivalent) in the UK, before the "uncut" version is released on DVD/digital rated 15. But that's the film company trying to maximise returns, and in general I prefer the BBFC approach to that of the MPAA. R-rated films tend to be 15 or 18 rated over here, and include fare that would be categorised NC-17. Except there isn't the attendant stigma attached that means chains refuse to show films or whatever, which seems a bit depressing in the US. The other thing the BBFC does quite well is talk to the public and in general solicit views about what changes need to be made in ratings. It's not a secretive organisation which feels quite healthy to me. There really shouldn't be the need for an external advisory service as these two ex-MPAA members seem to be setting up. Adam On Tue, Jun 3, 2014 at 4:31 PM, Bob Jersey <[email protected]> wrote: > ...now help producers get the rating *they* want for a film... > > TheWrap <http://www.thewrap.com/former-mpaa-film-raters-will-now/> (link) > > B > > -- > -- > TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "TV or Not TV" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "TVorNotTV" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
