Audience

BBFC rating

With psychological thrillers stereotypically consisting of a complex plot line and mature characters, which naturally would attract an older audience, 25+, they can also attract a younger audience, of 15+, who like films which explore aspects of mental issues being shown differently to other genres of films. The themes of the psychological thriller can mean the BBFC rating doesn't have to be 18, as the issues which surround the plot line are mainly focused on the mind, there is less of a high volume of sexual scenes or extreme violence which could mean the rating has to be at 18, only viewable to an older audience. Therefore the rating can be a 15, increasing the range of audience of the film. 
 


In America, there is a different system, MPAA, which is as follows

[Found on Wiki]

From the psychological thrillers that I have watched, these are the ratings that they have, and a brief description into the content.

Memento : BBFC 15.  MPAA R.
 Includes aspects of sex & nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol/drugs/smoking, frightening/intense scenes. Further details are given on the IMDB page

Don't Look Now : BBFC 15. MPAA R.
Includes mild aspects of sex & nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol/drugs/smoking, frightening/intense scenes. Even though there is limited offensive material within this film, the rating could be related to the age that the film targets at as opposed to being based on how offensive it is.
Further details are given on the IMDB page

88 Minutes : BBFC 15. MPAA R.
Includes aspects of sex & nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol/drugs/smoking, frightening/intense scenes. The violence and gore is quite strong, as the film is based on the story of a murderer hanging women, therefore the film has included quite graphic scenes.
Further details are given on the IMDB page

The Prestige : BBFC 12A. MPAA PG-13.
Total explicit content estimation 20/50.
Includes a vary of levels of sex & nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol/drugs/smoking, frightening/intense scenes. The reason given for the 12A rating is the aspects of violence and disturbing images. Further details given on the IMDB page

Mr Brooks : BBFC 18. MPAA R.
Includes some strong levels of sex & nudity, violence and gore, profanity, frightening/intense scenes. But there is no details under the aspects of alcohol/drugs/smoking.
Rated R for strong bloody violence, some graphic sexual content, nudity and language
Further details given on the IMDB page

The Machinist : BBFC 15. MPAA R.
Includes some mild levels of sex & nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol/drugs/smoking, frightening/intense scenes. Was rated R for violence and disturbing images, sexuality and language.
Further details given on the IMDB page

In terms of our own production, after seeing the ratings for similar films, I think a BBFC rating of 15 would be best for our film. I have come to this conclusion due to there being little images of sex & nudity, violence and gore, there could be some profanity throughout the main film, but nothing in the opening sequence. Use of alcohol/drugs/smoking may be seen, but no extreme levels. The main aspect would be within frightening/intense scenes, of which a man is hanging. The narrative would also suggest this audience with the plot following a psychological thriller, but understandable for an audience of 15+.

Ethnicity:
Although there is no non-Caucasian characters in the opening scene, it does not suggest that it is strictly Caucasian audience. No representation of non-Caucasian is present, positive or negative. Representation of the Caucasian characters does not really follow any stereotypes, and the characters themselves are based around the story rather than creating a representation of ethnicity.

Gender:
Targeted to a mainly male audience through the:

• Genre
• Male protagonist

However there is a lack of male gaze, as any female characters aren't the stereotypical busty blonde. 

There is also an attraction to the female audience through:

• Storyline -> sympathy
• No excessive offensive material

Class:

The preferred class would C1, an upper middle class, where a plot following complex mind issues could easily followed by an ABC1 audience as opposed to a C2DE audience, which would prefer a film containing more action than dialogue. However the boarderline of C1/C2 is hard to distinguish and this film could target either audience. Within targeting an older audience, there is the thought of whether ABC1 would spend their time watching movies, as they could prefer to go to the theater or to a play, therefore the targeting of C2 would come in to attract the older audience who do watch films in their spare time.

Nationality/Region:

Little aspects suggest the region of the film, as each scene could be anywhere in the UK, and does not follow any particular stereotypes of the Yorkshire Region.

Nationality accents are northern, but not as too strong that could cause confusion to audience of different regions and allowing them not to be able to follow the story.

Sexuality:

The theme/genre of our production doesn't really portray sexuality as such. The central protagonist is in a relationship, which could show representation of a hetrosexual male, but there is no particular positive or negative representation of sexuality on the whole, nor targeting one particular audience.