Assessment 3 Target Audience research including Genre research

Film Noir genre and BBFC research

Film noir is a term used mainly to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, predominantly those that highlight pessimistic attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is usually regarded as going right back to the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era was associated with a low-key lighting and black-and-white visual style that has roots in which German Expressionist cinematography is clearly defined throughout these types of films, While many of the classical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir originate from the hardboiled detectives of crime that seek justice no matter what. Most of the fiction that emerged in the United States, during the depression era influenced Film noir due to the heightened anxiety during that time after World War 2.
The term film noir is the French meaning for black film, and was first applied to Hollywood movies by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unknown to most American film industry professionals of the classic era. Cinema historians and critics defined the noir canon in retrospect; before the concept was generally adopted in the 1970s, But many many of the classic film noirs were referred to as melodramas the fact that everything is very dramatic and some what over the top connected it to more melodramas than anything else.
Film noirs encompass a range of plots—the central figure may be a private eye (The Big Sleep), Hardboiled detective (Big Combo), an aging boxer (The Set-Up), a hapless grifter (Night and the City), The Classic femme fatal (Big Combo), or simply a victim of circumstance (D.O.A.) Though the noir mode was originally identified among American productions, films now customarily described as noir have been made around the world. Many films which are referred to as film noirs show many of the generic conventions that the classic Film noir created showing these types of character traits above in many of the modern films we see today. Modern Day noirs are normally referred to as neo-noirs examples of these certain types of films would be Se7en and pulp fiction etc.


UK film classification certificates.

Main articles: British Board of Film Classification, History of British Film Certificates
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) rates both motion pictures and videos (and an increasing number of video games such as Grand Theft Auto). County authorities are eventually accountable for film ratings for cinema showings in their area but for most of the time all County Councils generally accept the BBFC rating, although, films can theoretically speaking can bypass the BBFC as the BBFC has no legal power over them, technically films don’t even have to be classified by the BBFC. The BBFC can rate a film as 15 but the County council can give the film a 12A rating in their county as the BBFC have no legal control over the county council as they are not legally binding but those for videos are.

The current BBFC system

Suitable only for 15 years and older. No one younger than 15 may see a '15' film in a cinema. No one younger than 15 may rent or buy a '15' rated video. A 15 rating can show a certain degree of violence and gore also the use of strong language is suitable to a certain degree. However sexual content is very limited as this is not suitable for children of the ages of 15 years.

Suitable only for adults. No one younger than 18 may see an '18' film in a cinema. No one younger than 18 may rent or buy an '18' rated video. This rating can show explicit amounts of violence and sexual content as well as having very strong language mixed in as well as this is suitable for adults to see.

R18 (Restricted 18) To be shown only in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied only in licensed sex shops, and to adults of not less than 18 years. (These films contain sexually explicit, pornographic content.)
Films may perhaps obtain a different rating when released on DVD/video to that at the cinema. It is not abnormal for certain films to be refused classification, in effect banning them from sale or exhibition in the UK. Any media which has been banned receives an 'R' certificate (Rejected).

Target audience:
Our group has decided to stick with 15 rating as we wanted to keep with classic Film noir but set in modern times. We know that our film noir is going to be a 15 rating due to the certain degree of violence in the crucial scenes in our opening sequence. The specific audience that we are aiming is stereotypically males as statistics show that more males watch violent, action packed movies. Due to the rating of our particular film this would appeal to a more mature audience.