PLANNING: BBFC Certificate

 

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the film industry in 1912, which is responsible for the classification and censorship of films in the UK.

Classification is the ‘process of giving age ratings and content advice to films and other audio-visual content to help children and families choose what’s right for them and avoid what’s not’.

The BBFC produce and publish guidelines which influence all classification decisions. They are regularly updated, and the product of public consultation, research and experience, reflecting current views on regulation. The guidelines list features of films that determine the age category, for example a 12A rating.

I have researched these guidelines on the BBFC website and concluded, with my production team, that our film ‘Dodging a Bullet’ will fit into the 15-rating due to it including strong language and suggestions of violence. Our BBFC film certificate was produced using PowerPoint to edit our film name onto a template.

 

 

PLANNING: Risk Assessment

 I understand that when filming, it is important to produce a risk assessment entailing:

•          Hazard to health and safety
•           Risk posed and to whom
•           Risk level (high/medium/low)
•           Control measure used to reduce risk

 

Hazard to Health and Safety	Risk posed and to whom	Risk Level (H/M/L)	Control Measure to Reduce Risk
Transport	Moving traffic in the car park, risk when driving/travelling to filming locations.  Risk posed to cast members and filming crew.	Low – as we predominantly filmed at school there was little traffic and we didn’t need to leave the premises.	Be alert and careful of oncoming traffic, wear seatbelt when on the way to filming locations.
Weather	Rain causing the ground to become slippery.  Danger of getting clothing wet and becoming too cold. Possibility of damaging camera equipment. Risk posed to cast members and filming crew.	Medium	Walk tentatively over slippery surfaces. Wear appropriate, sensible clothing for all weathers. Do not use tripod and camera in the rain to avoid damaging the technology.
First Aid issues	Risk of tripping/falling in darkened rooms or when running and performing mild stunts (e.g. falling down stairs, jumping out of windows).	Medium	Carry a first aid kit, aim to have a first-aider on stand-by for stunt scenes. Be careful, cast members don’t do anything they are not trained in. Assess risk before performing tricks/running.
General Public	Risk of theft of assault when filming.	Low – filming on safe school premises.	Students to avoid causing incidences with members of public or the school community. Be considerate of surroundings and people who might be affected by noisy filming. Do not approach/provoke members of public. Do not film late at night in unsupervised conditions.
Major Public Incident	A terrorist attack. Risk posed to cast members and film crew.	Low/Not Applicable – minor chance of an attack in school.	In the unlikely case of one: Ensure a well-known assembly point and carry emergency contact cards. Be aware of national advice to run if possible and hide is not. Follow police/authority instruction.

 

PLANNING: Casting

 

Casting - Dodging a Bullet by Ellie Smart

PLANNING: My target audience

When planning how to reach our specific target audience, we needed to understand who they are and what their specific interests are. To attain knowledge on relevant factors such as age, gender, ethnicity and social class, I created an audience questionnaire. It was also important I found out what their media needs are so that I could produce a film trailer and promote the film in ways that will meet and satisfy their needs.

In order to market our film in the best way to reach our target audience, allowing us to plan efficiently, I conducted research on my target audience and created an audience profile. I started by investigating how other brands define audiences, in preparation for creating my own audience profile, for example I saw how Bauer media, NME and Empire define their audiences. 

My Audience Profile:

1. Who is my primary target audience?

Our primary target audience is young people who are over 16 (our age rating is 15). Although we have not specifically skewed our film towards women, there is an appeal for women with the all female cast and female representation as criminals.

2. What kind of films and television are they likely to prefer?

Our primary target audience are likely to prefer comedies and films within the crime/thriller genre. They will enjoy comic relief interlinked with moments of tension, as well as a complicated plot line found in crime films.  

3. What platforms do they choose to watch films and where are they likely to see information about films?

Our target audience are likely to choose online streaming platforms such as Netflix to watch films, due to the large variety and ease. They are likely to see information about films on social media, such as Instagram and twitter. 

4. What brands do they prefer?

As our target audience is a young demographic, I think they would prefer sports brands such as Nike and clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters. 

5. What makes my film stand out from the competition?

A unique selling point of our film that makes it stand out from the competition is the all-female cast, and the unusual female representation within the crime genre.

6 . Why should my audience watch my film? 

My audience should watch my film as it is engaging, with a strong narrative, but has comedic elements to create a positive, light hearted experience for audiences.

PLANNING: Storyboard and mindmap

 

PLANNING: Treatment

The title of our film is 'The Framing'. It is a comedy film with thriller characteristics. It is a story based around female criminals and the disasters they encounter while on a heist to steal a renowned painting. It is not as easy as they expected as they stumble across a murder... Our film has 4 main characters who are women which is part of our unique selling point. It is aimed at young adults which may appeal more to women due to the female empowering element of our film. The big question is 'How will they escape the charges?' The criminals are all different in style and personality which gives the film some diversity. 

PLANNING: Target Audience and Similar Films