Legal restraints

When creatting a film trailer you have to take into account the legal restraints around the content.
The BBFC is the British board of film classification which decided on which classification a cinematic release gets in Britain and was set up to do so in 1912, and they have determined DVD/VIDEO classifications since the 1984 video recording act was passed.

the various classifications are :

Universal : suitable for all ages

parental guidance : some content may be unsuitable for under 8 years old may contain mild violence (e.g fantasy) or sex/drug references, mild language

  (cinema only since 2002) Generally unsuitable for very young people. Any under 12's are to be accompanied into the cinema by an over 18 adult at all times during the motion picture. films that come under this catergory can contain sex references , moderate violence, soft drugs, moderate swear words, discrimination etc.

(home media only since 2002) 12 home media classification is the same as 12A cinema classification DVD/BLURAY/VIDEO/GAME can only be bought/rented by 12+

only over 15 age are permitted to view film or rent/buy the film/game. films under this rating can contain hard drugs, adult themes, strong sex references, strong language, moderate violence and undetailed sex activity.

only 18+ adults admitted. nobody under 18 can buy/rent a film/game with an 18 classification or view an 18 film in a cinema. films under this category don't have a limitation of language used. Hard drugs are generally allowed, strong violence/sex references as well as strong sexual activity is also allowed.  strong real sex may be permitted if can be justified by context.

Therefore when determining what to put in my film trailer, I had to think about my target audience. My primary target audience is 15-24 years therefore the content of my trailer (and the film) must be suitable for people 15 years and over. In other words, I need to make sure my film trailer does not contain any very strong language or violent themes so I can keep it in this category in accordance to legal guidelines. The age classification will also appear at the start of the trailer to allow audiences to see who the film is suitable for (this is a legal requirement of trailers).

The reason legal age limits have been applied to films can be explained, in part by the Frankfurt School Hypodermic Needle Model. This theory basically implies that vulnerable people, such as children under 18 years, can be influenced by what they view on screen. Although some may disagree with this, there is evidence to suggest that children are more likely to be influenced by what they see on screen and this is why, complete with decency laws, the age restrictions must be followed.