The regulation of the film industry, and how to discuss it in your exam

Example question: 'Explore how the film industry is regulated. Make reference to Black Panther to support your answer' [12]

Black Panther features a number of scenes categorised by the BBFC as 'moderate violence'. There are a number of contextual factors that differentiate the violence in Black Panther from the violence in other films, such as Fight Club

How are films regulated in the UK?

The film industry in the UK is regulated by the BBFC. a non-governmental regulatory body. The BBFC principally regulates film through reviewing and assigning age certificates. This form of regulation is largely ineffective due to digitally convergent technologies. However, the BBFC is one of the strictest film regulators in a non-totalitarian country. 

Films in the UK are assigned age certificates based on the following factors:

• Harm and offense
• Imitable behaviour
• Context

Essay structure

Explore how the film industry is regulated. Refer to Black Panther to support your answer [12] 

Introduction – Definition, argument, context (DAC)

Regulation is the rules and restrictions that a media industry must follow. In this essay I shall argue that while the regulation of the film industry is broadly effective, the invention of digital technologies limits the effectiveness of film regulation. Additionally, film makers will intestinally make their film to as large an audience as possible, which they will achieve through creating a film that has content suitable for a 12A rating. In order to illustrate this I shall be using the action adventure superhero hybrid film Black  Panther as an example. Black Panther is a blockbuster film, and must make the largest amount of money possible by appealing to the largest audience possible. 

Paragraph one – Fight scene (PEA)

Point

When it comes to regulating film, context is absolutely essential, and the fight scenes in Black Panther tiptoe a line between savage violence and being suitable for all audiences

Evidence

• No realistic depictions of violence shown
• Fast paced editing obscures injury detail
• Brief flashes of blood, but not gratuitous 
• Clear distinction between good and evil is established through context. The villain is called 'Killmonger' and acts in a theatrically evil way 'I've killed people before' 
• Film takes a clear moral viewpoint
• A 'duel to the death' and a fight to be crowned king, clear conventions of a fantasy adventure 
• Beautiful fantasy setting with clearly high production values softens the impact of the violence
• Death in superhero films is different, and audiences will be comfortable that Black Panther is not actually dead
• No on screen deaths, at least for the main character
• The death that does occur does so for moral reasons
• Audiences will be aware of narrative conventions, the ups and downs, the heroes journey 
• Fight scene is fast paced and with little injury detail 
• Fight scene is choreographed and highly stylised, resembling a dance routine 
• There is a specific purpose for the battle, which is made clear to the audience
• Clearly fantasy violence, with no instances of actual trauma or extreme gore
• A little blood on teeth, but no excessive blood splatter
  
  

Analysis/argument

All of these elements allow the film to achieve the most desirable 12A rating. A 12A allows audiences of all ages to potentially view the film, while still including elements of violence which may appeal to older audiences. Additionally, younger audiences not only have time to visit the cinema, but also expendable income, which allows Disney to minimise risk and to maximise profit.