Conclusion of Target Audience research:

From the research I have collected on 15 certificate films, it is clear that they have become much more explicit concerning sex and violence; they are no longer branded an 18 certificate. Therefore more and more schoolchildren are able to purchase these films- some may argue, inappropriately. Also, some films have been given a 15 certificate on DVD, instead of the 18 classification they received for their cinema release.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), are awarding lower age certificates despite some DVD versions containing material removed for the cinema release, and they claim public attitudes have changed. This could be true as the 15 year old age group are being exposed to more material usually classified for older audiences, this proves that maybe modern day media has taken over and people’s attitudes to certain material are changing.

To reinforce this idea, my personal findings suggest a rising trend in 15 year olds is willing to experience more scenes of horror within a thriller film. However, the majority of the sample I asked also stated a good storyline and an established enigma is a must. This is refreshing because it seems that younger audiences are now expecting more to thrillers, not just gore and murder. They seem to find interesting and strong storylines an important factor to the overall film. Also, many 15 year olds I asked preferred the thriller films to incorporate a more human aspect; therefore it can be relatable for them. They seem to not be bothered about the props in use but believe that establishing character is key, and they are open to going against stereotypes (concerning protagonist/antagonist)- to maybe intrigue them more.

Personally, I believe that the 15 certificate has developed into a more intelligent and complex genre because young people’s attitudes are changing and developing constantly. I think it is important to allow 15 year olds a film that encourages them to be engaged not only by horror or violence, because they are becoming accustom to that anyway, but by a genuinely interesting storyline and appropriate mise-en-scene.