I'm Rated-Thanks MPAA

[Guest]

So I see the MPAA has rated my feature film.

 

http://www.mpaa.org

 

Type "Dark Reprieve" into the box.

 

How I got an R is beyond me? Not a single swear word in the entire movie.

 

Oh well at least my indie film will not have to bare that "not rated" stigma on the back cover of the DVD.

 

In any event I made a movie rated by the real ratings board, the American one! That must be cause for some form of celebration?

 

R,

[Dan Goulder]

In any event I made a movie rated by the real ratings board, the American one! That must be cause for some form of celebration?

 

R,

Yes...an X-rated celebration.

[Saul Rodgar]

John Waters once said that if a filmmaker makes a film without sex, violence and swearing and it gets rated NC17, he or she will be hailed a genius. If that is any consolation.

 

And then there is the movie about MPAA ratings: This Film Is Not Yet Rated, which sheds some light on the actual process of rating of movies by the monolithic and unchallengeable MPAA. Who knew Jack Valenti was a proto-fascist?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPAA_film_rating_system

[James Steven Beverly]

How I got an R is beyond me? Not a single swear word in the entire movie.

 

To paraphrase Lynch's Wild at Heart, how their minds work is God's own mystery. Give 'em a call and see if you can re-cut it to an NC-17 'cause R is gonna f*ck with your money and that's something you can't afford to do at this stage of the game ESPECIALLY considering your demographic for the film. They're probably just f*ckin' with the Canadian because they CAN and usually want some dumb ass cut of a few feet of film just to prove THEY'RE in charge. F*ck it, Give it to 'em. Get it done, get it changed, get paid and get on to the next one.

 

Who knew Jack Valenti was a proto-fascist?

 

Pretty much.................everyone? :huh:

Edited December 18, 2008 by James Steven Beverly

[Paul Bruening]

We've got a term in graphic design for this kind of situation. It is called the "turkey". You put something in intentionally that you know will get beefed on. But, since it's just some thing you jambed in on purpose to get them to beef, then you won't mind taking it out. Actually, you never put it in except for the copy you show them. Then, when they bite the turkey, you don't have any delays getting the real work out. They're happy, you're happy, everybody's happy.

[Guest]

Give 'em a call and see if you can re-cut it to an NC-17

 

You think I should try and get a higher rating?

 

How would that help?

 

I'm amazed that Jaws is rated PG! If it was released today there is no way it would be PG.

 

R,

[Jim Keller]

I'm amazed that Jaws is rated PG! If it was released today there is no way it would be PG.

 

The original Planet of the Apes was released with a G!

 

Try getting a movie with homicidal apes slaughtering and lobotomizing humans who've had a male nude scene earlier in the movie through the MPAA with less than an R today, and see how far you get... :)

[James Steven Beverly]

You think I should try and get a higher rating?

 

How would that help?

 

Yeah, that would help :rolleyes: sorry, I took a little trip into the ozone layer but I'm back now, I meant to say PG, and YES you very much should try and get the rating low enough for teenage boys to be able to see it, THAT'S where you cash is gonna come from. B)

Edited December 18, 2008 by James Steven Beverly

[K Borowski]

Jaws was released prior to the release of the "PG-13" rating, which, interestingly enough, also was due to a Spielburg movie, the 2nd Indiana Jones film.

 

Obviously, the ratings have changed in their meanings from back then. While, certainly "Planet of the Apes" wouldn't earn a G today, at that time, parents wouldn't take their kids to a PG movie, so it has as much to do with changing perceptions of what child appropriate material is. Maybe I should call it abandonment of those perceptions, after how many kids I saw in the Matrix movies, young kids. . . :blink:

 

I bet your film got an "R" Richard, for too much smoking. Killing people is OK in even G movies, as are guns and weapons used without any ramifications for the consequences they bring, but sex and smoking get your ratings increased.

 

I was actually shocked by the rating of "Definitely, Maybe" as a PG-13, for smoking. The sensors must have fallen asleep in the part where the dad says that smoking was a bad habit that he gave up, and admonishes his daughter never to start :blink:

 

I wonder what "101 Dalmatians" would get today, PG-13?

[Matthew Buick]

What do you think an R rating would translate into in the British system? I'm guessing a 12, which would be perfect for you Richard. It may be seen as a bit "not groovy", or "well unappealing, chums" no watch a U rated picture. I'm talking about the type of viewer that enjoys pedalling bikes off 21 storey buildings if you didn't guess.

Edited December 18, 2008 by Matthew Buick

[Paul Bruening]

Speaking of ratings, how does Youtube handle ratings and/or controls of content?

[Brad Grimmett]

So I see the MPAA has rated my feature film.

 

R,

Why are you surprised? You have to submit your film in order to get it rated, which I'm sure you did.

[Will Earl]

What do you think an R rating would translate into in the British system? I'm guessing a 12, which would be perfect for you Richard. It may be seen as a bit "not groovy", or "well unappealing, chums" no watch a U rated picture. I'm talking about the type of viewer that enjoys pedalling bikes off 21 storey buildings if you didn't guess.

 

I think an R in the US is closer to an 18 in the UK.

[Matthew Buick]

Wow! That is a real problem. Thanks. ;)

[Walter Graff]

Why are you surprised? You have to submit your film in order to get it rated, which I'm sure you did.

 

 

Did you pay for the rating or do you have a distributor who did?

[Mark Dunn]

At least you CAN sell an unclassified film. Here it's a criminal offence.

[Hal Smith]

I think an R in the US is closer to an 18 in the UK.

 

R rating is "Children under 17 are not allowed to attend R-rated motion pictures unaccompanied by a parent or adult guardian." (from http://www.mpaa.org/FlmRat_Ratings.asp )

[Guest]

Why are you surprised? You have to submit your film in order to get it rated, which I'm sure you did.

 

No I didn't submit it for a rating. The distributor did, which is a surprise because most low budget features with no name casts sail out as "un-rated."

 

 

Did you pay for the rating or do you have a distributor who did?

 

Distribution company did it, no idea what it costs?

 

It costs a fortune in Canada because Canada has seven ratings boards for a country with fewer people than the state of California. You need at least three boards here to rate it, then you take an average of the three ratings. And of course Quebec has their own system all together outside of the main Canadian system. Gee what a surprise that is.

 

R,

[Walter Graff]

Distribution company did it, no idea what it costs?

 

 

Well congratulations. Your distributor must think it has legs to spend the thousands for a rating. Good luck!!!!

[K Borowski]

Obviously, they are going to want to trim it to obtain a "PG-13" rating in the States, correct?

 

Do you have any idea yet what the objectionable material *was*, RB?

[Benson Marks]

So I see the MPAA has rated my feature film.

 

http://www.mpaa.org

 

Type "Dark Reprieve" into the box.

 

How I got an R is beyond me? Not a single swear word in the entire movie.

 

Oh well at least my indie film will not have to bare that "not rated" stigma on the back cover of the DVD.

 

In any event I made a movie rated by the real ratings board, the American one! That must be cause for some form of celebration?

 

R,

 

I haven't seen your movie, but the rating reasons are "for some violent and disturbing content."

 

Anywho, I don't really depend on ratings that much. Let me just be blunt here. Rating systems (in my opinion) are totally unreliable.

 

Here's the long list of criticisms brought up by the MPAA.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPAA_rating_system (Click on "Criticism of the MPAA rating system" after it's done loading.)

[James Steven Beverly]

I DID see it, and there is no way in Hell it deserves an R. I quite frankly find it mind boggling it DID receive an R. I really do believe it's because it was an import. :blink:

[K Borowski]

I DID see it, and there is no way in Hell it deserves an R. I quite frankly find it mind boggling it DID receive an R. I really do believe it's because it was an import. :blink:

 

Good riddance. Keep the Canadian dollar, metric system, and excessive politeness north of the border where they belong! ;-)

 

 

P.S. I'd definitely use excessive use of the metric system as reason to rate a film "R" for attempting to subliminally message impressional USA youths.

Edited December 23, 2008 by Karl Borowski

[James Steven Beverly]

Does that mean we REAL American film makers can only use lenses with focal lengths measured in inches? :huh: :o :blink:

Edited December 23, 2008 by James Steven Beverly

[K Borowski]

Does that mean we REAL American film makers can only use lenses with focal lengths measured in inches? :huh: :o :blink:

 

You already do; they're just quoted in rounded-off millimeter amounts ;-)

 

But, to answer your question, film widths, lens lengths, and 2-liter bottles of soda pop are the only metric designations that real Americans should even understand. Everything else a good American should be blissfully ignorant.