Motion Picture Association of American Film Rating System

What is the Motion Picture Association of American Film Rating System?

The Motion Picture Association of America film rating system is used to judge the content of a film in order to broadcast a rating, rating descriptor, and rating definition to consumers. The Motion Picture Association of American film rating system uses the following ratings: G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17.

The definition provides a general definition of the rated content, such as “some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.” The descriptor extends on the definition, such as “intense sequences of adventure, violence, including frightening images.”

Ratings under the Motion Picture Association of American Film Rating System

There are five ratings used, and each rating is described below:

G: General Audiences

If a film has this rating, the motion picture contains no themes, language, nudity, sex, violence, or other characteristics that the Rating Board believes would offend parents of younger children. The Rating Board states that some language may extend past “polite conversation,” but the language is usually everyday language. There are no depictions of violence, no nudity, no sex scenes, and no drug use in the film.

PG: Parental Guidance Suggested

This rating is provided when the Rating Board believes parents should review the film before they let their children attend. The parents are left to decide if the material is inappropriate. There may be some mature themes, violence, and brief nudity, but the content does not require a stronger rating. There is no drug use in the film.

PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned

This rating is given to let the parents decide if the material is appropriate for a child under the age of 13. There may be more violence, nudity, language, adult activities, or similar content that goes beyond a PG rating but does not qualify as an R-rating. Any drug use immediately qualifies a film for a PG-13 rating, and the nudity is not sexually oriented. The violence in PG-13 films is usually unrealistic and lacks extremeness. The Rating Board rates the film PG-13 with a two-thirds vote.

R: Restricted

An R-rated film contains adult content like “hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse, or other elements.” Children under the age of 17 cannot attend an R-rated film without supervision by an adult guardian or parent. It is not appropriate for a parent to bring a young child to an R-rated film.

NC-17: No One 17 and Under Admitted

This rating means most parents believe the material is too “adult” for children 17 and under. The rating does not mean the film is “obscene” or “pornographic,” but it means the movie is intended for an adult audience. The film contains “violence, sex, aberrational behavior, drug abuse” and/or other elements.

The Motion Picture Association of America film rating system also looks at advertisements in the form of trailers, print ads, radio and TV segments, bill boards, bus shelters, posters, and other advertising material to make sure the material is appropriate for the audiences that are viewing the advertisement.

Source: http://www.mpaa.org/